Odissi dance is rooted in the spiritual culture of East India. As such, it embodies the spiritual sentiment of this tantric-yogic cosmology.

In its core, Odissi dance is designed as a vehicle to divinity; harmonizing our human experience between heaven and earth, and utilizing our creative impetus to foster connection, communication, and spiritual bliss.

Some of the dance compositions are a sensual expression of rhythmical patterns, lyrical mood, and somatic elaborations, woven together into an ecstatic tapestry of beauty and power. Others are focused on the theatrical expression of mythology, and the elaboration of our human emotions, as a process of purification. 

A traditional performance begins with Initiation – “auspicious opening of the way”, continuous with rhythmical-technical foundation – “setting the ground”, proceeds to melodious ecstatic expression – “opening the channels of creativity”, then dives into emotional expression – the depth of the heart, and climax with spiritual culmination – liberation. 

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