Mamata Shankar to produce dance-dramas with a difference
Noted dance exponent Mamata Shankar and her husband Chandradoy Ghosh is all set to celebrate the 117th birth anniversary of her father, the legendary Uday Shankar, between December 8 and 9 at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Salt Lake.
On December 8, ‘Dancing Diva’ a documentary on Uday Shankar, directed by Shukla Das will be screened, followed by “Hridmajhare” by Om Foundation (Direction: Shyamal Mullick) and “Horikhela” by Mamata Shankar Dance Company (Direction: Mamata Shankar). On December 9, “Ravan” by Shinjan (Direction: Kohinoor Sen Barat) will be followed by a new production “Sabari” by Mamata Shankar Dance Company (Direction: Mamata Shan- kar). “Though Horikhela is an old production of our troupe; we have added a new twist to the story. The Queen in Tagore’s dance drama avenges the killings but our Queen lets the Afghan women go, fostering a strange bond with them. We have tried to uphold peace and forgiveness here in the face of a violent and valueless society,” Shankar told Millennium Post.
In Sabari too, the story is about a brave woman who has all the qualities that an ideal modern woman should possess. “Here, purity of the mind, body and soul is more important than religious practices”, says Shankar.
For Shankar, who believes that dance is not just entertainment, the journey began in 1977 as ‘STRADIVARIUS’ with a handful of young music enthusiasts, forming a choral group along with a few dancers. The founder was Chandradoy Ghosh. The group held its first performance at the Calcutta Television centre (Doordarshan) in ‘77.
In 1978 the group was christened as “Mamata Shankar ballet troupe”. Since its inception, the group has not only produced several noteworthy choreographic presentations but in the process, have also been able to carve a niche for themselves in the performing arts arena. The group has been registered as “Mamata Shankar Dance Company” in 2006. It follows the style evolved by Uday Shankar, which has the essence of classical and folk dance and yet is innovative, contemporary and vibrant.