Organizers of the annual Columbus Got Talent competition highlighting the community’s diverse culture and gifts are seeking more acts for the show.
Auditions are scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 8 at Southside Elementary School and the finals are slated Sept. 23 at the Columbus East High School auditorium. Grand prize remains $1,000 for the top performance.
In the past, acts have included solo singers and musicians, bands, dancers and more. So far, organizers said that seven acts are registered for the friendly competition planned by the Columbus Area Muti-Ethnic Organization, which promotes diversity and cross-cultural understanding.
“But we expect number to go up once schools open in August,” said Rajesh Garg, among the organizers.
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Currently, there is no firm deadline cutoff for registration.
Auditions are limited to 40 acts, which are free to the public. A judging panel then selects the top 12 performers for the ticketed finals.
The winning act gets to perform at Ethnic Expo, the city’s free, international festival conducted the second weekend in October every fall.
The dance duo that won the event in August sees the gathering as a wonderful time to hone talent. Shivika Trivedi and Neha Divekar performed to a four-minute mix of Bollywood tunes from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, according to Trivedi.
She mentioned that both she and Divekar had training in their native country in various forms of classical Indian dance.
“It is like getting a chance to learn more, know more, meet more new people, familiarize yourself with different cultures and most importantly, boosting self confidence,” Trivedi said.
She added that she and her dance partner were not the only winners.
“CAMEO brings out the best in you, and so every participant is a winner here,” Trivedi said.
The Heritage Fund — the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County helped launch Columbus Got Talent with a $10,000 grant in 2015.
Garg has mentioned more than once in the past that diversity truly finds itself in the spotlight at the event. And he regularly explains it this way: “It’s so people can enjoy all our similarities and differences at the same time.”
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Auditions: 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 8.
Where: Southside Elementary School, 1320 W. County Road 200 South in Columbus.
Cost: $20 solo act; $30 for group. All ages welcome.
To register: eventslogbook.com
Information: [email protected]
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