Shilpi and her dance troupe Nritya Niketan gains UNESCO recognition

“The authority of CID first contacted our Facebook page. Then Alkis Raftis, President of CID, contacted us directly on August 7,” said Morsheda Begum Shilpi, “We got the opportunity to perform abroad. When we agreed, he subsequently told us to send our details. Later, they formally informed us of our CID membership on August 30.”

“Nritya Niketan not only expresses the beauty of dance on stage, but also makes people aware of different social issues, including conserving nature and  the environment,” said Rafiquddoula Rabbi, General Secretary of Abritti Parishad, Naogaon. “The themes of Shilpi’s dance choreography aimed to touch international standards, which, I think, has made the dance troupe unique.”

Morsheda Begum Shilpi is a dedicated dancer, who has huge ambitions for her career. Initially, she took dance lessons from Muminul Haque and Farida Akhtar Runu, in Naogaon. Later, she took tutelages under renowned Gurus -- Shazu Ahmed, Deepa Khandakar, Belayet Hossain Khan and Shibli Mohammad.

Although she learned dance in Dhaka, she never wished to form a Dhaka-based troupe. In 1997, Shilpi founded her dance school in Naogaon, where she would initially teach. Later, she formed the dance troupe Nritya Niketan from the selective students of the school. Shilpi, along with her troupe, have received many awards and accolades for their outstanding performances both at divisional and national levels.

“We have staged the expensive dance-dramas, like Chitrangada and Shyama, in Naogaon. To inspire tree plantation and the conservation of nature, we choreographed and performed dance-dramas on the themes of nature, social afforestation and monsoon,” said Shilpi, who also works as an Office Assistant at the DC Office, Naogaon.