“I have performed on every big stage in the city…”

Imon Ahmed, if briefly explained, moves like a storm. The very first time I saw him unleash this storm was when I knew that this boy had a story to tell.

“I began institutionalized training in dance through Shishu Academy in 2005, when I was 7-years-old,” says a shy, giggly Imon. His first guru was Mir Mohammad Iqbal. Always a front-runner in every institution he joined, Imon was the only boy among 120 students in his first dance school.

After completing three years at Shishu Academy, he entered BAFA where he trained under Lovely Ansari and Shaju Ahmed for Kathak, and Sohel Rahman for modern dancing. He also had the opportunity to train under Odissi dancer Benazir Salam. His base though was created with Kathak.

He then enlisted himself in BSA as a performer. While performing there regularly, he was sighted by dance director, founder of Bhabna, and well-known Manipuri dancer, Samina Hussain Prema, who had come to teach for a special Rabindra Jayanti programme. “Prema apu called me and told me that I had good grounding and with enough polishing I could do good work, and so in 2012, my journey with Bhabna began.” In 2014, his training in Manipuri began full-fledged.

Last done in 1983, a circular was released in 2014 to once again hire professional dancers in BSA. “On my first attempt, I got selected.” He has been working as a dance artiste of BSA since then.

Imon has always been keen on expanding his knowledge in this art from. “I have done workshops starting from Norwegian folk dance, to Shastrya nritya, Charya nritya (which began in Bengal and traveled to Nepal), Gaudiya nritya (which is now considered the classical dance of Bengal), and contemporary dance. BSA's Director General, Liaquat Ali Lucky, has played a role in the progress of dance in Bangladesh and it is through these workshops and other initiatives that he does it so well.”

Since the beginning of his dancing days, Imon has been a part of many large scale dance productions like Bhanushingher Padabali and Shakuntala by Bhabna, and Mayar Khela, Chitrangada, Shyama, Hajar Taarer Bina by different dance troupes and companies.

While Imon, modest as he is, still does not know where his charm lies as a dancer, as a viewer, one can confidently talk about his mesmerising yet sharp moves, his stern, focused face with the right amount of emotions, and his palpable respect and dedication towards the stage. “What I can proudly say is that I have performed on every big stage in the city, and I consider that quite an achievement.”

In future, Imon wants to learn all he can about dancing. “Meanwhile, I also want to train in Gaudiya nritya. I have done some workshops and performances, and I feel a real pull towards this genre.”