World Dance Day Festival: Celebrating Indian Heritage and Future

The 18th World Dance Day Festival highlights Indian dance heritage and future with performances, workshops, and discussions. Curated by Geeta Chandran, it features notable artists and honours Kiran Seth of SPICMACAY for preserving cultural heritage. The festival celebrates dance's transformative power and continues with enriching performances.

The 18th World Dance Day Festival kicked off on Saturday, focusing on the rich heritage and future of Indian dance through diverse performances, interactive workshops, and engaging discussions. The event, held at India International Centre, was curated by renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Geeta Chandran.

The festival opened with a movement and dance aesthetics workshop by noted dancer Tanushree Shankar. On the inaugural evening, SPICMACAY and its founder Kiran Seth received the Natya Vriksha Lifetime Achievement Award for their exceptional contribution to preserving India's intangible cultural heritage by engaging the youth.

Acknowledging the honor, Seth emphasized the collective effort behind SPIC MACAY's mission. Poet and scholar Ashok Vajpeyi's lecture reflected on dance's ability to transcend time and reality, while performances by Bharatanatyam artist Madhura Bhrushundi and Kathak exponent Dheerendra Tiwari showcased the art form's emotive power. The festival continues with workshops and dynamic performances, concluding with Kuchipudi and Odissi showcases.

(With inputs from agencies.)