"We want to bring some of the best dancers from across the country to the fore. This is a platform for them to showcase their talent and creativity," says Saswati Sen, secretary of Pandit Birju Maharaj's initiative, Kalasharam, ahead Kalasharam Kathak Contest, scheduled for tomorrow. Kathak dancers from seven cities - Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Delhi and Ahmedabad - will compete on the final day to vie for the title. Sen says the greatest challenge for the performers will be to "keep tradition intact, but showcase an act that has a present-day context".