BHUBANESWAR: The stage is set for the two-day State-level talent-hunt Odissi dance festival in the capital commencing on Saturday. The event, aptly christened as `naveen kalakar' (new artistes), is being launched by city-based cultural organisation Devdasi Nrutya Mandir in association with the department of culture and Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya (USM), the premiere college of performing arts of the State.

"The objective of the festival, that is competitive in nature, is to spot talents from the grassroots level and provide them the proper platform to showcase their talent. Although Odissi dance has become the brand image of the State at the international level, aspiring artistes in small towns and rural belts in the State hardly get any scope to prove their talent while the city-based dancers always remain in limelight. `Naveen kalakar' annual dance festival will bridge that gap," explained the organisers.

The event will be held on the USM indoor auditorium and will be launched jointly by culture Minister S.N.Patro and Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi president and eminent Odissi guru Gangadhar Pradhan, informed festival coordinator J.Jena. The competition will be held in three categories of 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 and toppers of each category will be offered an opportunity to perform in the annual national Devdasi dance festival being held in Bhubaneswar by the organisation, he added.

A large number of budding Odissi dancers from far off districts of the State have enrolled for the event and a few from outside the state are also performing in it as guest artistes, Jena revealed.

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