Mahabalipuram dance festival starts on Dec. 29

The annual dance fest at Mahabalipuram will be launched on December 29, Friday.

This fest is now promoted by Tamil Nadu Tourism and in keeping with the style of all state-sponsored events, the opening evening lists dozens of ministers, local elected reps and heads of arts bodies.

We would advise you to skip this ceremony! Speeches can be long-winded and boring..

Dancer Srekala Bharath performs on the opening evening.

Dance recitals are held on a temporary stage with the backdrop being the famed and astonishing stone bas relief work popularly themed as 'Arjuna's Penance'.

Lit up, this unique sculpture makes a great setting.

Recitals will be held from Friday to Sunday, evenings, into January 2007.

A mix of senior and up and coming artistes are featured.

Many tourists hanging out at this famed tourist resort town attend the concerts. Sadly, not many from the city drive down for this event.

More details can be had from the Tourism office in Mahabalipuram at 27442232. The city office contact is 2538 0583 / 2538 8785

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Another fest, this one is in Valmiki Nagar

The annual festival of Lions Club of South Madras co-ordinated by RASA - The Arts Centre will be held from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 At Bapalal Bhavan, 1st Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur.

Bhakthi Mazhalai by Abaswaram Ramji's Isai Mazhalai, followed by a dance performance by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar's group will be held on Dec. 29

Charulatha Mani's vocal concert and T. V. Varadarajan's drama, a vocal concert by Palakkad Sisters and Bharatha Nrithyam by students of Padma Subrahmanyam, a vocal concert by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar, dance ballet by Niveditha Parthasarathy, a flute concert by B. Muthukumar, violin recital by A. Kanyakumari, vocal concert by Vijayalakshmi Subramanian, dance drama by J. Suryanarayanamurthy and troupe, carnatic voval by Sikkil Gurucharan and Kathadi Ramamurthy's drama are the events that are lined up for the festival.

The Senior dance-couple V. P. Dhananjayan and Shantha will be honoured.