Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Lukewarm response to youth fest selections

A participant, with her costumes on, arriving for the district-level selections of the youth festival at G.V.R. Government College of Music and Dance in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

VIJAYAWADA: The ‘ghunghroos’ tied around their ankles acoustically intensified the rhythmic movements of their feet. The girls swayed and pirouetted to showcase their talent at the selection round for district-level youth festival. The selection round organised by the District Youth Welfare Department of Krishna district on the sprawling premises of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao College of Music and Dance on Tuesday drew participation of 45-odd youngsters in different categories.

The venue came alive with participants performing various dance forms like Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and folk. Young girls, most of them with their mothers in tow, came to the event conducted as part of the youth festival, meant to encourage youngsters bring to the fore their innate talent.

Invitations were extended for participation in events like Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, folk songs, folk dance, Carnatic vocal, Hindustani vocal, flute, mrudangam, veena, sitar, tabala, guitar, harmonium, elocution and mono-action.

The response was not on the expected lines as almost half of the events failed to draw participation. “Participants selected in this preliminary round will qualify to perform in the State-level contest and the State-level winners will get a chance to showcase their talent at the national-level,” said Velaga Joshi, Youth Welfare Officer for Krishna district.

Experts from various fields were invited to judge the events and the competitions were open for participation for those between 15 and 35 years.

The meagre response could also be attributed to a Telugu channel that conducted preliminary rounds for a realty show on the same premises and at the same time. Many participants sitting for selection in the youth festival migrated to the other side of the dais where selection of good singers for the realty show was on. At the end of the day, 11 persons were selected to participate in the State-level competitions. Krishna district Collector Peeyush Kumar, who gave away prizes to them, called upon parents to encourage their wards to excel in arts and music in addition to academics, as it would help reduce stress. He said that the best possible arrangements were being made to organise the golden jubilee of the G.V.R. College of Music and Dance in January next.

Kiranmayi, wife of Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu, was the chief guest at the inauguration, while C. Munikumar, principal of the college, presided.

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