Learners’ paradise

Dance, music and theatre — budding performers have a new address to jump-start their dreams.

From August, the state art and culture department will start classes at Ram Dayal Munda Kala Bhavan, Hotwar, for youngsters who wish to learn performing arts. Experts from Jharkhand Kala Mandir will conduct classes in dance, music and theatre.

Director of the state department Ashok Kumar said they would start issuing application forms from July 6. “Children aged between six and 18 years can apply. Each form will cost Rs 10 and needs to be submitted latest by August 14,” he said. “Classes will start from August but the date has not been finalised yet.”

Participants will be spoilt for taste. From classical dances such as kathak, bharatnatyam, odissi and kuchipudi to tribal ones such as chhau and mundari, children can choose what form of dance they want to pursue. Music classes will have a mix of tribal and contemporary. Theatre veterans will teach youngsters the nuances of acting.

But the real USP of this project is the cost. As parents will discover with delight, the department has chalked out a humble fee structure to suit everyone’s pocket. Registration and admission charges are fixed at Rs 100. General students will have to shell out Rs 150 as monthly fee, while the sum for children from below-poverty-line families is Rs 50.

Asked about the strength of each batch, officials said it would depend on the response they receive. “Accommodating students won’t be an issue. We will keep our timings flexible to bring in more aspirants to classes. Plus, given the number of trained hands we have, grooming the budding artists won’t be a problem,” said a Jharkhand Kala Mandir official.

Jharkhand Kala Mandir, which has been working in sync with art and culture department for some time now, trains children in various disciplines of performing arts. Earlier, they functioned from the sports complex in Morabadi. “Last year, we moved to Ram Dayal Munda Kala Bhavan in Khelgaon, Hotwar. We are glad the department has decided to make the Hotwar facility more accessible to people,” said an official.

The decision to throw open the centre to the public is a win-win one, as it will produce young performers and make proper use of the Ramdayal Munda Kala Bhavan facility.

Despite western influences, there is a heavy demand for traditional art forms in Jharkhand. However, inadequate exposure and lack of a proper learning platform deterred many from taking performing arts seriously, feel officials.