All about Dance... ANISHA GOEL

All about Folk Dances

Apart from the classical dances, India is particularly rich in folk idioms. There is really no such genre as folk dancing. Rather, there is a large body of unrelated non-classical dance forms. Each area has its own special varieties, be they martial, seasonal, ritual, sacrificial, celebratory, instructional or talismanic. It can vary from village to village, but they all share a common heritage of myths and symbols. Many folk dances are performed by ordinary people rather than professional dancers. A few folk dances of India are described below.

Dances of Gujarat

Garbha Dance

A graceful, rather unique dance associated with the raas lila of Krishna and the gopis (female cowherds). This is danced by both men and women, moving in a circle holding and clicking painted sticks with attached bells. Formerly associated with the legend of Krishna, Garbha is now a regular feature during the Navratri puja (nine nights in honor and worship of the goddess Durga).

Dandiya Dance

Ideally, two circles formed by men and women move in clockwise and anti-clockwise Dandiya Dance directions with two sticks called dandiyas held in their hands. The song sung on the occasion is essentially an amorous one. Raas is a very energetic, colourful and playful dance providing opportunity for acting and exchanging messages through eye contact. It is no wonder that many romances bloom during Navaratri and hence the popularity of the dance among the younger generation.

Dances of Punjab

Bhangra

The most popular instinctive dance of men in Punjab, Bhangra, if not the most robust, is one of India's popular folk dances. This dance is performed during the Baisakhi festival to the accompaniments and songs of Dholak. The dancers snap their fingers, do balancing tricks and indulge in acrobatic feats. They recite witty couplets known as bolis and out of sheer exuberance mouth meaningless sounds such as hoay, hoay. The dancers are dressed in lungis and turbans. The drummer usually takes his place in the centre of the circle. In this as in the Hikat of Kashmir, pairs of dancers go round and round with the feet planted at one place.

Gidda Gidda

Gentler than the Bhangra, the Gidda is danced by women and young girls on family and festive occasions. The girls and women form a circle, with one of their number in the center. The tradition of boliyan (light-hearted satirical verse) is observed here as well, and is as much a part of the dance as are the colorful regional dresses. The dholki drum provides music and often singers keep music by tapping spoons on the body of the drum.

Dances of Maharashtra

Tamasha/Lavani Dance

Lavani is a musical discussion. It is performed in the months of April-May to herald the coming of spring chiefly in Thanjavur district, the culturally important areas in Tiruchirappalli district and in Madurai district.

Ideas or religion and ethics are put forward to the accompaniment of drum music provided by each of the singers in the group. References are made to the Puranas and the Shastras. The performance lasts a whole night and groups of singers treat the crowd to great entertainment by their fluency of thought and speech. At the end of the Lavani performance, a replica of Manmathas mount is burnt.

Dindi Dance

In the state of Maharashtra, religious devotional dances are called Dindi. The musicians for this dance comprise a mridangam player and vocalist who give the dancers the necessary musical background. This dance is usually performed on the Ekadashi day in the month of Kartik.

Dances of Assam

Bihu Dance Bihu Dance

Bihu is the most popular folk dance of Assam. The people of Assam are very proud of it and rightly so. Except Bhangra no other folk dance in India can compete with the rythmic exuberance of Bihu. Bihu dances performed by young boys and girls characterized by brisk stepping, flinging and flipping of hands and swaying of hips represents youthful passion, reproductive urge and 'Joie-de-vivre'.

Kalbelia Dance Dances of Rajasthan

Kalbelia Dance

This fascinating dance is performed by the women of Kalbelia community. Dancers are attired in traditional black swirling skirts, sway sinuously to the accompaniment of pungi, dufli and plaintive notes of the 'been' - the wooden instrument of the snake charmers.

Chari Dance

This dance requires a lot of patience and balance. The dancers carry brightly lit brass pots on their heads, displaying many flexible movements of the body. It is a dance of happy occasions.

Ghoomar Dance Ghoomar Dance

A community dance of the Rajputs, performed by the women of the house and traditionally out of bounds for men, it uses simple swaying movements to convey the spirit of any auspicious occasion. There is however, and amazing grace as the skirts flare slowly while the women twirl in circles, their faces covered by veil.

Fire Dance

This traditional folk dance of Rajasthan is performed by the Banjara Community. It is also performed in fairs. While dancing dancer usually takes two flame sticks in their hands and fill up the mouth with kerosene oil, then throws the oil over the lamps. Another glimpse is that flamed rods are circulated over heads and legs.

Kachhi Gori

Originated from the bandit regions of Shekhawati, the dance is performed for the entertainment of a bridegroom’s party. Dancers wear elaborate costumes resembling riding on dummy horses. A vigorous dance, it uses mock-fights and the brandishing of swords, nimble sidestepping and pirouetting to the music of fifes and drums. A ballad singer usually sings the exploits of the bandit Robin Hoods.