Vijayawada: Amaravati Nrityotsav, which took off a colourful start in the city on Saturday, was a visual feast for those loving traditional dances in the city. Various traditional dance art forms like Kuchipudi, Kathak, Manipuri, Bharatanatyam and others would be performed by popular artistes on the occasion. B.R.Vikram Kumar, the editor of Dance India, an English monthly, has inaugurated the festival by lighting a lamp.
Amaravati Lifetime Achievement award was given to Padmasri Darsana Javeri, famous Manipuri dancer by the Nataraj Music and Dance Academy. The Nrityostav began with the Kathak dance performed by Nirantara Dance Collective Artists Group from Bangalore. S. Geeta Narayan performed Kuchipudi to a famous Annamacharya Keertana.
All the classical dance performances delighted the audience. Dr Cherukuri Sridhar, commissioner, APCRDA, was the chief guest of the programme. C.V. Pawan Kumar, additional commissioner of IT, S. Ravi Sankar Narayant, additional commissioner of IT, ex-MLC Ilapuram Venkaiah and other officials were also present. On Sunday, the Nrityotsav will begin at 3 PM and there will be 10 classical dance performances.
