Dancing dialogues

The cultural diversity, expressive power, and dynamic spirit of Russian dance traditions, are set to mesmerise the city

- SONU M KOTHARI

CHENNAI, popularly called the ‘Cultural Capital of South India’, is a city where art is not merely observed but absorbed through all the senses.

Inviting the grandeurs of other cities, it also plays a good host for international arts. At the ongoing Russian Dance Festival 2026, jointly organised by the Indo-Russian Council for Culture, Education and Trade (IRCCET) and the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (Russian House), under the auspices of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation, the nature of the city — honouring arts and helping people adapt comfortably — stays unchanged.

The festival, inaugurated on January 22 by Valerii Khodzhaev, consul general of the Russian Federation, at the Russian House, is packaged as The Tamil Nadu Cultural Tour with performances scheduled across Chennai, Coimbatore, Mettupalayam, Vellore, and Sivakasi. Performances are hosted at educational institutions, exclusive clubs, organisations, and corporate entities as a part of this shared cultural experience. The tour consists of performances including classical, folk, and contemporary dances, and complemented by traditional folk songs of the Don Cossacks.