Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India celebrated the International Dance Day here at Natrang Studio Theatre, Jammu featuring a day long programme of dances, deliberations, discussions and screening of films.
ICCR Jammu chose to celebrate this world day with prime focus on the diverse dance traditions of Jammu & Kashmir. Amazingly, Jammu & Kashmir is the only State of the Indian Union which offers immense variety of local dances. Starting from ‘Rouf’, ‘Bachhnagma’, ‘Kud’, ‘Fuman-iyan’, ‘Jagarna’, ‘Gagel’ ‘Dandars’ to the dances in other regional languages of ‘Gojri’, ‘Pahari’, ‘Balti’, ‘Bhadarwahi’, the State of J&K offers unique dance forms like ‘Jabroo’ ‘Surahi dance’ ‘Shon dance’, ‘Koshan dance’ and ‘Yak dance’ of Ladakh.
Earlier Regional Director of ICCR J&K, Balwant Thakur dwelt in detail about the importance of this International day and informed that International Dance Day was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Council (CID, Counsil International de la Danse), a UNESCO partner NGO, and is celebrated yearly, on April 29. The date is not linked to a particular person or a particular form of dance, although it’s also the day when the French dancer and ballet master Jean-Georges Noverre was born. The main purpose of Dance Day events is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance. Emphasis should be given to addressing a new public, people who do not follow dance events during the course of the year. By celebrating this International day in Jammu, Balwant Thakur desired that let the world know that this region is no less in staking the claim that Jammu is yet another happening place in world which boasts of having unique diversity of dance traditions.
The major attraction of the day was the presentation of ‘Hafiz Nagma’ a semi-classical dance of the region by the local artists. Based on the playback of ‘Sufiyana Kalam of Kashmir this dance form has its roots in Central Asia. Traditionally the ‘Hafiza’ (Lead Dancer) used to sing and dance herself but over the year the singing part has been taken over by the playback singers thus librating the dances to focus more artistic energy of the movements and expressions. Dogri dance ‘Jagarna’ also offers unique features as it has the elements of theatre submerged with its performance.
Those participated in the day long programme included Rakesh Kumar Kona, Sunny Mujoo, Simran Kaur, Khushi, Anil Sharma, Jyoti Kumari, Nikhil Manhas, Geetanjali Khajuria, Ruchika Khajuria, Razia Akhter, Bindia, Simran, Pallavi, Payal Bhau, Suneha Bhau, Neha Bhau, Radhika, Ashwani Sharma and Rachna.
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