A troupe of Indian classical dancers from Oman – under the banner of Leelangika, headed by Kathak exponent Jhumpa Chakraborty, recently took part in the Tokyo Global Dance Festival and returned with a bag full of laurels

Mesmerised, awestruck, and with a deep appreciation of Indian classical dance, the global audience at the Tokyo Global Dance Festival and Competition, held in Tokyo, Japan, between August 11-12, lapped up every performance by members of Leelangika – an Indian, Kathak dance troupe in Oman – and begged for more!

Headed by veteran Kathak exponent, Jhumpa Chakraborty, the troupe of female dancers left the audience dazzled by their solos as well as group performances which was marked by soul-stirring, meaningful movements, colourful costumes and accompanied classical renditions. The troupe was declared as the overall winners in the group dance competition while two dancers – Aditi Guru and Rupsa Mandal- also bagged awards in the solo dance section.

The festival, organised by the International Dance Council (Conseil International De La Danse – CID), was inaugurated by Erika Akoh, president of CID Tokyo, and included participants from 12 countries around the world. All participants also attended various workshops during the two-day event while Jhumpa herself undertook a workshop in Kathak dance which was well received.

Members of Leelangika with Erika Akoh (centre) and other officials of CID Tokyo

While Jhumpa is the director of Leelangika, her troupe of dancers for Tokyo included Aditi Guru, Aviva Shibu, Maheeka Mahanta, Manvi Shanker and Rupsa Mandal.

Over the years, Jhumpa and her troupe has also performed at the India International Dance Festival, 2015, held at Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India and at the Bharath Nrityotsav, 2016, held at Vishakhapatnam, India. She has been awarded the title ‘Natya Saradhi’ at the BharathNrityotsav.

An avid member of the International Dance Council, which is a part of UNESCO, Jhumpa has, with her students, performed at the 50th World Dance Congress, held in Athens, Greece, in 2017 and bagged several awards at the Dance World Cup 2018, held in Mont Tremblant, Canada. In 2022, Leelangika participated at the Barcelona Dance Awards, held at Barcelona, Spain and won the first prize in Ethnic Dance Category, besides a special prize from the Catalunya Theatre Jury for the best choreography.

In a tete-a-tete with Muscat Daily, Jhumpa shares some insights about their participation in Tokyo. Excerpts:

How well received was your participation in this event?

The organisers were very excited to have us participate in the event. I had met Erika Akoh, the president of CID Tokyo, at the World Dance Congress in Athens Greece, so it was nice to meet her again in Tokyo.

Was the audience and participants appreciative of Indian dance?

Yes. Our dance was highly appreciated by the audience and participants. I had taken a Kathak workshop and the participants were very interested to learn about the mudras (gestures) of Indian classical dance.

How different were the other performances?

Other dance performances which were presented in the festival included ballet, Baiga Iwai (Japanese dance), hip hop, flamenco, contemporary, Taiwanese dance and Gambian dance. The Chinese dance Ryuken (a mask dance) was spellbinding while the Japanese drummers were outstanding, too.

Does this participation mark any milestone for your troupe?

Not really, but I felt Indian classical dance performances don’t happen very often there. So, we were happy to showcase Kathak – an exquisitely beautiful Indian classical dance – on the Japanese platform.

With over two decades in this troupe, what is your immediate ‘gain’ as well as vision for years ahead?

Being with my Leelangika troupe for over 2 decades has enabled me to keep Kathak dance alive in this part of the world and pass on my knowledge to the next generation. It fills my heart with immense happiness when I see my students perform exceptionally well! I have also created  beautiful choreographies and staged several dance ballets in Muscat. In future also, I will be continuing my efforts in teaching and performing Kathak in Muscat and across the globe.

I feel, through our dance we are able to reach out to a wider section of people in the world beyond the barriers of language and technical knowledge of our dance form.

Our history

Indian classical dance has been a part of our history for thousands of years now and as is evident, it is far from forgotten. It has, indeed, evolved due to globalisation but still has its original roots. I think, global exposure will help its spread.

Maheeka Mahanta, senior performer

Interesting interaction

The trip to Tokyo was an opportunity for us to showcase Kathak dance to an audience that wasn’t familiar with the dance form which felt very fulfilling as an artist. I also enjoyed witnessing dance forms from different cultures and interacting with several other dancers Aviva Shibu, senior performer

Connected to roots

Since I have been away from India for 18 years, Kathak has been a beautiful way of staying connected with my roots. We need more dance schools to promote Indian classical dance forms because it provides a connection with one’s culture as well as with God.

Manvi Shanker, senior performer

Exciting experiences

I have performed previously in Greece, India, and Spain, but this trip to Tokyo was my first experience in a CID UNESCO competition. The trip was incredibly fulfilling, offering a blend of both new and exciting experiences.

Rupsa Mandal, senior performer

Jhumpa Chakraborty (extreme right) participates in a traditional tea session at the festival