Priti Patel performs at Harrington Street Arts Centre in Calcutta on Wednesday. Picture by Bishwarup Dutta

Calcutta, Sept. 4: She had a sparkle in her eyes — playful yet serene — while talking about how it all began.

It was her grandfather who called Manipuri dance exponent Guru Bipin Singh from Mumbai to train his little darling and 40-odd years on, Priti Patel is still turning heads and hearts with her powerful performances and bold choreography.

A star in the genre of Manipuri dance, Patel paid tribute to her beloved dance form with two back-to-back hourlong performances at Harrington Street Arts Centre in Calcutta last Wednesday and Thursday.

Hues of a Tradition, a unique five-part performance focusing on the artiste and her art, was a moving experience. A visual-specific programme, it was divided into five different rooms, which showed the journey of the danseuse as well as her dance.

In the first room, Patel started this exquisite journey with a Lai Haraoba piece. It is a pre-Vaishnavite dance form used by priests to worship the village deity, which she and three members of her troupe showcased for the gathering.

The next room had pictures of Patel with her gurus, family members and friends who have played their part in the dancer’s voyage. Compere Oindrilla Dutt explained it all with eloquence.

The third room unravelled the vibrant and energetic world of Thang-ta, the Manipuri martial art. The four men, along with Priti, invoked Usha — wisdom, maturity and light — with spectacular movements with swords, spears and sticks on the beats of the primitive drum. This showcased the new choreography of the danseuse.

Phase four was a moving performance by disabled children on Bhupen Hazarika’s Ganga Tumi. Patel’s group Anjika, formed in 1995, works with disabled people and uses Manipuri dance as a way of healing.

The last and the final room saw a divine Raas Leela. Says Patel, “After you worship Krishna, there is nothing more, nothing further. It completes the journey. It is the union of the atma and the parmatma — the soul with the universe.”

The serene ambience of the gallery added its share of mysticism to the setting.

So how did the audience like it? “Excellent! It was just amazing. The concept was brilliant and the performances were breathtaking,” Subhajit Bag, a student, said.

Mondira Verma from Harrington Street Arts Centre said the crowd was awestruck. “I received numerous text messages on how people just loved the idea and the programme. All credit to Priti and her team.”

Members of the troupe are also floored with the appreciation they received.

“I sing Manipuri classical and am working with her (Patel) from 1996. I think, through this I am able to bring in a slice of my culture here,” Suraj Kumar Singh said with a smile.

A native of Imphal West, groomed at Santiniketan, and at present a prominent member of the group, Karuna Devi was all praises for Patel’s choreography. “It is my pleasure to dance with and under her. We get recognition, both national and international, which obviously feels good.”

Patel and her dancers have a series of performances lined up, which include one in Singapore in November and Canada early next year.

Th. Imocha Singh, a Thang-ta expert, feels Patel’s works are unique because of their innovative qualities. “In traditional Thang-ta, we can’t change movements or steps, which at times limits our performance. Her work, however, take creative liberties which help up reach new heights with our art.”