STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: For the first time, Indian classical Xattriya dance from Assam will be presented at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London, as Dr. Menaka PP Bora from Assam is invited to present her own dance, music and talk show with British media celebrities from BBC on October 2.
Addressing the media, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar awardee Dr Bora said, “For the first time Royal Albert Hall will present Indian dance. I’m going to perform Indian Classical Xattriya Dance from Assam and experimental dance, collaborating with reputed ethnomusicologists Prof John Baily and Veronica Doubleday. Besides this, I’ll also try to establish Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s evergreen creations at a global platform by adding some newness to it.”
Bora further added, “Every artist lives with a dream. I believe in dreaming and I think dreaming paves the way of life. For me, Royal Albert Hall is like a temple and now this opportunity and recognition is like dream come true. I’m going to represent our country at a platform, where only legendary Grammy Award winning musicians, opera singers, Oscar winning film Directors are invited and where Lata Mangeshkar and Late Pandit Ravi Shankar once performed Indian Music and feel ever so proud. With this I would like to add one thing in particular, which is the issue of funding in case of this field. I feel that lack of funding is one of the major reasons in Assam which restricts success and positivity through dance.”
Present in the programme Ajit Kumar Bhuyan said, “Menaka PP Bora’s recognition at a global platform is a historic and proud moment for Assam and Assamese people. Being Recognized by Royal Albert Hall is such a big thing that I’m astonished to know that an Assamese girl did it at such a young age.”