ODC
Philosophy
and Approach

As a disciple of the Late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra- Padmavibhushan, Devjani Sen not only learnt from him the nuances and stylized forms of Odissi dance but also his core philosophy that "Dance is Sadhna" and "Teaching is Dharma". Driven by the above credos, she started the Odissi Dance Centre(ODC) at Smriti Nandan Cultural Centre, Palace Road, Bangalore in Sept 2008.

OUR BELIEFS

Odissi like other dance forms inspires and elevates. The journey towards being a great dancer starts by working on own self. Dance being "Sadhana", there are no short cuts. Discipline and dedication is a matter of faith and a way of life for a life of a dancer. Like life, dance is an offering at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannath. Yet, learning should not be out of fear but be sheer fun. Teacher's role is to facilitate learning and not just be a provider of knowledge.

OUR CLASSES

To Devjani, this translates to providing individual attention irrespective of the level or age of the student. No student is more equal than the other and it is not the role of the teacher to question the quality of the clay but to mould it. Students attend classes twice a week for duration of one and a half hour. A key aspect of the initiation process is the annual day program where all students are encouraged to participate. This instills in them a desire to learn from others and thus excel and also operate as a team, an essential pre requisite for all forms of Classical dance. Senior students decide on the items and also choreograph the steps.