Kolkata :

The state information and cultural affairs department (I&CA) is organizing a workshop on Saturday involving folk dancers from different districts along with their dance groups in an initiative to revive the dying folk dance forms. The government will also distribute folk dance dresses, masks and music instruments to encourage the groups to revive the dance forms. About 70 folk dancers of five different folk dance forms will participate in the one day workshop.

According to I&CA department officials, there are a number of old folk dance forms having its origin in different districts that are slowly dying and are almost becoming obsolete. “These dance forms like Gajon, Bhandi, Chandi etc reflect the age long social, religious and cultural traditions of Bengal. However, these folk dance forms have now become dying art forms. The state government wants to revive and rejuvenate these dying dance art forms by promoting and encouraging the folk artists,” said an official.

The workshop will have dancers of five such folk dance forms – Chandi, Bhandi, Rabankata, Gajon and Swasan who will participate. Experts of such folk dance and its dresses along with researchers will also attend the workshop. The folk dancers who will participate in the workshop will also be encouraged with traditional folk dance dress, masks and instruments

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kolkata / by Suman Chakraborti, TNN / June 24th, 2016