Following The Heart

THERE ARE PEOPLE OF NON-INDIAN ORIGIN WHO HAVE ADOPTED THE INDIAN PERFORMING ARTS AS THEIR OWN. WE TALK TO A FEW TO SEE WHAT DREW THEM TO IT, THE CHALLENGES IN PURSUING IT AND THE JOY THEY DERIVED FROM IT

ILEANA CITARISTI, Italy

How did you first get introduced to the Indian performing arts? When?

I was in search of a land where I could express in a total and unrestricted way those inner questions of the soul that could not find satisfaction in any of the solutions offered by the present patterns of living of this Western civilization.After completing my doctorate in philosophy and having worked for some years in both traditional and experimental theatre in my own country, Italy, I followed the calling of ancestral and inexplicable paths and reached this land of Orissa (now Odisha). Here, completely dedicated to the sacred art of Indian dance at the feet of my guru Padma Vibhushankelucharan Mohapatra, I am able to give shape to the inner striving of the soul and overcome the anxiety of human existence. I have been living in Odisha since 1979 in close contact with the people, their language and culture.

I have also trained in Chhau dance of Mayurbhanj under the guidance of Guru Shri Hari Nayak, obtaining the title of‘Acharya’ from the Sangeet Mahavidyalya of Bhubaneswar in Orissa.

Do you continue to perform and teach?

I have given several performances and lecture demonstrations in all the major centres in India, written articles on Oriya culture that have been published in Indian and foreign magazines, done research work for film documentaries on Odissi and Chhau dances and conducted practical dance workshops for dancers and theatre workers by invitation from different institutions in India and abroad. I have performed in all the major dance festivals in India as well as in Italy, Argentina, Poland, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, Australia and Israel.

Have you adapted Western themes in the Indian classical style?