| quintessence_of_odissi_guru_surendra_nath_jenas_courage_to_lead.pdf |
Dance education
Learning Odissi from Nirmal/Guruji has taught me that dance can be personal devotional practice which helps gain a deep understanding of oneself and how we navigate through our life and society with this awareness.
Practising this ancient dance form has many positive health benefits and it harmonise the mind and body so that the individual can excel in life.
Australia boasts a multi-cultural society. The input from such an ancient form, taught by a master, can only enrich our cultural life. The creative possibilities for dancers and choreographers are infinite and the deepening of the inner life that supports this creativity is provided via the philosophy and spirit of the dance.
For me, Guruji's dance is a universe where all the disparate elements of my world make beautiful meaning together; it is precious and timeless.
All my understanding has come from my own Guru Nirmal Jena. His Odissi is unique in that the basis is truly from the sculptures themselves. The composition and choreography is done in such a way to be able to challenge the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual abilities of the dancer...in this style, the connections become so much more meaningful and real - the connection not just within one’s self but to nature, to the spirit and to the world.
We live in an extremely fragmented world, where we cannot understand things in totality. The kaleidoscopic nature of Guruji's dance - where life talks to art, the sublime to the everyday, the arts mirror each other whether painting, architecture, literature, music or dance - is a balm for our modern souls. More than anything else, it creates this beautiful totality with a lightness of being, with humour and humanity. It is a precious universe.
Arts and artists are viewed as the repository of ancient wisdom and practice as well as the creators of new meanings through higher order media – dance, music, poetry, painting, theatre…………One of the most important roles of artists, performers, musicians, writers, and other creative makers in society has always been to redefine in contemporary ways who we are as individuals and communities and who we must become, if our communities are to flourish and be strong.[1]
Diversity is the characteristic of nature and the basis of ecological stability. Diverse ecosystems give rise to diverse life forms, and to diverse cultures. The co-evolution of cultures, life forms and habitats has conserved the biological diversity on this planet. Cultural diversity and biological diversity go hand in hand…..Diversity is an alternative to monoculture, homogeneity and uniformity. Living diversity in nature corresponds to a living diversity of cultures. The natural and cultural diversity is a source of wealth and source of alternatives.[2]
[1] Pamille Berg Consulting (2005) Toward a new cultural plan: the arts and cultural strategy consultancy report Coffs Harbour City Council
[2] Vandana Shiva (1997) Monocultures of the Mind, Zed Books, NY
Presentations/performances, workshops and lecture-demonstrations are also offered by invitation.
- Public and private classes are currently offered only in our Chifley garden dance studio in Sydney's east. All welcome. Come and learn a daily practice that will energise, transform and build resilience like no other.
- Music Education
- Training in Odiya and North Indian classical vocal music
- Training in harmonium and percussion/drums – pakhawaj
Learning Odissi from Nirmal/Guruji has taught me that dance can be personal devotional practice which helps gain a deep understanding of oneself and how we navigate through our life and society with this awareness.
Practising this ancient dance form has many positive health benefits and it harmonise the mind and body so that the individual can excel in life.
Australia boasts a multi-cultural society. The input from such an ancient form, taught by a master, can only enrich our cultural life. The creative possibilities for dancers and choreographers are infinite and the deepening of the inner life that supports this creativity is provided via the philosophy and spirit of the dance.
For me, Guruji's dance is a universe where all the disparate elements of my world make beautiful meaning together; it is precious and timeless.
All my understanding has come from my own Guru Nirmal Jena. His Odissi is unique in that the basis is truly from the sculptures themselves. The composition and choreography is done in such a way to be able to challenge the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual abilities of the dancer...in this style, the connections become so much more meaningful and real - the connection not just within one’s self but to nature, to the spirit and to the world.
We live in an extremely fragmented world, where we cannot understand things in totality. The kaleidoscopic nature of Guruji's dance - where life talks to art, the sublime to the everyday, the arts mirror each other whether painting, architecture, literature, music or dance - is a balm for our modern souls. More than anything else, it creates this beautiful totality with a lightness of being, with humour and humanity. It is a precious universe.
