BHUBANESWAR: Modelled after the 45-year-old `Kal ke kalakar' (artistes of future) festival of Indian classical dance and music of Mumbai, Orissa will soon have a similar event for the budding Odissi dancers.

Named as `Naveen Kalakar' (new talents), it will be launched on April 22 in the city. It is being organised by the city-based Devdasi Nrutya Mandir that has been hosting the Devdasi annual national dance festival.

Nrutya mandir secretary Jagabandhu Jena told The Hindu that though there were eight Indian classical dances and three prominent classical music traditions of the country, there was just one organisation in India - Sur Singar Samsad - that hosted the `Kal ke kalakar' festival in Mumbai to spot out hidden talent by organising a competitive festival for young artistes.

`Naveen Kalakar' would be the second event of its kind in the country, he claimed.

Three categories

"We will start with an annual Odissi dance competition among young dancers in April this year. It will be held in three age groups - 7 to 12 (sub junior), 13 to 18 (junior) and 19 to 25 (senior). Three best performers of each group will be awarded cash prizes while each competitor will be issued certificate of participation. Toppers of each group will be offered an opportunity to perform in the annual national Devdasi dance festival being held in Bhubaneswar in September," Mr. Jena explained. Similar competitions in other dance forms and music, both vocal and instrumental, would be added next year, he added.

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