CMA Kalamela-2025

1. The last day of accepting duly filled Kalamela Registration forms without a late fee is March 23, 2025, and submissions must be made online only. A late fee of an additional $10 will be applied to each submission made after March 23, 2025. Last day of registration with fine will be March 28, 2025. The applications received after March 28, 2025 will not be accepted.
2. Registration fee for each participant per each single item will be $20.00, and registration fee for each group  item will be $20.00 per participant. Fees should be submitted online along with the registration form. For Kids Talent Contest (ages 5 and below), the registration fee is $10.00. No registration fee will be refunded after March 28, 2025.
3. Competitions will be conducted in the following 3 age categories. Sub Junior: Kindergarten to Grade 4;  Junior: Grades 5-8; Senior: Grades 9-12.
4. Spelling bee competitions are limited to Grades 2 to 8, in 2 groups, Sub Junior (2-4) and Junior (5-8). The  coordinator may add words in case of a shortage in the distributed words.
5. Separate forms and fees are required for group items. Multiple contestants can use one form but need  separate fees for each group member. There must be at least three (3) participants in a group item. The  category for a group item is decided by the age of the oldest participant. No restrictions on upper limit.
6. There will be three categories for the competitive items. Group A (Dances), Group B (Non Dances), and  Special items.
7. Kalaprathiba (Male) and Kalathilakam (Female) must win at least one prize in both categories, A and B.  He/She must score more points than any other contestant in single items.
8. The contestants from the Seniors category will not be considered for Kalathilakam and Kalapratibha titles.
9. The points earned in group items, special items will not be considered for Kalaprathiba and Kalathilakam titles. Only in the event of a tie between 2 contestants, points earned from the group items will be considered to determine Kalaprathiba or Kalathilakam.
10. No contestant can register for more than five single items, excluding group items and special items.
11. If an item has less than 3 participants in an age group, the points and prizes will be distributed as follows:  Grade A (Score 90-100) – 5 points, Grade B (Score 80-89) – 3 points, Grade C (70- 79) – 1 point.
12. If an item has 3 or more participants in an age group, points will be distributed as follows: 1st prize – 5  points, 2nd prize – 3 points, 3rd prize – 1 point.
13. The Kalamela Committee reserves the right to cancel any competition and/or to change the venue, time,  order, rules and/or disqualify participants.
14. All complaints and suggestions should be submitted in writing to the Kalamela Organizers.
15. In determining the winners, the Judges’ decisions will be final.
16. Competitors should be the Child/Children of at least one Malayalee parent, and living in the Midwest  region. 
17. Film songs are not allowed for Solo Malayalam and Group Malayalam Light Music competitions. Film songs are only permitted for the Solo and Group English Song competition. Karaoke and instruments are not allowed for Solo Malayalam Light Music, Solo English Song, Group English song and Group Malayalam Light Music competitions.
18. For Malayalam reading, participants should have done their entire schooling in the USA.
19. All participants should bring necessary materials needed for painting/drawing competition. Please note that only paper for drawing and painting will be provided by the organizers. Painting anddrawing competition Will be taking place between 9 am and 1 pm. No entries will be taken after 1 pm.
20. For fancy dress, only SOLO performances are allowed. Background music, verbal comment and commentaries are  permitted.
21. The speech topics were provided on March 5, 2025, and the Spelling Bee word list will be available March 6, 2025, on this website.
22. Topics for drawing, painting & Malayalam reading will be provided only on the spot, on the morning of  the competition.
23. Three different passages will be given for the Malayalam Reading, and the contestant will be asked to read  one passage chosen by the organizers/Judges just before the competition.
24. For Group Film Song with Karaoke competitions, participants may use any language.
25. Tamil / Malayalam / Hindi film songs can be sung for ‘Film songs with Karaoke’ competition. Points earned in this item will not be considered for Kalaprathiba or Kalathilakam title.

1. All participants should report to the assigned area 30 minutes before competition begins.
2. Please bring all music in MP3 format in a USB Drive and must be given to the competitionorganizers15 minutes before the competition begins. No CDs allowed.
3. There will be 1 item for kids 5 and under. The Kids Talent Contest evaluates the skills of the kids for smiling, speaking, memory, singing (Nursery Rhymes), and general knowledge.
4. Any special item category will not be considered for Kalaprathibha/Kalathilakam title.
5. Male participants (Sub-Juniors, Juniors) who score maximum points in single items will be judged as Kalaprathibha.
6. Female participants (Sub-Juniors, Juniors) who score maximum points in single items will be judged as Kalathilakam.
7. Any participant who has won kalathilakam or kalaprathibha consecutively for 3 years is no longer eligible for the title. They can keep the ever-rolling trophy!
8. Participants who score maximum points in single items in Sub-Junior, Junior and Senior categories get the Rising Star title.
9. Western solo and group dances allow the mixing of two or more songs. Indian songs cannot be used for Western dance.Folk, semiclassical, and cinematic solo & group dances do not allow mixing of two or more songs. Points will be subtracted for music selection if more than one song is used. However, those items will be eligible for prizes.
10. A participant cannot contest in more than one group in a single category.
11. Participants should adhere to the specified time limit allotted for each item.

Maximum Time limits for the competitions are as follows:

• Bharatanatyam: 10 minutes
• Mohiniyattam: 10 minutes
• Western dance: 06 minutes
• Folk Dance: 07 minutes
• Cinematic Dance: 06 minutes
• Semiclassical Dance: 07 minutes

• Elocution Malayalam: 05 minutes
• Elocution English: 05 minutes
• Fancy Dress: 05 minutes
• Pencil Drawing: 1 hour
• Painting (Water color): 1 hour
• Classical Song: 10 minutes
• Solo Light Music Malayalam: 05 minutes
• Solo English Song : 05 minutes
• Group Malayalam Light Music: 07 minutes
• Group English song: 07 minutes
• Instrumental Music: 05 minutes

• Kids Talent Contest (ages 5 and below)
• Group Film Song with Karaoke: 05 minutes
• Solo Film Song with Karaoke: 05 minutes
• Malayalam Reading: 05 minutes
• Spelling Bee