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Artist Rafia Sultana Rasu, a well known dancer in her field, demonstrates her talents in the art of dance in multiple disciplines. She started her lessons in dance at the very tender age of six and continued her training under different "gurus" in Manipuri style. She is proud to mention her Gurus as follows, Smt Kalavati Devi (wife of Guru Bipin Singh) from Manipuri Nartanalaya and Smt. Shanti Bala Sinha. She also devoted her talents on creative dance under Sharmeela Bandopadhaya (student of Uday Shankar) and Tamanna Rahman.
Rafia has participated in various international dance festivals as an invited guest. To name a few:
- Banga Shommelon 2000, Atalantic city, USA (performed as an invited guest artist from Bangladesh in the 20th North America Bengali Convention, 2000, held in Atlantic City, NJ, USA.)
- Banga Shommelon 1998, Calcutta, India (as an invited artist from Bangladesh), organized by Manipuri Nartanalaya of Calcutta.
- Performed in Japan as a cultural representative of Bangladesh in 1996.
- Performed at different places of India several times as an invited guest by ICCR (Indian Council of Cultural Relations).
- Conducted and performed in a special event, “Dance for Peace: An International Celebration of Mother Language Day” conducted by Voice Breaking Boundaries: Words from Different World, Texas 2002.
- Organized, choreographed and performed in a one hour solo performance on Manipuri Dance at Houston Durga Bari, sponsored by Houston Durga Bari Society, Houston, Texas 2004.
- Choreographed and performed as a guest artist in two solo performances on Manipuri and traditional/folk Bangladeshi dance, Navarang – The many hues of Indian Dance, Classical to Contemporary, at Harmman Hall, Rice University, Houston, TX, organized by Samskriti Society for Indian Performing Arts & Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County, funded by City of Houston and the Texas Commission, Texas, August 2002.
- Choreographed and performed Manipuri Classical Dance in the Opening for Anushka Shankar’s (Ravi Shankar’s daughter) Sitar concert, Wartham Center, Houston, TX, organized by Anjali School of Dance, Houston Texas, May 2002.
- Performed in many of the dance dramas by Rabindra Nath Tagore, e.g. “Chandalika”, “Shyama”, Chitrangada”, “Mayar Khela” etc both in India and in Bangladesh.
- Participated in Ravindra Jayanti, Nazrul Jayanti, Bengali New Year and Boshonto Uthshav in national level in Bangladesh for several years.
Rafia graduated from Chhayanaut Sangeet Bidyayatan, most reputable cultural institute of Bangladesh, with an eight years degree program in Manipuri Classical Dance. She was a dance teacher of Manipuri classical dance in Chhayanaut Sangeet Bidyayatan for eight years before coming to United States. She is enlisted as a senior dance artist in Bangladesh National Television.
She wants to keep the rich culture of the Indian-subcontinent, especially Manipuri dance alive around the world by continuing her work as a dance artist by performing and teaching.
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