Manipuri Dance by Sohini Ray
Manipuri Dance Visions – Institute of Manipuri Dance
Founded in 2005 by Sohini Ray, one of the foremost artists of Manipuri dance in India and world-wide,
Dance Visions is one of the few institutions of Manipuri dance in North America. The performance and
production unit of Manipuri Dance Visions Ensemble is the leading Manipuri dance company based
in the west.
Manipuri Dance – A brief history
Manipuri dance is one of the six classical dances of India. It originated in the northeast Indian
state of Manipur, deep in the Himalayas, where dance is an integral part of life. This region is
extremely complex in terms of its religious beliefs and practices. Manipuri dance is one
of the few dance forms of India where the temple tradition is still alive. The performance
tradition for the proscenium has been adapted from the living temple dance tradition. Technically Manipuri
dance has two parallel styles; Lasya – the female style and Tandava – the male style,
and contemporary choreography draws from both styles.
The Artists
Sohini Ray was initiated into Manipuri Dance by the legendary maestro Guru Bipin Singh at the age
of seven when she was admitted to Manipuri Nartanalaya, Kolkata. She received over twenty-five
years of training in Dance and Pung (Manipuri drums). Her performances in North America have
included the inaugural ceremony of South-Asia Festival, New York University, American College
Dance Festival, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, World Fest, UCLA, film sequence of
the opera "Mathis der Maler" directed by Peter Sellars, the Los Angeles Women's Theater festival,
the opening night of Dance Kaliedoscope, LA and Kalanidhi Dance Festival in Toronto, Canada.
Her major choreographic works include Secrets of the Heart and Self in collaboration with Korean choreographer
Senhea Ha. She received her M.A. in Dance and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of
California, Los Angeles and has published extensively on cultural and performance of Manipur.
She has taught Manipuri Dance in New York University and University of California, Los Angeles and
founded her own institution in Los Angeles in 2005. Sohini recently received the Elaine Weissman Los Angeles Treasures
Award from the California Traditional Music Society and the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of
Los Angeles for her contribution to the performing arts in Los Angeles.
Krishnakali Dasgupta was initiated into dances at a very young age in Children’s Little Theater.
She was trained in both masculine (tandava) and feminine (lasya) sub-styles of Manipuri dance
and pung (Manipuri drums). Later she studied Manipuri martial arts (Thang-ta). Krishnakali was
chosen by Nehru Children's Museum to represent India in solo Manipuri Dance performances all over Germany in
1997. She has performed at various prestigious festivals in India. She has received the Senior
Scholarship for Manipuri Dance from the Department of Culture, Govt. of India.
Naila Azad is an actress trained in National School of Drama and UCLA. She was
exposed to Manipuri dance as a child in Bangladesh and later received training in Bharatnatyam from Viji
Prakash in Los Angeles. She started learning Manipuri Dance in Manipuri Dance Visions since
its inception in 2005.
Alma Cielo is a performance artiste, actor, model, violinist and dancer. She has
studied Butoh and Middle Eastern dances. She is a graduate of Yale University,
with a BA in anthropology, and is currently a student of fashion design in LA Trade Technical
College. She started learning Manipuri Dance in Manipuri Dance Visions in 2006.
The Program
Basant Ras: This piece is an excerpt from one of the Rasleelas. Rasleelas are night-long ritual dance-dramas held in the temples of Manipur. Basant Ras is held on the full moon night of Spring, the word Basant literally means spring season. This piece shows Lord Krishna, his consort Radha and all her friends the gopis, celebrate holi, or the festival of colors. They smear each other with colored powder and dance together in joy.
Performers: Naila Azad and Alma Cielo (as gopies), Krishnakali Dasgupta (as Radha), Sohini Ray (as Krishna).
Pung-cholom: This piece depicts forceful and acrobatic dancing along with playing the drums (pung). Traditionally it is only done by men in Manipur and Guru Bin Singh was the pioneer in teaching women how to play drums. Drum dancing was taken up by only a handful of his women students among whom Sohini Ray was one. She studied further in Manipur from some of the drum masters there, fighting through many social barriers as in Manipur it is still a taboo for women to dance with drums. Performer: Sohini Ray.
Suksari Dwanda: This piece depicts the mythological birds Suka and his partner Sari engaged in a love quarrel. They debate on the relative greatness of Radha and Krishna. Of course, Sari out speaks Suka and they dance together happily at the end.
Performers: Krishnakali Dasgupta (as Suka), Sohini Ray (as Sari).
Khubak Ishei: This piece is a part of the celebration of Ratha-yatra or chariot festival, where the Lord Jagannth along with his companions Balaram and Subhadra are transported in a chariot. During the nine day celebration of this festival in Manipur men and women gather in the neighborhoods to perform the ‘clap dance’ and sing, and hence the name Khubak, literally meaning ‘clap’ and the Ishei, literally meaning ‘singing’.
Performers: Sohini Ray, Krishnakali Dasgupta, Naila Azad, and Alma Cielo