Odissi International is a gathering of Odissi dancers from all over the world in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, hosted by the city-based cultural forum Samskritiki. Taking place for the third coinsecutive year in 2012, the festival featured over 150 dancers from 14 countries. The focus of the festival was on the future faces of Odissi, and thus a majority of the performers were young dancers.
Talent search
In an attempt to discover and nurture new talent, this year (the festival’s 3rd) the organisers introduced a talent search section. A jury of dance exponents watched the young soloists, all below the age of 30, and those who secured at least 75 per cent marks from the jury were awarded the title of Odissi Prativa (Odissi talent).
Of the winners, the top 10 scoring dancers were announced including Dance India and Timeless 2012 performer Natalie Rani Rout.
“As the only British Odissi artist to be chosen for such a high accolade, Natalie has made us all feel very proud of her achievements. Having known her passion and dedication for Odissi for many years now, I am confident that she will continue to shine as a performer for many years to come. Milapfest is proud to have worked with Natalie on several projects and we look forward to continuing our work with her” – Dr Prashant Nayak, Director of Milapfest.