Folk dances of Spain, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh are all set to take the New Year celebrations in the millennium city to a higher level as the fourth Cuttack Mahotsav-2013 International Dance and Drama Festival goes underway on January 4.
The seven-day festival to be hosted at the Kala Vikash Kendra will see participation of dancers and music artistes from over 16 countries apart from India.
The festival has carved out a niche for itself over the years as it witnesses a large number of international performers in Indian classical dance and music.
Dancers from countries like the USA, Canada, Japan, Nigeria, Taiwan, Poland, the UK, Pakistan, France, Russia, Peru and Switzerland will perform Indian classical dances. The festival will include eight styles of Indian Classical dance forms from Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Kathakali, Odissi, Kathak, Manipuri and Sattriya besides Mahari and contemporary dances.
The highlights of the festival would be Spanish folk dance presentation by Slovakia-based dancers Jana Redechova and Daniela Kudlickova, traditional dances of Sri Lanka by Ranranga Dance Academy and Bangladeshi folk dance by Chintak Association, secretary of the festival Kartik Rath said.
The festival would host more than 500 performers, directors, choreographers, singers and musicians. The music section includes Odishi vocal, Hindustani vocal, light vocal, flute, violin, Sufi sangeet and bhajans, said Rath.