Keeping with its apparent trend of presenting the best of the local arts' scene, with a sprinkling of various other forms, the Arts and Crafts festival had dances from Manipur featured on the third evening. The amphitheater got swamped with dancers descending from the mountains (the ones on stage, of course). With horns, a skimpy garment on the lower torso, anklets and colorful ribbons tied to the shin, over ten male dancers, representing the hunter clan, rendered the martial dance "Tangtoo". Extremely flexible and effortless in performing the acrobatic movements in dance, they surprised the onlooker. More such dancers in different ethnic costumes performed dances like "Dho Dhol Bolam".
The female dancers, gracefully dressed in their traditional costumes (wrapped shawls), performed the dance of "Maibi" (the priestess). Over 33 artists from the Manipur Performing Arts Center gave a memorable show for the Andhra audience who badly needed a change from the usual Kuchipudi dance!
Earlier in the evening, a brief music concert by K Jyothirmayee comprised the ritual music commencement. The vocalist rendered her favorite theme-based concert of Annamacharya and his Bhakti music. Jyothirmayee, along with her group of instrumentalists, sang the songs of Annamacharya, written in praise of the Lord Venkateswara and his consort, Alavelumanga and with a description of their divine abode. Kuchipudi dances by disciples of Saritha Dilip offered more of the regional taste. Numbers like Pushpanjali, Jathiswaram, Ramayana Sabdham and such had the usual swing and typical grace.
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