The Hindu Business Line : Pune to host Shaniwarwada dance fest from Feb 12

THE ramparts of the majestic Shaniwarwada Fort, which stand testimony to the glory of the Peshwa rule, are all set to come alive to dance performances by some of the country's best-known artistes, scheduled to perform as part of the annual Shaniwarwada dance festival, which takes off here on February 12.

The annual dance festival, which is into its fourth year this time, will be kicked off by Mallika Sarabhai and the Darpana performing group, the festival chairperson, Ms Sabina Sanghvi, said here on Wednesday.

Sarabhai will begin with a traditional Kuchipudi performance before she performs Kalidas's Meghdootam along with artistes from the Darpana Academy. Puneiites will be treated to a Mohiniattam dance ensemble from the Nalanda Dance Research Centre, set up by the grand dame of the art form Kanak Rele.

The two-day festival will draw to an end with Advait, a creative collaboration between Pune dancers Maneesha Sathe and Yogini Gandhi.

The annual dance festival, meanwhile, is all set to undergo a transformation, with the committee now planning to make it a music and dance festival.

"We decided that we should maximise the fact that we have such a historical, majestic backdrop available to us and what best to use it for but music," Ms Sanghvi said.

Plans are already being firmed up to rope in film star and well-known dancer Shobhanaa for next year's festival, which will also see jazz making its appearance on the Pune cultural scene. "Pune already has a Sawai Gandharva festival for classical music but we don't get to hear jazz at all," Ms Sanghv said, adding that this year's festival will be preceded by a sound-and-light show that will depict the story of the fort that lies in the centre of the city.

The dance festival has carved a niche for itself in the city's cultural calendar since it kicked off and has seen performances, among others, by guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Birju Maharaj, Alarmel Valli and Leela Samson over the last few years.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
The lure of London

Hide looks

Pune to host Shaniwarwada dance fest from Feb 12

Uncertainty over Indo-Pak series telecast rights