A group dance recital staged on Monday at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. — Snigdha Zaman

Colourful dance recitals were presented on the opening day of the weeklong dance festival that began on Monday at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy marking the upcoming International Dance Day on April 29.
The programme, jointly organised by the academy and Bangladesh Nritya Shilpy Sangstha, began with the slogan ‘Nritter Taale Taale Biswa Ajj Eksathe’. The programme is dedicated to late dancer Pijush Kiran Pal.
The programme featured discussion sessions, award giving ceremony, staging of a dance drama, dance recitals presented by different dance organisations and a fair, held at the Art Plaza and the National Theatre Hall of the academy.
Information secretary, Hedaytullah Al Mamun, and Dhaka University vice chancellor, AAMS Arefin Siddique, were present at the programme as guests. Noted dance artistes Laila Hasan, who is also the president of Nritya Shilpy Sangstha, Golam Mustafa Khan, Raiza Khanam Khunu, Saju Ahmed and MM Nazrul Islam spoke at the programme.
The discussion revolved around the limitations of dance education in Bangladesh.  The discussants also spoke of the need for a dance institute and a dance auditorium. 
At the programme, Gauhar Jamil Memorial Award was handed over to Abdus Samad Palash of Bogra and GA Mannan Memorial Award was bestowed to Professor Azizul Islam of Rangpur.
The discussion session was followed by a vibrant dance programme. The show began with a group performance of ‘Anandoloke mangolaloke’ by autistic artistes of SWID Bangladesh.
Artistes of Manjuri Nitya Gosthi presented a soulful performance of the Tagore song ‘Aguner parashmoni’.
Nrittyam Lalitakala Kendra artistes’ presentation of ‘Bhengecche duyar esecche jotirmay’ entertained the audience. A bharatnatyam recital was presented by Pathakali Sangeet Bidyalay.
Nrityalok dancers Tazia and Ranabir’s duet presentation of a dance piece also received audience acclaim.         
Artistes of Nandan Kalakendrea presented a dance drama ‘Mohuwa’, directed by M R Waseq. The dance drama is an adaptation of ‘Mohuwar Kahini’ of Maimansingha Gitika which depicts the tragic love story of a girl named Mohuwa.
Additionally, a colourful fair which was inaugurated by director general of Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali Lucky, is being held at the Art Plaza where one dance drama will be staged on each day of the programme at 5:00pm. A seminar on ‘Bangladesher lok nritya abong sampratik matabirodh’ will be held on April 28.
About the programme, Laila Hasan informed journalists that the Bangladesh Nritya Shilpy Sangstha has been celebrating International Dance Day since 1992.