Noted dancer Sharmila Banerjee’s dance organisation Nritya Nandan presented local dance in Norway at a collaborative program between Bangladesh and Norway in September. Banerjee shares her experiences in Norway in an interview with New Age.
The team consisted of a combination of local and Norwegian artistes including Sudeshna Swayamprabha in dance and Nilmoni Singha in percussion from Bangladesh, and Ingeborg Christopherson in flute, Erik Skanke Hosoien in guitar and Karolina Radziej in violin from Norway.
‘The 20-day trip of Nritya Nandan was organsied jointly by culture and arts promoting institution in Norway, Rikskonsertene (Concerts Norway), and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We performed in a number of school concerts in collaboration with a famous Norwegian dance troupe, Trio Natthergal (Nightingale), in the towns of Lillehamer, Oyer and Gausdal. The trip began on September 02,’ said Banerjee.
‘Our team performed a 35 minute production, which was jointly directed by me and Hallgeir Frydenlund from Norway. Though we got only three days for rehearsal, the production was still really good because of the cordial and disciplined participation by the dancers,’ shared Banerjee.
The contemporary dance routine, based on the theme of a garden, was composed to the music consisting of a variety of European musical instruments as well as Bangladeshi traditional and classical instruments. ‘It was a great experimentation in terms of integrating the music and dance of the two continents,’ informed the dancer about the production.
Banerjee also shared that the whole trip was a magnificent experience for them. ‘The entire team of Rikskonseretene had been very welcoming and caring. Their great hospitality helped us to feel comfortable in the distant country,’ added Banerjee.
Rikskonseretene has previously worked in collaboration with Nritya Nandan in 2012, after which two folk dancers from Norway came to Bangladesh to conduct a four-day long workshop for the Bangladeshi dancers.
-With New Age input