Arts and artists are viewed as the repository of ancient wisdom and practice as well as the creators of new meanings through higher order media – dance, music, poetry, painting, theatre…………One of the most important roles of artists, performers, musicians, writers, and other creative makers in society has always been to redefine in contemporary ways who we are as individuals and communities and who we must become, if our communities are to flourish and be strong.[1]
Diversity is the characteristic of nature and the basis of ecological stability. Diverse ecosystems give rise to diverse life forms, and to diverse cultures. The co-evolution of cultures, life forms and habitats has conserved the biological diversity on this planet. Cultural diversity and biological diversity go hand in hand…..Diversity is an alternative to monoculture, homogeneity and uniformity. Living diversity in nature corresponds to a living diversity of cultures. The natural and cultural diversity is a source of wealth and source of alternatives.[2]
[1] Pamille Berg Consulting (2005) Toward a new cultural plan: the arts and cultural strategy consultancy report Coffs Harbour City Council
[2] Vandana Shiva (1997) Monocultures of the Mind, Zed Books, NY
Presentations/performances, workshops and lecture-demonstrations are also offered by invitation.
Nirmal Jena in NIDA
Photo: Rudolf Rindler
Dance-in-education
Offering Odissi dance training within primary, secondary and tertiary education is vital, particularly as it requires intensive training and deep learning. It is both scientific and artistic. Situating such training within formal education gives learners a genuine opportunity to study this artform and pursue it to professional standards and beyond.
Nirmal has presented and taught his Odissi in many schools, universities, colleges, training and coaching centres, juvenile justice centres and specialist institutions, including yoga and meditation centres.
The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney regularly invites Nirmal to teach Odissi.
Educational institutions and other organisations interested in offering the Jena style of Odissi to prospective learners should contact the Odissi Dance Company. For reaching professional and teaching standards, the learning needs to be full time and over three to five years, ideally as an accredited degree program.
The Quintessence of Odissi: Guru Surendra Nath Jena’s Courage to Lead
by his son, Nirmal Chandra Jena
My father was a maverick, a fearless pioneer with every reason to be frightened of the world that imposed on him, but he was not. He had a vision steeped in philosophy, values and rituals and his vehicle was Odissi dance, a timeless, ageless expression borne out of the depth of consciousness and worship. He embellished this with a commanding scientific base consisting of theory, technique, music, poetry and illustrations.
He invested his life in the arts and created dance and music masterpieces. Eka eka mala deli gunthita jatane kebala pindhi paribe kala sebi janee (an excerpt from his poetry) - I have created this garland of jewels with great care, and only the chosen can be adorned with it.
Odisara shilpa chitra jete dina thiba aei kalara satyata je banchiki rahiba: for as long as the sculptures and the paintings of Odisha are visible, the truth of Odissi will remain; for as long as there is deep inquiry, the truth will be revealed again and again; and, for as long as the rituals in the temples are practised, the journey will continue to inspire. Guruji went on his sacred journey to reach Sattwika, the pinnacle of creativity which eludes most. My mother, Kumudini’s support throughout this journey gave my father the courage and the confidence.
I live in a distant land, in Sydney Australia, a land with a compelling history spanning 40,000 years. It has nurtured my spirit and awakened me to the universal relevance, power and resilience of my father’s art and philosophy. It is my life and I have presented, performed and taught many across Australia and other countries. There are many worthy ambassadors of my father’s Odissi across several countries and each brings to this genre unique capabilities. And there are those who have fervently supported and patronised my practice. My wife, Chitrita, and I have enjoyed an enduring partnership, without which I could not have invested in my artistic journey............
Complete article in the pdf above. A version of this was published in 2019 in Nartanam, an Indian dance journal. It was included in the special edition on Guru Surendra Nath Jena's Odissi.
