News India Times
February 12, 2016
16
Community
– that’s all you need to know
Bya StaffWriter
he Federation of Indian
Associations of tri state
of NJ,NY and CT cele-
brated the 67th
Republic Day of India
with its traditional dance com-
petition, “Dance Pe Chance” at
the State Theatre in New
Brunswick, NJ Jan. 30. The event
also marked FIA’s 46th anniver-
sary. The organization has been
celebrating India’s Republic Day
for more than 40 years.
Miss America 2014 Nina
Davuluri was the chief guest.
Other notable attendees includ-
ed Commissioner to the N.J.
Board of Public Utilities
Upendra Chivukula, FIA Trustee
Dr. Sudhir Parikh, publisher of
Desi Talk and recipient of India’s
Padma Shri award, Ramesh
Patel, co-founder and chairman
of FIA, Yash Paul Soi, Kanu
Chaunhan, Dipak Patel, Jagdish
Patel, Paul Parmar, Anil Moga,
and India’s Deputy Consul
General in NewYork Manoj
Kumar Mohapatra.
Dance Pe Chance has
become one of the most coveted
dance competitions in the tri
state area where second genera-
tion youth showcase their talent.
Nine schools with more than
500 participants forming 19
groups, competed this year. The
chairperson of Dance Pe
Chance, Chhavi Dharayan was
the main organizer along with
her team.
Sparsh Shah and Kritika sang
the national anthem of U.S. and
India respectively, jumpstarting
the event. The master of cere-
monies was Deepa Pathak.
During the event, the newly
elected Executive Committee for
2016 was sworn in by
Mohapatra -- Anand Patel, pres-
ident, Andy Bhatia, executive
vice president, Mahesh Bhagia,
vice president, Chhavi
Dharayan, secretary, Mohin
Patel, joint secretary, Mahesh
Dubal, treasurer, and Ankur
Vaidya who is the immediate
past president.
Anand Patel congratulated
the talent and energy of youth at
the event. “FIA is always moving
toward getting the youth
involved and take part in show-
casing our rich culture and her-
itage,” he is quoted saying in a
press release.
The competition culminated
with a prize distribution cere-
mony.
The participating schools
were Arya Dance Academy, Aum
Dance Creations, Aatma
Performing Arts, Kavi’s School of
Dance, Nritya Creations of
Dance, Nirmiti School of Dance,
India Performing Arts and
Prerna School of Dance. The
competition was judged in three
categories of minor, junior and
senior.
The judges included actor
Sonny Chatrath, filmmaker,
actor and restaurateur Trilok
Malik, entrepreneur Mani
Kamboj, of Roshni Media Group,
owner and director of BnB
Dance company, Namrata Bajaj,
and Sridhar Shanmuham, a
trained Bharat Natyam dancer.
FIA Celebrates India’s Republic Day With ‘Dance Pe Chance’
T
Above, some 500 youth took part in the coveted Dance Pe Chance competition, seen on the stage Jan. 30 at the Federation of Indian Associations’ celebration of India’s Republic
Day in New Brunswick, N.J. Below, FIA Board of Trustees with Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, the chief guest. Seen in photo, from left, Dipak Patel, trustee; Yash Paul Soi, vice
chairman, board of trustees; Davuluri; Dr. Sudhir Parikh, trustee, Ramesh Patel, chairman, board of trustees; Jagdish Patel, trustee; and Kanu Chauhan, trustee.
Minor
1st place -Arya Dance
Academy
2nd place - Nritya
Creations Academy of
Dance
3rd place - Kavi’s School
of Dance
Best Choreography -
Aum Dance Creations
Best Costume - Nritya
Creations Academy of
Dance
Creativity - Aum Dance
Creations
Junior
1st place - Aatma
Performing Arts
2nd place - Aum Dance
Creations
3rd place - Kavi’s School
of Dance
Best Choreography -
Nritya Creations Academy
of Dance
Best Costume - Prerna
School of Dance
Creativity - Arya Dance
Academy
Senior
1st place - Arya Dance
Academy
2nd place -Aum Dance
Creations
3rd place - Aatma
Performing Arts & Nritya
Creations Academy of
Dance
Best Choreography -
Aum Dance Creations
Best Costume - Nritya
Creations Academy of
Dance
Creativity - Arya Dance
Academy
Best of the Best - Aum
Dance Creations
Winners
FIA incoming president Anand Patel
addresses the audience at the Jan. 30
celebration.
