Prasar Bharati to hosts the Biggest Dance Extravaganza today

Hyderabad Jan 14 (Maxim News): Dr.A.Surya Prakash, Chairman, PrasarBharati said that the first edition of ABU International Dance Festival (AIDF), is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad, the city with royal patronage for arts, literature and architecture, on 15 January 2017.

Prasar Bharati, India’s Public Service Broadcaster has the honor of hosting the first edition of this mega event.

He informed that the Asia- Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) was established in 1964 as a non-profit, non-government, professional association to assist the development of broadcasting in the region. AIDF will showcase traditional and contemporary dance performances by artistes of ten countries across the Asia- pacific region.

Dr.JavadMottaghi, Secretary General Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) said that the Dance Festival is conceptualized so as to bring the cultural diversities from across the world into limelight, by breaking cultural barriers. The dance festival would unveil the sacred occasions when people dance, and the joys that varied communities across the Asia Pacific region feel, as they dance.

Speaking to Media Ms.SupriyaSahu, Director General, Doordarshan said that the countries whose dancers shall perform are from Maldives, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Fiji, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. Finalists from each country will participate in the grand finale of the first ABUInternational Dance Festival. All participating dance groups are between the age group of 18 to 25 years.

The objective of dance festival is to create a ‘bridge’ between young people from different parts of the world, through dance as an international language; this upcoming festival is a treat to look out for that function. Since June 2016, PrasarBharati started the selection process to select the teams that will represent India in the grand finale. In order to select the final entries, artistes were invited and they were asked to submit DVDs of their work in traditional or contemporary dance, for the purpose of shortlisting. These submissions were made online and offline as well.

A total of 453 entries were received, out of which 389 were made on-line and 64 were by post. Eventually, 210 videos were selected by the first Screening Committee. Post the final screening, 29 entries were chosen from the two categories out of which two finalists, namely ‘Aamad’ group and ‘Sadhya’ group will perform in the grand finale. The Dance Festival has already generated immense excitement among young artistes and this will culminate into a grand finale on 15 January at ShilpakalaVedika, Madhapur, Hyderabad.

M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation will inaugurate the AIDF festival. K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister of Telangana will be the Guest of Honour. Azmeera Chandulal, Tourism and Culture Minister, Government of Telangana and Dr. A. Surya Prakash, Chairman, Prasar Bharati will grace the occasion in presence of other top officials of I&B Ministry, PrasarBharati and Telangana Government.

The Festival is planned to be telecast live on DD India, DD Bharati , DD Urdu,DDSaptagiri and DD Yadagiri on 15′ Januray 2017 from 5:30 p:m onwards.

There is a dedicated website: aidf.prasarbharati.org and it is also available on social media at: facebook.com/DanceFestABU and twitter.com/DanceFestABU.

S.C. Panda, C.E.O, PrasarBharati, Naveen Mittal, Commissioner, Information and Public Relations, Government of Telangana and other officials have attended the Press Conference. (Maxim News)