Launched in Bhubaneswar in 2015, IIDF has become a multi-city event with Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Amaravati and Guwahati besides Bhubaneswar hosting it
BHUBANESWAR: The 13th edition of annual Indian International Dance Festival (IIDF) will be held at Bhanja Kala Mandap in the capital city from June 22 to 24. It shall feature more than 100 dancers of 10 different styles such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Sattriya, Chhau, Jhumar, Sambalpuri and tribal dances.
The event is being organised by Samskritiki which has been hosting the Odissi International Dance Festival here since 2010.
Launched in Bhubaneswar in 2015, IIDF has become a multi-city event. So far Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Amaravati and Guwahati besides Bhubaneswar have hosted the event.
Shyamahari Chakra, the festival’s director, said, “It’s the only dance festival of its kind in India. Celebrating dance sans divisions has been the idea behind this event. It seeks to bring together tribal, folk, classical, martial and contemporary dance styles on a common platform. The motto is to strengthen bonds among countries and cultures through dance besides highlighting Bhubaneswar as a city of culture while promoting cultural tourism in Odisha.”
This year, unfortunately, due to cyclone Fani, many foreign artistes may not be able to come for the festival. But still the city fans can enjoy the performances of more than 100 dancers, both in junior and senior category.
The dancers will be coming from more than 12 states in the country. Some of them are: Nganbi Chanu Leima from Imphal, Manipur; Mohiniattam dancer Mamata Vasant Kumar from Thrissur, Kerala; Bharatanatyam dancer Anipurba Chatterjee from Kolkata.
Besides the performances, the event would include seminars, screening of films and documentaries on dance, exhibition of books, journals, DVDs and photographs on dance and visits to cultural institutions like the Odisha State Museum, Tribal Museum, GKCM Odissi Research Centre, temples and heritage sites in and around Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri.
This year, IIDF Awards will be presented to four dance exponents. They are— Suchismita Biswas of Rourkela for promoting Bharatanatyam in Odisha; Sabita Mishra of Ranchi for promoting Odissi in Jharkhand and Bihar; Sangeeta Dash from Puducherry for promoting Odissi in South India; and Barnarupa Mohanty of Baripada (Odisha) for promotion of women dancers in Mayurbhanj Chhau.
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Odissi dancer Sangeeta Dash from Puducherry
Mohiniattam dancer Mamata Vasant Kumar from Thrissur, Kerala
