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Nirmal Jena teaches and presents his distinct family lineage of Odissi Indian classical dance and music. Based in studios in Sydney city/eastern suburbs and in the Blue Mountains world heritage site, he offers a deep and engaging learning experience to those curious about the world and its creative power. Nirmal and Chitrita are passionate about creativity, diversity, humanity and sustainability. After founding the Odissi Dance Company in Sydney, Australia to promote their unique Odissi Indian classical dance and music, they have established the Arts and Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG), an Australian charity with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. ALEG’s core program is Odissi: Dance for Humanity, offering free and comprehensive training in Odissi dance and music, as well as life skills, to young people faced with financial hardship. We invite such young people to contact us with their stories.
Odissi dance developed in the eastern Indian State of Odisha, along the Bay of Bengal. Its distinctive technique is based on the chawk (square position) and the tribhanga (triangle/triple bend). These are preserved in the reliefs found in temple architecture throughout Odisha. The Jena style of Odissi dance is known for its authenticity and for powerfully integrating the body, mind and soul in the training process. It boldly challenges social barriers related to gender, age, ethnicity, class and religion. Nirmal's Odissi can be learnt:
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