An evening of expressions and emotions by Kathak dance group Leelangika

Kathak dance group Leelangika recently staged their new production ‘Abhivyakti….a palette of Rasas’ directed and conceptualized by Ms Jhumpa Chakraborty at the Oman Hall of the College of Banking and Financial Studies, to a full house of multi ethnic audience.

The evening began with the lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest Prema Nagesh, founder director of Vyaniti Yoga Studio. The Kathak recital started with a Guru Vandana, which Jhumpa dedicated as a tribute to both her dance Gurus Late Pt. Birju Maharaj ji and Late Munna Lal Shukla ji.  Following the Guru Vandana the students of Leelangika presented tukras, parans, tihais and kavittas in Teental, Ektal and Pancham Sawari and Jhumpa performed Gat Nikas. A vision of Kathak in the Mughal court was presented through ‘Darbar-e-Kathak’, a spellbinding choreography by Ms Jhumpa!

The ballet ‘Abhivyakti….a palette of Rasas’ was all about 9 types of expressions and emotions, Navaras, we human beings emote in everyday life like Raudra- anger, Karun- pathos, Adbhut- wonder, Hasya- joy etc. With the able direction from their Guru Ms Jhumpa, the students of Leelangika  expressed each of the rasas so beautifully through different mythological stories that the audience were simply enthralled.

The dancers of the evening were: Arya, Vishwa, Aaheli, Ahana, Priyanjana, Anya Anoop, Kanyana, Rihanna, Bhavya, Suhana, Pehel, Diya, Juana, Jahnabi, Anoushka, Dishita, Bhoomi, Reina, Rupsa, Anya Sharma, Maheeka, Vyatiba, Aviva, Aditi, Shaivi, Manvi, Shrabosti, Zanam, Mahua, Dona, Subhasree, Dilna, Vandana, Anu, Sunita and Jhumpa. The narration for the ballet was impeccably done by Mr Rahul Kar and the dramatic use of lighting on the stage by Tapas Chakraborty made the dance performances absolutely breathtaking.

Jhumpa Chakraborty's new production ‘Abhivyakti….a palette of Rasas’ literally stole the heart of each and every person in the audience and left them wanting for more.