The Language and Culture Department is continuously making efforts towards preserving and promoting the folk culture of the state. Every year, the department sends cultural groups and musicians outside the state for cultural occasions, fairs and festivals and for cultural presentations at various places in the state. Every year a competition is organized by the department at the district level for the selection of teams.
The folk dance group securing first place in the competition will be given the opportunity to participate in state level competitions and state level events. District level folk dance competition of the year 2024 is being organized on 13th and 14th February, 2024 in the multipurpose auditorium of the historic Gaiety Auditorium, in which folk dance troupes/traditional folk dances from all the registered or unregistered educational institutions of the district Shimla are invited to participate.
Instrumental groups can apply till 09.02.2024 in the office of District Language Officer, Shimla, at Sanskriti Bhawan, Block No. 39, on email – dloshimlahp@gmail.com . The standards set for the folk dance groups participating in the competition are as follows:
1. The number of dancers in folk dance groups will be at least 16 and not more than 22, which will include singers/instrumentalists/dancers of the group and 8-12 artists will be able to participate in the folk instrument competition.
2. The performance duration in folk dance competition will be 10-12 minutes and in folk musical instrument competition it will be 8-10 minutes.
3. Only traditional dances, songs and musical instruments will be presented in the competition and the concerned team will present only the dances, songs and music popular in its own area. 4. Mixed folk dance/singing groups/instrumental groups from different regions will not be able to participate in the competition.
5. Only traditional musical instruments will be used by the folk dance groups and the costumes and jewelery of the dancers/singers/instrumentalists should be traditional and original.
6.The decision taken by the jury will be final and universally accepted.
For more information you can also contact on telephone number 0177-2626615 or mobile number 8219457198.