Dance
Sheikh Iraj
People learn to dance for different reasons. Some to relax or keep fit, some choose it as a hobby, while some take it up as a profession. It takes time to grasp the skills of dancing. It is an art form where one can excel only through practice, concentration and dedication. There are many dance schools that teach all kinds of dance, from classical to contemporary. Many cultural centres also offer different western or modern dance lessons. There are a few public and private universities that have courses on dance. This week, YI talked to some students, teachers and officials of different dance schools, cultural institutes and universities to find out about the latest dance scene in our country.
Dhaka University (DU) introduced a department of dance in 2014 under the Faculty of Arts. Agnes Rachel Perris, a lecturer at the department, said: At the moment, there are three batches and 57 students in our department. We are offering a four-year BA course. Students who are interested to study here have to take the Dhaka University admission test. In our course syllabus, we teach different dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathakali and Manipuri. Some people have the wrong notion that studying dance is all about learning how to dance. That is not true at all. Our students are taught about the history and theory of dance. The mark distribution in the examinations is a clear proof of that. Students have to seat for 300-marks theoretical and 100-marks practical exams. We have not started MA course yet, but we hope to start it very soon.
I personally believe that the students of this department will do well academically, and go on to have successful careers. I believe we must always support dance, which is an inseparable part of any culture, Perris added.
Mahamudul Hasan, 21, is one of the first students of the department. I was always interested in learning about dance. I sat for the DU admission test and I really had to work hard to pass. I come from a conservative family and my father still does not know that I am studying this subject. I have told my mother and she supports me. We live in a society where many people think men learning classical dance is not so manly. Nevertheless, like my mother, my friends support me, too. Many of my friends from other departments come to see us when we perform at different cultural functions of the university. My future plan is to do my MA degree here, and I would also like do research on our tribal dance forms. Our teacher works hard to collect and prepare extra reading materials for us. As part of our course, we went to Rangamati and participated in the Boishabi (New Year) festival. There, we saw different tribal dance forms, such as Dashai.
Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology was the first private university of our country to start a dance department. They offer a four-year BA course on the subject. Babrul Alam Chowdhhury, a dance student and performer who graduated in dance from the university in 2015, said: The university started this department in 2002. The students not only learn how to dance, but theoretical, practical and general courses are also included in the course outline. In the common courses, students have to learn accounting, basic computer skills, English, heritage, social science, etc. The university also offers an MA course on the subject.
We have many different types of folk dance forms in our country. Some of those dances originated in our own land and we can truly call them our traditional dances. Some of these dance forms are jari, ghatu, gambhir chakma, garo, fishermen, weeding, palki, etc, Chowdhhury added.
Alliance Franaise de Dhaka (AFD) offers Latin and European dance courses for youths and adults. For children, the French cultural centre has ballet and gymnastics classes. Majid Shikhaliev, dance teacher at AFD, has been teaching in Bangladesh for the past 15 years. It costs Tk 3,500 per month for a three-month course, and for children the fee is Tk 3,000. During the month of Ramadan, we did not conduct classes. Very soon, we will offer new courses. Those who come here to learn dance really enjoy their time. Many of them come back for more classes. In every course, many people enroll, but I cannot say for sure the exact number of participants. Those who are interested can contact us by visiting our centre or online.
Today, many youths do not have access to open spaces or fields where they can play. More than that, participating in such (dance) courses teaches them to enjoy life and they get to learn about other cultures. I know many parents who love the fact that their children are spending their time here; taking dance classes means they are spending their time in something constructive, added Shikhaliev, who is from Russia.
Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre is one of the most active cultural centres in Dhaka. Warda Rihab, dance teacher at the centre, shared: We offer a one-year course on Manipuri dance. We also give a certificate on completion of the course. Students aged six and above can enroll for this course. The admission fee is Taka 1,100, while there is a monthly fee of Taka 600. At the moment, we have 75 students. I have been teaching here for the last six years and over the years, the number of students has increased. To be honest, the period of one year is not enough to learn dancing. That is why many of our students continue courses for several years. Our students perform in many competitions and cultural programmes, the National Dance Competition is one of them. Many of our students receive scholarships from different universities and cultural institutions. On a regular basis, experts and eminent dance teachers from India visit our centre and conduct workshops.
Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Dhaka does not offer any dance courses, but it rents out its facilities to dance groups. Nilima Chowdhury, owner of Rhythm and Dance school, said: I have been running my dance school at the Russian centre since 2013. My classes are divided into two categories _ junior and senior. We offer one-year courses for all the students. In the junior group, children aged 3 to 10 can participate. In the senior section, students from 16 to 60 can take part. For junior students we offer basic ballet, Latin and lyrical hip hop. For senior students we have salsa, Latin, ballroom, Argentine tango, belly dancing and contemporary Bollywood dance.
I have taught many couples over the years who still come to learn. At the moment, there are 35 students in my school. Nowadays, people are showing more interest in art and culture and dance in an important part of that. Many parents bring their children who are introvert or have Down syndrome. Learning to dance helps them to overcome some of their obstacles, she added.
Goethe-Institut Bangladesh used to offer different types of dance courses, but at the moment they are only organising different workshops on dance. Many choreographers and dancers from abroad come to conduct the workshops. M Farhad Ahmed, 30, a dance and theatre artiste, said: I have a weakness towards folk dance. I am also a theatre artiste, so dancing helps me to stay fit and perform better in that field as well. I participate in different dance workshops, especially in those organised by Goethe-Institut. I love the people who are associated with dance and I keep close contact with them.
Chhayanaut is one of the biggest cultural organisations in our country. They offer guru (teacher)-student based dance courses on Bharatanatyam and Manipuri. Belayed Hossain Khan, department head of Bharatanatyam at Chhayanaut, has been teaching dance for 29 years. We have 200 dance students at the moment. Todays youth are showing more interest in dance. Some of our students try to learn from the internet and sometimes they discuss the moves with us. I believe as a society we are becoming richer by promoting dance. Students aged 6 years and above can take admission in their courses and they have to pay only Tk 400 per month.
Kolpotoru dance school is a sister concern of Shadhona Cultural Circle. Labonno Sultana, a teacher of the school, said: Children as young as 3-and-a-half can take admission in our dance school. We offer courses on Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Manipuri and contemporary dance forms. We offer one-year courses and the monthly fee is Tk 1,500. One cannot become a dance expert in just one year. That is why give diploma certificates to students who participate in our courses for eight years.
Bangladesh Shishu Academy offers theme based three-year dance courses for children. Masreen Nasreen, administrative officer, said: At the moment, we have 800 students who are learning theme-based dances. The dance courses we offer are based on Nazrul sangeet (song), Rabindra sangeet and folk songs. Our students perform in functions on different national holidays. Students have to pay Tk 2,170 for one year. Whenever we offer any course, we put advertisements in the newspapers and this year, we have plan to advertise on television.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) at the moment does not offer any dance courses. Nevertheless, they rent their rehearsal rooms to dance groups for practice and performance. SM Salauddin, public relation officer of BSA, said: If anyone wants to use our rehearsal room, they have to write an application and submit it to us in person and pay Tk 575.
Photos: Jaki Zaman, Courtesy.
