In its 50th year, National Centre for Performing Arts will present August Dance Residency, a 2-day event that will feature film screening, dance workshop and a thrilling dance performance ‘Sabari!’ by Mamata Shankar Dance Company on 9th and 10th August,2019 at NCPA.
Commenting on this, NCPA Head- Dance Programming, Ms. Swapnokalpa Dasgupta commented, “This year is very special to us as we celebrate 50years of service to the Arts. It is thus fitting to dedicate this platform to one of the most iconic dancers of the country -Uday Shankar, the pioneer of modern dance in India. NCPA is pleased to have his daughter dancer and actress Mrs. Mamata Shankar take her father’s legacy ahead by endearing dance performance along with a workshop in their distinctive style of dancing. We have also arranged for the screening of the first ever film made on a fictional story about the life of a dancer . KALPANA is the only film made by Uday Shankar in dance baller format and is the debut film of many bright names in cinema like actress Padmini and Ushakiran.”
On 9th August, a workshop on Uday Shankar’s style of dance will be conducted by Mamata Shankar Dance company for all the dance enthusiasts
On 10th August, screening of‘Kalpana’, a film made by the legendary dancer Uday Shankar at NCPA’s Godrej Dance Theatre.
The festival will conclude with ‘Sabari!’, dance performance presented by distinguished Mamata Shankar Dance Company, headed by renowned dancer and actress Mamata Shankar, who is also the daughter of legendary Uday Shankar and renowned dancer Amala Shankar.
Mamata Shankar has worked with some of the finest film directors of the country like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Rituparna Ghosh. She is specially regarded for her role in the film Agantuk by Satyajit Ray for which she received the National award.
Started in 1977, the troupe continues to teach a unique dance style, created by Uday Shankar, which is a mix of classical Indian dance with a contemporary sensibility. Over the past 29 years Mamata has choreographed several dance-dramas and short dance items on wide ranging contemporary themes. Amongst the most notable are Tagore’s “Chandalika“, “Horikhela“, “Mother of Earth“, so on and so forth. Her troupe has several noteworthy choreographies and are known for their dance drama and dance ballet.
About the NCPA:
Opening its doors to the world in 1969, the NCPA became the first multi-venue and multi-purpose cultural center to be built in South Asia. Vibrant and diverse, the NCPA today is recognized by artistes, patrons and media alike as India’s premier performing arts institution. The Centre provides a fine showcase for India’s rich performing arts traditions, all thanks to the institution’s training and research initiatives.
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