Mysore/Mysuru: The 25th National Nirantara Kalemane Festival and Kalemane National Bharatanatyam competition, organised by Kumar Performing Arts Centre (KPAC), Mysuru, will be held on July 22 at Kalemane Sabhaangana in Vijayanagar 2nd Stage, near Abhishek Circle, here from 9 am onwards.

Vidwan D. Keshava, Choreographer, Yoga and Dance Teacher, Musician and Founder-Director of Kalasri, Switzerland; Dr. Jamunarani V. Mirle, Artist-cum-Writer and Vidu. T.S. Sreelakshmi Kumar of Sri Uma Maheshwara Nruthya Kalakshetra, Mysuru, will be the chief guests at the inauguration which will be followed by dance competition.

4 pm: Bharatanatyam performances by Vidwan B.M. Nidhaga Karunad, Artistic Director, Karunad Centre for Performing Arts, Bengaluru; Vidushi Soumya S. Sharma, Founder-Director, Shree Saayaujya School of Dance, Bengaluru and Vidushi Mrudula Ravi, Bengaluru. Later, dance competition winners will perform.

July 23

The Silver Jubilee of National Nirantara Kalemane Festival (on completion of 25 months) and Kalemane Kalashree National Awards Ceremony will be held on July 23 at Kalemane Sabhaangana at 3 pm.

The ‘Kalemane Kalashree’ awardees are: T.S. Nagaraja Upadhyaya, Isro retd. and Vidushi Leelavathi N. Upadhyaya, Founder-Director, Leela Natya Kalavrunda, Bengaluru; ‘Abhinava Krishna’ Kundurthy Venkatakrishna and ‘Nrithyakala Thapaswini’ Dr. Anuradha Durbhakla (Kundurthy); Rajesh Sanke and Sunitha Sanke, Dance Choreographer and Folk Singer, Founder-President, Tara Arts Academy, Hyderabad; Kaluva Chandrashekar Rao, Managing Trustee, Recon International Charitable Trust, Hyderabad and Dr. Tirumala Aravinda, Associate Professor, Nagarjuna Government Degree College, Telangana.

The performers of the evening are as follows: Bharatanatyam by Guru ‘Karnataka Kalashree’ Dr. K. Kumar and his disciples (Kumar Performing Arts Centre); Bharatanatyam Duet by Dr. E. Vidyalakshmi (Lng Academy of Dance), Payyanaur, Kerala and Haritha Thamban (Assistant Professor, Lasya College of Fine Arts); ‘Bhava Sangama,’ a unique presentation by Guru Vidushi Aarathi Arun and  her disciples (Shri Ganesha Sangeetha Nrithyalaya Charitable Trust, Mysuru); Bharatanatyam and Tiruvathirakali by disciples of Guru Ramya Easwar Kumar (Kala Munch, Bengaluru); Bharatanatyam by Pavithra Prashanth and disciples (Founder-Director, Pranavanjali Academy for Performing Arts, Bengaluru); Bharatanatyam by Vidwan G. Vincent Paul and disciples (Artistic Director, Sphurana Nritya Kala Kendra, Bengaluru).

Journey of Kalemane Utsava

On Sept. 2021, Kumar Performing Arts Centre (KPAC) Founder Dr. K. Kumar built his theatre ‘Kalemane Sabhaangana,’ a well-equipped theatre with light and sound facilities and a seating capacity of over 150 seats in Mysuru. Having decided to hold a ‘National Nirantara Kalemane Festival’ every month, the Festival celebrated its 24 successful months and has entered the 25th month. A non-profit organisation, it is a Trust established by Kumar family.

About 160 renowned Dance Gurus, who are nationally and internationally recognised, have graced Kalemane Utsava while around 2,000 artistes have performed. More than 80 people who have contributed and dedicated themselves to the field of Performing Arts have been awarded with the titles, ‘Kalemane’, ‘Kalemane Kalaa Poshaka’, ‘Kalemane Kalashree’, ‘Kalemane Purandara Tyagaraja National Award’, etc. “In all, 8 classical dance forms of India have been performed at Kalemane Sabhaangana which has also organised Dance Workshops, Workshops on Taala, Lectures-cum-Demonstrations. Artistes from across the world like USA, Gulf countries, Canada and other European nations have participated in the Festival,” said  Dr. K. Kumar, Professor and HoD, University College of Fine Arts, University of Mysore.