Exemplary exponent of Kathak dance honoured

Kolkata: She was born, brought up and trained in India and now she teaches in the US and performs all over the world. There is a harmonious blend of traditional Kathak with other world forms like jazz and ballet, whenever she takes the stage and the impact on the audience is simply mesmerizing and hypnotic.

Known for her powerful fusion dance recitals, Anindita Neogy Anaam, a regular performer and Kathak instructor based out of Wisconsin, US, has bagged the coveted “Shri Jayadev Rastriya Yuva Pratibha Puraskar 2018” for being an exemplary exponent of Kathak dance, and for her immense contribution to the field of art, by the cultural ministry of Orissa and National Culture Mission.

While accepting the prestigious award, she also performed during the four-day long Jayadev International Dance Festival organised by the cultural ministry, Orissa and National Culture Mission. She aptly chose to start the concert with Poet Jayadev’s famous rendition from Geeta Govinda- ‘Lalita Lavanga’, where she showcased her immense talent of facial expressions or Abhinaya.

The overall effect of blissful enactment of the romantic verse with delicate gesture and shifting of expressions flawlessly between the various moods was electrifying. The second part of her recital begun with tradition Teental which is a 16 beat rhythmic taal pattern set in Raag Charukeshi.

Trained in both Jaipur and Lucknow styles of Kathak under the tutelage of maestros of the art, Anindita always concentrates on and gives weightage to fast spins or chakkars and perfect hastaks or hand movements. She always tries to be delicate yet fierce in her overall presentation, she said.