Raudri Singh Jena: Dance Is Not Performance, But Prayer [Odissi Dancer, Teacher, India]

Raudri Singh Jena Interview

Teaching isn’t just about giving steps. It’s about helping them find their own relationship with the art form.

Raudri Singh Jena is an Odissi dancer, teacher, and recipient of the Young Artists Scholarship Award. In this interview, she reflects on carrying forward Guru Surendra Nath Jena's legacy, the spiritual essence of Odissi, and why discipline, authenticity, and teaching remain central to her artistic journey.

Q. To begin, could you tell us a little about yourself and your journey into the world of Odissi?

I’m Raudri Singh, and I come from a family where art is a way of life. My maternal grandfather is Guru Surendra Nath Jena. He created a very unique style of Odissi that is rooted in the temple sculptures of Odisha. For him, those stone figures weren’t just decoration. They were a forgotten grammar of the body that he brought back to life That legacy was then carried forward by my mother, Guru Pratibha Jena Singh, who is also my Guru. From her, I didn’t just learn technique. I learned the philosophy behind it. Today, I’m the third generation taking this forward. For me, it’s not just about performing. It’s about keeping that living temple tradition alive, and finding new ways to let it speak to people today.

Q. Being the granddaughter of Guru Surendra Nath Jena, how has his legacy influenced your approach to dance and life?

I was born into an artistic family, so dance wasn’t something I chose. It was the air I grew up breathing. You always feel the aura of it around you. My grandfather, Guruji, devoted his entire life to one purpose: bringing the static sculptures of Odisha temples into the human body. When I saw that, I started asking a deeper question. Why did ancient India carve dancing figures onto temple walls in the first place? For me, that became the real search. This style isn’t just about movement. It made me dive deep to find the purpose of dance in my own life. To understand dance not as performance, but as prayer, as a way of connecting to something higher.

Q. Odissi is known for its grace, storytelling, and spiritual depth. What drew you most to this classical dance form?

Odissi based on temple sculptures is, to me, the real essence of ancient Indian culture. For centuries, many of these traditions were lost because of attacks and invasions. Guruji revived them. He took what was frozen in stone and brought it back to life through the body. Because of that, this dance form became my doorway. It drew me closer to a culture that was almost lost, and made me want to understand and preserve it through my own practice.

Q. As someone with over a decade of teaching experience, what qualities do you believe make a great dancer beyond technical skill?

For me, consistency and discipline are what make a great dancer. Talent can get you started, but it’s showing up every single day that builds you. There will be days when you feel low, demotivated, or like you don’t want to practice. But on those days, when you still go to the practice room, that’s discipline. And when you keep doing that, without excuses, that consistency slowly shapes you. It’s not one big performance. It’s hundreds of small, regular practices that eventually make a dancer.

Q. How do you balance preserving the authenticity of traditional Odissi while making it relevant for today’s generation?

I think we have to be flexible with the dance form, but without losing its authenticity. Every classical dance form is like a deep ocean. If you keep diving into it, you discover new layers of yourself and the art. So, it’s important to stay rooted in one form, to understand its grammar, its history, its soul. At the same time, for the new generation, we need to keep it approachable and engaging. We can make the learning process fun and relevant. But the key is don’t confuse flexibility with dilution. You can evolve the way you teach and present, but the authenticity of the form has to stay intact.

Q. Receiving a government scholarship is a significant milestone. What did that recognition mean to you, and how did it shape your artistic journey?

A government scholarship does more than just help financially. It makes you take the dance form seriously. For me, and for the people around me, it’s also a kind of validation. It tells people, “This dancer is committed to this as a profession.” That support gives you the space to focus completely on your dance and with that comes a sense of responsibility too. The responsibility to take the art forward, to honor the support you’ve received, and to make dance a life journey, not just a phase.

Q. What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about pursuing classical dance as a profession?

I think the biggest misconception is that it’s too late to start dance. Yes, starting young definitely helps with flexibility and training. But I have seen many dancers who started late and still built beautiful careers. What really matters is consistency and discipline. If you show up and do the work, the body and mind will learn. The other big myth is that dance is just a hobby, you can’t make a living from it I won’t say it’s easy. It’s tough. But people do make a career out of it. Through performing, teaching, choreography, workshops. When you treat it as a profession with seriousness, it becomes one.

Q. In your experience, how has teaching enriched your own understanding and practice of Odissi?

Teaching has enriched me a lot, especially in patience. I’ve realized that every student is different. They come with different strengths, different bodies, and different interests. So, I’ve learned to teach them through what they already have, and to work with what they’re good at. In Odissi, I try to encourage them to explore what they connect with most. When a student finds joy in a particular aspect of the dance, that’s when real learning begins. Teaching isn’t just about giving steps. It’s about helping them find their own relationship with the art form.

Q. Every performance tells a story. Is there one performance that holds a special place in your heart, and why?

Yes, one performance that’s very close to my heart was a solo of “Hanuman Chalisa” in Mumbai. It was choreographed by my Guru/mother, Guru Pratibha Jena Singh. When I finished, the response was so overwhelming. The audience was so moved that they actually shouted “Once more!” For me, that moment holds a very special place. Because as a dancer, the biggest gift is when you’re able to take the audience beyond entertainment, and connect them to the divine. That night in Mumbai, I felt that connection happen.

Bio:

Raudri Singh comes from a traditional family of artists. She is an Odissi dancer trained in the Guru Surendra Nath Jena style by her mother/Guru, Guru Pratibha Jena Singh. She has given numerous performances both nationally and internationally, and has represented Indian classical dance in Germany, Italy, Russia, Australia, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, and Nepal through performances and workshops. A recipient of the Young Artists Scholarship Award in Odissi Dance, Raudri Singh is dedicated to carrying forward the authenticity of the form while connecting audiences to its spiritual depths.

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Interviewed By: Vanshika Gupta