Aishnika Paul is a special child. Her mother Soumini Paul has been training her to dance since a child. Today, Aisnika performs on stage, both solo and in group shows, thanks to the early training. Like her, many other children with special needs along with others took part in Mystic 2023, the annual show of Calcutta Dance Academy at Laban Hrad Mancha in BD Block on January 23.
“Calcutta Dance Academy was formed with a vision to create an inclusive platform where children with special needs along with other children can have equal opportunity to learn and perform,” said Birojit Paul, founder of Calcutta Dance Academy. “Here we teach all forms of dance like creative, contemporary, classical, including Kathak, Bharat Natyam, Odissi and even western dance like hiphop, Bollyhop, Bollywood, zumba and soon we will introduce ballet. My aim was to create a platform where all types of training will be provided under the same umbrella,” said Paul.
That Aishnika has benefitted from such training was evident when she performed a solo contemporary dance to a remix of popular songs like Aao Na by Udit Narayan and Sadhna Sargam and Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Not just Aishnika, special children like Saanvi Banerjee, Oishani Reja and Saanvi Kundu appeared on stage and danced to Itni Si Hasi, Itni Si Khushi from the film Burfi to repeated applause from the audience.
Though Calcutta Dance Academy started its journey on February 9, 2020, it is only now that the academy could hold its first annual show. The lighting of the lamp was done by councillor Ratna Bhowmik, New Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) chairman Debashis Sen, gynaecologist Samir Paul and Samir Saha of Punjab National Bank (PNB).
Bhowmick, appreciating the vision of the academy, said: “Sometimes these special children outdo normal children. Today, in a drawing contest, a special child won the top prize amongst 40 participants.”
NKDA chairman Debashis Sen such an inclusive facility will ensure good prospect not only for the students in general but also for those with special needs”.
The cultural programme began with solo a dance recital to the song Moho, moho ke Dhaage performed by Shreya Chakraborty, followed by a Bharat Natyam group performance by Aishnika Paul, Anushka Acharya, Shreya Mukherjee based on Rhythmscape by Bikram Ghosh, which was choreographed and directed by Uttam Roy.
Choreographer and dance therapist Shreya Chakraborty who trains special children, said: “Some of the special children are quick learners, some are a bit slow, but they understand everything. Oaishani Reja travels from Burdwan to train here. Parents of these children are happy that their children can perform in front of an audience. We want to mainstreamise them through therapy and training and create opportunities for socialisation.”
NKDA chairman Debashis Sen being welcomed
Students of different age groups put up classical, contemporary, western, hiphop, zumba and mashup performances. The audience responded enthusiastically when tots from three years to seven years moved to Dance ka bhut from the movie Brahmastra. Choreographer and dance instructor to these tiny tots, Akanksha Deb said: “Initially, I was nervous about what they would do on stage as they are so small but now I feel so proud of them.”
Group folk dance to the popular Jhumur dance song Pindare palasher bon and dance to the Cactus song Sei je Halud Pakhi won applause.
“Aishnika, who performed so well in solo as well as in group dance had some behaviourial and socialisation problems initially and I trained her from the age of two-and-half years and with proper training she is now performing with mainstream dancers with equal expertise and proper coordination. I feel that is a great achievement for all of us,” said Roy.
Aishnika's mother, Soumini, the partner of Calcutta Dance Academy said:”We worked very hard when we realised Aishnika was a special child and started all kinds of training. She had a knack for dance and possessed a sense of rhythm. So I provided her with dance training at home but after opening this academy she has made such progress and developed better understanding of teamwork, group activities and coordination. She has also learnt behaviour management and can adjust with friends.”