IMPHAL, November 5: A premiere Thang-Ta performance by Jonathan Julian Forster of Paris, France was today showcased at the stage of Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association, Irilbung.
The show was attended by JNMDA vice Chancellor, Professor N Tombi Singh, HLMTTCA Director, Padmashree G Gourakishore Sharma and mother of the performer and a Manipuri folk dancer, Anjela Sofia Sterzer as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Later on, Jonathan Julian Forster performed a solo thang ta performance while his mother Angela Sofia Sterzer performed a Manipuri Classical dance amidst much applause from the crowd.
Addressing the key note address, Elangbam Manju Singh dwelt on Anjela Sofia Sterzer’s foray into the Manipuri classical dance.
Elaborating further on the dancer’s life, she said Anjela had arrived in India in 2001 as a tourist and went to the Southern part of the country to learn the Bharat Natyam.
However unable to adapt to the dance form, she went to Kolkata where she met Guru Jiten and fell in love with the Manipuri Classical dance form.
Inspired by the dance form, the Paris native learnt Manipuri dance under the supervision of Guru Jiten at Shantiniketan for many years. Even as she wanted to travel to Manipur, she was unable to come as Manipur was under the restricted area at that time, she said.
He further said that Anjela Sofia Sterzer performed a solo Manipur dance in the year 2010 at the international festival of Manipuri dance held at Tripura.
Speaking at the function Anjela sofia Sterzer said she along with her son came to Manipur in the year 2010 February and then was when her son got inspired by the Manipuri martial arts (thang –ta) and started taking lessons under the Guru Leishanthem Raghu for a short period.
At the time, her son was only seven years old, she said.
Elaborating further, she said she has even opened a dance institution at Paris where she teaches Manipuri dance.
Speaking as chief guest of the function Professor N Tombi Singh said even though the Manipuri Martial arts form of Thang Ta have already achieved international fame, Manipur being a poor state, it is unable to develop the martial arts form like it should be on a larger scale.