by Staff Reporter
ONE of the most colourful events on the calendar, the World Folk Dance Festival, opens in Palma on April 22, with 45 groups from 24 countries.
The streets of Palma will be filled with 1'500 dancers, singers and musicians in the festival, which will run until April 26.
On the last day, the dancers will teach members of the public some of the steps.
Details of the event were announced yesterday by deputy Mayor Joan Bauzá and Bel Oliver of the Balearic government's tourism department.
The festival's director, Tomeu Bosch, said that the budget this year is 132'000 euros, and that the tourism ministry would provide 72'000 euros and the city council the rest. He added that the number of participants could have been double but the organisers had hit snags in getting visas.
He added that they had encountered a lot of problems in obtaining visas, particularly for participants from South America, Africa and Asia.
All the groups taking part have been approved by an international jury, which included one member from Great Britain.
The same jury will decide the winner of the 18'000 euro prize. The closing festival will be held in the Congress hall of the Pueblo Español.