Sikkim dance academy to represent India at Vietnam folklore festival

Dynamic Flickers Dance Academy (DFD) from Sikkim will represent India at the International Ethnic Folklore Festival in Vietnam from October 6 to 11, with the group set to showcase the state’s traditional dance and cultural heritage.

The festival, being held under the theme ‘Let’s Dance for World Peace’, will bring together folk and traditional dance groups from different countries. The event is associated with UNESCO, according to officials.

DFD’s participation follows its victory in Sikkim’s Golden Feet competition, through which the academy received a cash prize of Rs 30 lakh. The group is using the prize money to fund its participation in the Vietnam festival.

Dilu Tamang, co-founder of Dynamic Flickers Dance Academy, said the international event would give the group an opportunity to present Sikkim’s culture to audiences outside India.

“We are excited to inform that this is an opportunity for us to showcase our culture through dance,” Tamang said.

She also credited the Golden Feet competition for helping the academy access an international platform, saying the prize money had enabled the group to undertake the Vietnam trip.

Sikkim Chief Minister’s Press Secretary Yougan Tamang said DFD’s participation reflected the broader objective of competitions such as Golden Feet to identify and support local talent.

The academy has previously represented Sikkim at national-level competitions. In 2022, it won the National Tribal Dance Competition in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

At the Vietnam festival, DFD will perform traditional dance forms from Sikkim alongside participating groups from other countries, providing an international platform for the state’s folk traditions and cultural identity.