Rajamma, her daughter, and granddaughter arrived two hours early for the group dance competition at Thekkinkadu Maidan but found all 7,500 seats taken. They settled on the cement steps and watched the event on a big screen. Group dance has been a highlight of the Kerala State Arts School Festival since 1957, starting with 18 events and growing to 249. The inaugural group dance winner was SRCGHSS, Ernakulam. Today, over 10,000 people gather to watch these performances, some staying late into the night. While not all 28 groups deliver memorable shows, many present superbly choreographed routines. For example, Silver Hills HSS, Kozhikode's 2016 performance about Ayyappa is still talked about, especially for its black-and-gold costumes. This was choreographed by M. Vineeth Kumar, a former first-prize winner in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam and a key influence on the event's quality. "Choreographing an item for the group dance competition is a challenge I enjoy," says Vineeth. He carefully chooses themes, songs, and dancers, preferring classically trained performers. I.P. Divya of Silver Hills, who has performed for four years, says, "It is thrilling to perform in front of such a massive audience." This year, one group performed the story of Balamani from the film Nandanam, showing how costumes and props add to the spectacle. A suggestion to tone down the spectacle was rejected, allowing the group dance to remain the festival’s perennial favorite.