Samina Husain Prema taking on new challenges

Acclaimed Manipuri dancer Samina Husain Prema will be travelling to London to perform at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on October 22. Recently, she also joined Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) as a dance instructor. In a recent interview with The Daily Star, Prema discusses her future plans, her new responsibilities, and Bhabna.

Tell us about how becoming BSA's dance instructor came about, and what your responsibilities entail?

Prema: BSA sent out a circular for various job positions for the first time in a long time. Without thinking much about it, I applied for the 'dance instructor' position. After a written and practical test, I was interviewed and was offered the job. There is a 15-member dance group now, from which three of us are instructors, and 12 are dancers. Our main responsibilities haven't been assigned yet. But as far as we know, there will be a lot of workshops we will be conducting inside and outside of Dhaka.

You will be travelling to London to perform at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. How did this show come about and what will you be performing?

Prema: I had performed there before in 2011, and since then they have been asking me to visit and perform again. This year, everything fell into place, and we're going. Singers Imtiaz Ahmed and Laisa Ahmed Lisa will also be travelling to perform. I will do a live performance to one of Imtiaz Ahmed's songs, and I will also have an additional 15-minute slot to do my own performances. I will be focusing mainly on Rabindra and Nazrul songs. I plan on doing a pure Manipuri piece, but that will depend on how much time I have. I may also do a particular piece involving only the main character from one of my dance dramas, perhaps “Shakuntala”.

With your responsibilities branching out, what are you future plans with your group Bhabna?

Prema: Bhabna is moving at its own pace. Of course, since I got the new job my responsibilities towards my craft and country have both increased, and it will take some getting used to. But I am certain once I get the hang of it, everything will fall into place. Whatever the case, I will have to manage time somehow or the other because Bhabna is purely my own. It is where I have the most freedom. Regarding future plans, I have some work in the pipeline. After our productions like “Bhanushingher Padabali” and “Shakuntala”, people's expectations have reached a certain level, so I do not want to present anything haphazard to them. I want to give them something ready and polished, so I will take my time. I am currently planning a full-fledged Manipuri production. It will be a combination of the nine emotions of navarasa and the changing seasons. It isn't based on any one story, but will be a blend of many stories. There are a lot of issues before we finalise anything in this production. Like always, logistics and finance are big concerns. So, let's wait and see.