Event Details

An online dance outreach program for children aimed at building exposure towards the different dance forms through specially curated sessions covering various topics related to Indian folk and classical dance.

Mayurbhanj Online Lecture Demonstration by Subhasree Mukherjee from Project Chhauni along with Trilochan Mohanta & Pagulu Jena
School: Green Lawns English High School, Mumbai

Telecast live on NCPA YouTube Page

Session is supported by Godrej Agrovet

“PROJECT CHHAUNI” is an initiative of District Administration, Mayurbhanj. Since inception ‘Project Chhauni’ has been instrumental in many pathbreaking development in promoting and preserving Mayurbhanj chhau.

Some of them are: –
· Conducting Survey and creating a data base of all artistes and Organisations of Chhau in the District of Mayurbhanj
· Create a Syllabus/Curriculum for uniform training of Mayurbhanj Chhau and its music across the world
· Preserve all the basic techniques of Mayurbhanj chhau, i.e the 6 tobka, 36 Ufli and 216 Upa ufli in a video format for study and reference in the future.
· Digitally record the music of 80 dance items of Mayurbhanj chhau , which are on the verge of extinction
· Get empaneled with Indian Council for Cultural Relations for performing in foreign countries within 2 years of its existance. Since April 2017 to Feb 2020, Mayurbhanj Chhau Perfroming Unit, of Project Chhauni has performed at 67 occasions.

Some of the major breakthroughs are: –
· Performance at National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) Mumbai, in April 2017 & January 2019
· Sangeet Natak Academy ‘s Chhau Parva in 2018 and 2020
· Dhauli Festival, Bhubaneswar
· Asian Heritage Foundation’s International Convention of Art and culture in 2018 and 2019
We have also conducted 16 workshops and Training Program for Mayurbhanj chhau with the following senior artistes and choreographers
· Padmasri Dr. Ileana Chitarist, (Art Vision,Bhubaneswar)
· Guru Shama Bhate (Nadroop,Poone)
· Sri Santosh Nair, (Sadhya, New Delhi
· Trilochan Mohanta & Pagulu Jena (Mayurbhanj Chhau, Baripada)
The Roadmap Ahead:
· Provide opportunity on training of chhau dance to selected young dancers from all over the district at Mayurbhanj Chhau Academy Baripada.
· To create avenues of alternate income for the chhau artistes of Mayurbhanj Chhau Performing Unit so that they continue to be involved in Chhau, but not become totally dependent on the performance remuneration as the only source of income.
· To develop intellectual property such as preservation of iconic dance forms, documenting the research by renowned scholars, create blogs of Mayurbhanj Chhau etc.

Subhasree Mukherjee is a Cultural Activist working for the rights and opportunities of Folk and Tribal Artistes of Mayurbhanj. Voice of the unprivileged section of the society. Committed to the overall development of the socio-ethnic-cultural practices in the state of Odisha. Working for market linkage of rural craftsmen and artisan from Mayurbhanj. A Social Impact Worker by passion and a committed Mayurbhanjia, is engaged in many activities of helping the poor and downtrodden of the society to maintain a social equilibrium. Subhasree is the first female dancer to completely replace the practice of male dancers enacting female roles in Mayurbhanj Chhau , in the year of 1993 , Baripada, Mayurbhanj Adjudged best folk dancer at National Level Youth Festival in 1996 .She is Honoured By District Administration Mayurbhanj for Long Standing contribution in Mayurbhanjchhau in the year 2015 . Subhasree has performed Oddishi in many cultural festivals under the guidance of Guru Sudhakar Sahu and Guru Goura Chandra Nayak and has performed in District Level Drama Competitions, adjudged best actor in District Level Festival and Inter Collegiate Festival. Represented Odisha in National level Extempore Speech Competition in Ahmedabad in 1997 as a Youth Leader Conducted Research on the history and the anthropological context of the development of 3 styles of Chhau in Mayurbhanj, Sareikela and Puruli.

Subhasree started a Project Called ‘Chhauni’ in 2016 in the District of Mayurbhanj to revive the lost glory of Mayurbhanj Chhau. Mayurbhanj Chhau is a UNESCO recognized intangible Heritage artform of India, but the traditional artistes are losing the aura and audience due to lack of opportunities and necessary patronage, earlier provided by the Royal Family of Mayurbhanj.

Please note: The video will be available for a week post the live lecture/demonstration.