Odissi Dance history

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Indian Performing Arts and Dance History | Odissi Dance history

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Origins:Odissi Dance History

Odissi dance was originally a Hindu worship ritual performed in the temples of Orissa, a State in East India.

Ancient temple statues and carvings as well as dance treatises date the dance back to about 200 B.C. In fact the temple of Konarak (1300 A.D.) celebrates Odissi dance through its elaborate architecture, statues and dance reliefs depicting devotion to the sun God, Surya.

Odissi Dance as it exists today is reconstructed from a study of poses from ancient statues, established dance literature and a few surviving temple dancers ("maharis"). Various interpretations of the dance have been made.

Odissi Dance Company and the Jena style of Odissi

Odissi Dance Company was founded in Sydney, Australia by Nirmal Jena and Chitrita Mukerjee in 1992. Nirmal Jena presently teaches and performs the Jena style of Odissi dance in Sydney, carrying on the tradition of his father, Surendra Nath Jena.

Surendra Nath Jena is an established dance expert ("guruji") in India who has studied, performed, choreographed and taught Odissi dance for the past 40 years.

The Jena style has achieved a clear rendering of tradition by drawiing on poses set in stone and recorded in the drawings of manuscripts.