One Thousand Artists For Port Harcourt Dance Festival

Over one thousand Art
ists from around the world are expected in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital this October for the International Festival of Contemporary Dance (IFCOD).
The festival which is at the instance of Mona Dance school Port Harcourt is part of the effort by the organisation to make Rivers State the hub of the entertainment industry in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of Mona Dance school Port Harcourt Mrs Elo Inyeinengi-Etomi who briefed newsmen on the forth coming event in her office in Port Harcourt also said that the festival will create awareness on the economic value of dance and other arts in the society. Mrs Etomi said that dance plays a pivotal role in the entertainment industry as it combines both music and drama to achieve its goal.
She said that the festival will play consistent role in the development of the Art industry in the various communities across the state.
According to her, apart from making the state the hub of the Arts industry the festival will also help in the creation of employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
She also said that, the international festival of contemporary Dance also seeks to harness the abundant local talents and resources for the improvement of the society.
Mrs Etomi said that the Arts industry has done so much in selling Nigerians image abroad, while also bringing millions of Foreign exchange to the economy, adding that the economic contribution of Artists to Nigeria and other countries was indications that there are no longer the under dogs that people take them to be.
She said that the activities of Mona Dance school over the years have changed the perception of the public about dance stressing that at the moment dance as a subject is being taught in over 26 schools in Port Harcourt.
Mrs Etomi however, stressed the need for the support of the government, multinational corporations and other organizations to ensure the success of the forth-coming programme.