It’s a coming together of cultures, traditional dance forms, sensibilities...At the International Folk Dance Festival, an effort of the Punjab Arts Council, the audience will be treated to a repertoire of popular folk dances from Russia, France and of course, India. The festival is the Council’s tribute to Dr MS Randhawa, and a series of cultural activities are being planned to celebrate his birth centenary.

For the dancers of Rosa Vetrov, The Children’s Charitable Fund from Russia, dance is the only way to communicate with the rest of the world and keep their traditions intact. “Our dances are a mix of folk, contemporary, sport ballroom dances, Waltz, Tango. You can call it a fusion, with the essence intact,” Lucy, one of the artists is looking forward to watch artists from India and France. Total movement is how Valerii and Raisa Yadov, both teachers, describe the dances, be it the traditional Russian Quadrille, a couples’ dance, also known as the dance of Moscow suburbs, Kaleidoscope, a composition of European dances with the elements of folk music or solo numbers. “There is no end to the dance, there is immense scope for improvisation and we are open to ideas,” Lucy adds their music too is a mix of American, Latin and Russian. Rosa Vetrov, explains Ryabova Natalia, Director of the organization strives to preserve and develop the cultural heritage of Russia and peace in the area of children’s and youth creativity.

The genres of classical and opera is what the ensemble of Marie Laure Vincent brings to the festival. While the ballet is based on the compositions of well-known classical composers of the 17th century, the opera, Carmen is world-famous, and according to Marie, it’s a tradition they maintain and is extremely popular with the French audiences. As for Indian folk dances, artists will present naati, luddie, ghoomer, sammi, bhangra...

“The festival will travel to Kapurthala and Jalandhar and it’s an effort, along with the Chandigarh Administration to keep alive the uniqueness of our traditional art forms and the Council is all set to take this artistic activity forward,’’ sums up Harjinder Kaur.