The Thiruvathirakali performers were in for a surprise on Sunday afternoon. It is not every day that they get to dance before a crowd of over 10,000.
The huge turnout at the Thekkinkadu Maidan also was an indicator that the 58th State School Arts Festival truly came alive on the second day.
The crowd wasn’t that big on the opening day for popular events like Mohiniyattam, which had gone late into Saturday night as 40 dancers had competed, of which 24 had come after successfully appealing against the verdict at the district competitions.
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According to judges, most of the dancers had disappointed with their choice of item and the way the music was composed. “It was as if they were light songs and composition for Mohiniayttam,” said a judge.
Not an ideal venue
Day two featured two other popular classical dances – Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.
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The choice of the venue for the girls’ competition, both the High School and Higher Secondary, wasn’t ideal though, as the Holy Family HS could accommodate only a few hundreds.
Kuchipudi, with its eye-catching costumes, jewellery and hairdo could often be visually stunning and when performed by a talented dancer, it could be a joy. So the audience and the performer deserved a better stage.
Another big attraction of the day was Drama (High School), which was staged at the Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. Not surprisingly, a full house was in attendance.
Volunteers too
There were many takers for events like Light Music (girls), Folk Songs, Flute, Mappilapattu and Kolkali. Though there were big crowds at several venues, there were no issues of law and order, much to the delight of the police.
“We have taken enough precautions for the smooth conduct of the festival,” said P. Vahid, Assistant Commissioner. “About 1,000 police personnel are on duty, and volunteers too are helping us.”