Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Dance artistes seek lifting of ‘ban’

Photo: P. GOUTHAM

Survival at stake: Dance artistes in Salem demand that they be permitted to perform in rural festivals without harassment. —

SALEM: Former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran was there and so did Vijay Kanth and Rajnikanth.

They were also accompanied by their leading ladies and comedians while submitting an appeal to the Collector to lift the ‘ban’ on their dance performances in rural festivals and functions in Salem district.

These folk and stage artistes of Salem District Dance Artistes Association claimed that the members of their art families had been languishing in poverty since the police in the district had banned their song and dance performances after a few media reports claimed that vulgarity under the ruse of art and culture was being unleashed on stages in the temple festivals, particularly in remote rural habitations.

Saying that nearly 4,000 of them were struggling to meet both ends since the police ban some three years ago, the dance artistes claimed that a few wolves among them had denigrated the art form of song and dance for cheap popularity and quick money forcing the police to ban the entertainment.

“They, thus, put our livelihood in jeopardy,” claimed an office-bearer of the association.

These members assured the district administration that they would not allow vulgar display on stage even if the crowd demanded.

“We will dish out plain and decent dance sequences that will arrest the attention of audience and also stage satires to keep the audience rejoiced. It will be a pure entertainer that never strays out of decency limits,” they pointed out.

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