Saswat Joshi is an internationally acclaimed Odissi dancer, Choreographer and Dance Educator. Presently he is researching on Odissi Dance. He has performed at major dance festivals and venues across the world including Japan, UK, Canada, Europe and India. He has participated in many workshops on Odissi dance in South Korea, Europe, Italy, Japan. Saswat is known for expression and technical perfection in Odissi dance. Saswat Joshi performs in Mangalacharan, Batu, Pallavi, Abhinaya and Mokhya. He has the future prospect having determination & devotion to carry forward Odissi dance in its classical feature & traditional style.He is the senior member cum dancer in ART VISION, also working as a faculty & choreographer.He has received training from many senior disciple of Guruji like Mukti lata Pal, Leena Nanda, Kasturi Pattaink, Minati Pradhan, Shilalipi Parida, Sagarika Mohapatra, Nivedita Jena & Nihar nalini Das.Saswat holds Master's Degree in English Literature from Sambalpur University.
1. What made you to choose Odishi dance as your career ?
Ans... Being a guy hells from a traditional Brahmin family i never thought to take dance as a career still. When i joined in Odissi Research Centre in the year 2001.I had decided to take dance as a career. I felt their only, it can be a profession..
2. What are the differences between Classical and folk dances in Odisha's context?
Ans...Well there is a lot of difference between Classical Dance and Folk Dances. Specially, in Orissa in every District has their own Folk Dance Style. Whereas Classical is one style which is called Odissi. In Odissi Dance we can get a flavour or a fine blending of Folk Style. Basically, it’s emerging of Folk, Mahari (The temple dance style) & Martial Style of Mayurbhanj District. It also has Sambalpuri Dance Style.
3. What are the essential elements required to be a successful professional Odishi Dancer and what benefits one will get?
Ans... Firstly, of all you need to be educated, well spoken, well groomed in dance style, dedication, determination, devinty, smart, and humble. For me these are really important factor. Dance itself is a great discipline specially, Classical Dance if one will enter then one can realise what’s the real benefits.
4. Do you have any planning to add your talent of dancing in films?
Ans... Yes i would love to if I’ll get a chance surely, I will make it.
5. Is there any special feature of Odishi dance in comparisons to other Classical forms?
Ans.. The torso movement i mean the upper part of the body moves like a wave in Odishi Style that is very unique which you don’t get it in other forms.
6. How many Gharana (style) is there in Odishi dance. You follow which one of that and why?
Ans....There are three Gharana in Odishi. One is AdiGuru Pankaj Charan Das Style, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Style and Guru Deba Prasad Das Style. But i practise Guru kelu charan mohapatra style as i told in our style we follow a grammer,a scientific foundation also the movement of the torso.....because when i had started my learning it became more easy for me also i had a strong folk base on my body....
7. Your experience during the foreign tours.
Ans... ha ha ah ha ah ah...i ve been to so many places now so every places they ve their own story..and interesting as well...when i landed for the first time in Europe and it was Italy and it was Venice oh my god it was mind blowing....actually its paradise in earth..heavenly heaven....i m telling u after the performance next day i opened my mails and one of my friend had send me a link i clicked that and i couldn’t believe...somebody from the public of the performance had written so great about our odissi dance as well as abut me “especially SASWAT JOSHI IS PHENOMENAL AND HE WAS LOOKING LIKE AN INDIAN GOD UN STAGE” its really not less then a great award....
8. Are you satisfied with the encouragement provided by Govt. of Odisha for development of Odishi dance?
Ans...yes very much satisfied that’s why it’s very easy for us to take dance as a career....tourism dept of Orissa is doing really a great job but at the same time culture dept is pretty slow to take initiative...it will take some time for a balance....now a day every things becoming computerised so need time for a change.....
9. Where do you want to see you after five years?
Ans.in my own dance village u can say NRUTYAGRAM in odisha..
10. Please say something about your life partner.
HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHH...great question from a great person....i believe in arrange marriage..so my parents had already chosen a girl for me from bolangir..she is doing her m.phil in Hindi literature
11. We would be happy to know something about the beginning days of your dance career in your hometown Titlagarh..
Ans..i tell u from the very beginning i had convinced myself that dance is my life and i ll take this as my career done.. well i couldn’t able to balance my studies because dance was so important i never thought that something is better than this ...completely PAGALA...mad for dance...real struggle actually started when i came to Bhubaneswar...
12. Something about your family.
Ans...very small a cute family my bapa, maa, rani and raja which is me...that’s all.
13. Your love life?
Ans..AAPANA KANA MOTE JAIL PATHEIBARA BYABASTA KARICHHANTI KI........HA HA HA HA JUST KIDDING...my love is my dance up to now i have this in my mind lets see after my would be entry in my life i will surely let you know in future...
14. Any unforgettable moment during dance concerts?
Ans....i remember once i had presented a piece un devi durga in bolangir mathakhai utsav and suddenly light got off but my music was on strange and one person was dancing like mad un the public gallery as if he had got strong energy from my dance....i do and i follow so much discipline specially un the performance day....also i remember i was presenting india in Europe and i was performing with Carla fraccci<the numero uno ballerina of Europe> in theatre Massimo of pelermo and after the performance when we came out for the clapping suddenly so many flowers fall un from some where i was really shocked u know what was that all the public thrown flowers to us .....Great
15. Can Odishi dance be composed for contemporary films? If yes in what way?
Ans..yes why not odishi has all that ability for contemporary films...look odissi has two style one is tandava which is the masculine part and another is the lasya the feminine part also we have nava rasa the nine type of bhaba ex..srungara, hasya karuna roudra etc in normal odissi recital it has its own meaning but when u will design in contemporary style it has his own charm even i have composed few pieces just for experiments...
16. What can make Odishi dance more popular in international level?
Ans..Because its more circular and complete.... with theatre,dance,drama with lot of energy also peaceful and spiritual...and these are the things attracts foreign origin....
17. Names that you have inspired from?
Ans...There are couple of people like my parents, Mr. Jankai Ballbha Pattanaik, Padmashree Dr.ileana Citaristi, Sanjaya Leela Vansali, Anjolina Jolie, Peter Brooke,
18. What is your final aim of life?
Ans....i can’t say now because i believe in present and if i ll built of my present smoothly then my future is safe.....but i m very much optimistic......
19. What awards you have got? Any dream you have for any special award.
Ans... i have got the sangeet ratna from rabindra varati university, Kolkata, gold medal from Chandigarh university in visharad, National award from ministry of culture govt of india, zee Asthitwa Award,..and also there is a dream which i shouldn’t express now...let me make it then whole world will know....but it will take time and ill make it ....
20. What message you would like to give to the boys and girls who are interested to learn Odishi?
Ans....please come forward and joins us....there is plenty of opportunities to take dance as a career so don’t hesitate and make it.....i will definitely help if somebody will take dance as a profession.....
21. Any thing breaking or special you want to reveal or inform to press?
Ans....press is just like a mirror for me ...because till now whatever i am its my work but in other point i will give the credit to electronic media, print media and now a day internet media ....whenever i do some thing or creat something always media helped me allot so it’s my heartfelt thanks to media....
Namaskar
Saswat Joshi
