The Rise And Fall Of Odissi

Story Created: Jul 20, 2010 at 12:57 AM ECT
Story Updated: Jul 23, 2010 at 2:48 AM ECT

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sunday-mix/98804854.html

On WednesdaY July 21, Dr Ananya Chatterjea, Resident Artist of the Makeda Thomas/Roots & Wings
Movement! 2010 Dance & Performance Institute will present a lecture, History of Odissi: Reconstruction of Tradition.

The lecture begins at 7 p.m. at Studio 66, Art Support Community, located at 66, Sixth Street in Barataria.
History of Odissi: Reconstruction of a Tradition is a lecture about the way in which Odissi, one of the oldest classical dance forms in India, existed in its origins, and how it came to slowly degenerate due to certain religious injunctions and particularly during British colonial rule due to lack of support and resources.
Chatterjea said, "I will also share how the process of reconstruction happened in the 1960's and ask at what cost this reconstruction as a proscenium stage form happened.

"I will work through a power point of images and videos.

"I am hopeful that this talk will open up questions of what we, as decolonized peoples, have to do in order to revive our histories.

"Must we submit to Europeanist ideas and write down all historical narratives? Or can we find other ways for our histories to exist and still be safe?"