Nine teams from nine countries held the audience captive with their scintillating performances at the first ever international television dance festival held at Shilpakala Vedika in the city on Sunday.
The festival, facilitated by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and broadcast live by India’s public broadcaster Doordarshan’s Bharati channel, brought about 100 performers and technicians and choreographers to the city. While the inaugural show was from a team of traditional dance performers from India capturing the country’s history and culture, countries including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Fiji, the Philippines, the Maldives, Malaysia and Indonesia contributed to the colourful finale that featured each of their cultures in detail.
Dancing to the tune of traditional Kuchipudi song with choreography done by Deepika Reddy, the performers welcomed the guests that included Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Venkaiah Naidu. While the other teams from India that presented performances based on the country’s Persian influence and varied contemporary traditions, it was the dance by young men from Fiji that grabbed the eyeballs.
The Fijian traditional Meke dance performed by men in straw cloths was a blend of agility and strength and its rhythm made the audience groove. The dance retold the stories of ancient gods, battles won and historical events of Fiji.
Performance by the Philippines team too elicited warm response as the dancers swirled around using bamboo stems as props. The artistry ranged from Tinikling to exoticised Pangalay to skill-based Bangka and Spanish-influenced Jota. The dances from the country was choreographed by a 70-year-old veteran dancer Jess Depaza. A traditional dance from the Maldives in which the dancers swayed to the beats of Bodu Beru song was spellbinding. The event was telecast in 60 countries by broadcasters who are part of the ABU. The event saw the participation of over 1,000 viewers from the city.
According to dance enthusiasts, the event gave them an opportunity to witness rare performances by experienced dancers from across the world. “It was a rich palette that satisfied both the traditionalists and contemporary dance lovers,” said Sangeeta Sinha, an IT professional and a Kathak dancer who had came to attend the event. Speaking at the inaugural session, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu asked the dance lovers to support traditional cultures from across the globe. “The ancient tradition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbham or the oneness of all suits best for this unity of traditional performances,” Mr. Naidu said.
