Folk dances of Assam

Folk dances of Assam include the Bihu and the Bagurumba (both danced during festivals held in the spring), the Bhortal and the Ojapali dance. Assam is home to many groups: Mongoloid, Indo-Burmese, Indo-Iranian, Aryan, Rabha, Bodo, Kachari, Karbi, Mising, Sonowal Kacharis, Mishimi and Tiwa (Lalung). These cultures come together to create an Assamese culture.

Bihu dance

 The Bihu is a group dance in which males and females dance together, but maintain separate gender roles. In general, females follow stricter line or circle formations. The male dancers and musicians enter the dancing area first, maintain their lines and follow synchronized patterns. When the female dancers enter, the male dancers break up their lines to mingle with the female dancers (who maintain their stricter formation and the order of the dance). It is usually characterized by specific postures: movements of the hips, arms and wrists; twirls, squats and bends. Male and female dance movements are very similar, with only subtle differences. 

Bagurumba

 

 Bagurumba is a folk dance in Assam which is performed by the Bodos. It is the usually practiced during Bwisagu, a Bodo festival in the Vishuva Sankranti (mid-April). Bwisagu begins with cow worship; then, young people reverentially bow down to their parents and elders.After that, Bathow is worshiped by offering the deity chicken and zou (rice beer). Bodo women wearing colourful dokhna and aronai perform the Bagurumba dance (also known as the Bardwisikhla dance). It is accompanied by instruments such as the serja (a bowed instrument), sifung (flute), tharkha (split bamboo), kham or madal (long drum, made of wood and goatskin). The festival ends with a community prayer at Garjasali. This dance is performed in the Bodo-inhabited areas of Udalguri, Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Nalbari, Darrang and Sonitpur Districts.

 

Bhortal Dance

 Bhortal Nritya is known to have developed by Narahari Burha Bhakat. He was a well-known Satriya artist. This Bhortal Nritya of Barpeta district is said to have derived from the classical dance form of the state. This is one of the most popular dances in the state of Assam.Performance— this dance is performed in a group. Six or seven dancers generally present the Bhortal dance of Assam together. This dance can be performed in larger groups as well. It is performed to a very fast beat. This beat is known as ‘Zhiya Nom’. The dancers are equipped with cymbals while performing this dance. The use of the cymbals makes the dance presentation appear very colorful. The dance movements are designed as such that they can produce some very colorful patters. This is the uniqueness of this dance from Assam.

 

Jhumair Dance

 Jhumair is a traditional dance form of "Adivasi" or Tea tribes community of Assam. The dance is performed by young girls and boys together. The male members wear long traditional dresses and keep the rhythm with few traditional musical instruments, generally a Dhol or Mandar, hung on shoulders, a flute and a pair of "Taal" (two metallic discs). The girls mostly perform the dancing part, holding each other's waist and moving hands and legs forward and backward synchronously. The dance has a huge following in the "Tea tribe" dominated districts of Assam, like Udalguri, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

 

Popular Traditional Dances of Gujarat

Well-known as “Land of Festivals”, the state of Gujarat celebrates a large number of festivals every year. The celebrations are complemented with music performances and traditional dances based on their rich traditions and culture. Various classical songs, drama and dance forms are practised in Gujarat which is actually popular all over the country.

 Dandiya Raas

The colourful Dandiya Raas is the most popular dance of Gujarat. This dance form is so famous that it is not only performed in the state but throughout India. Also, known as the ‘stick dance’, it’s a form of dance that is also one of the main features of the most welcomed festivals, Navratri. The word “Raas” signifies Raas dance, which is a form of Raas Leela, an inseparable part of Lord Krishna’s childhood action he used to perform at Vrindavan and Gokul. Dandiya Raas is a simple dance form in which men and women join the dance circle, holding colourful sticks or dandiyas. They wear vibrant attire and dance in pairs forming a concentric circle. Though Dandiya Raas is performed all over the state, but the best Raas dancers are the Kathiawari Raas dancers, from the Saurashtra region.

 Bhavai

 The name Bhavai got its name from the Sanskrit word “Bhava” meaning feelings or emotions. It’s a classic folk drama of Gujarat which is performed in villages and temple grounds by professional communities, The Bhojakas, The Taragalas from North Gujarat. The Bhavai drama is an endless performance which lasts for the entire night without any stage equipment. It generally includes issues from the social life of the community in the countryside. Women are not allowed to take part in the Bhavai. Thus, the male artists perform women roles, which makes the entire drama more enjoyable. Today, in Gujarat, Bhavai is a living tradition.

 Garba

 A popular folk dance of Gujarat, Garba is performed by the ladies on the occasion of Holi, Sharad Purnima, Basant Panchmi and Navratri. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word “Garbha” meaning womb and “Deep” meaning a lamp. The dance dedicated to Goddess Amba is performed around Goddess Amba or a central lamp. An earthen pot with a lamp inside is carried on the head by the women and moved in circles, complemented with musical instruments, clapping of hands and snapping of fingers. The movements depict the cycle of life from birth till death. Women look beautiful as they wear flashy ghaghra, choli, bandhani dupattas along with silver jewellery. Nowadays, men also join the dance wearing Vajani, Kediyum and turban.

 Tippani

 Originating from Chorwad district, Tippani is a folk dance popular among the Koli and Kharva people of the coastal region. After a day of tiresome labour, the people relax with music and dance. In this dance, women strike the floor with long sticks known as Tippani. With simple musical instruments like a Thali and a Turi, dancers produce the music. The pulsing musical process makes the folk escape the gruelling and boring nature of work. This dance is one of the examples of the virile dance forms of the folk dances in the state of Gujarat. Tippani is mainly performed on festivals like Diwali, Holi and wedding ceremonies. The folk costumes are also traditional and typical consisting of a short coat called Kedia and tight trousers or churidars, colourfully embroidered caps, turbans and waist-band.

  

Padhar

 One of the popular folk dance, Padhar dance is performed by the people of Padhar community. Well- known as ancient communities of the state, Padhar people are the followers of Hinduism and they worship various forms of Goddess Durga. This community has been given scheduled caste status and speak Gujarati. When performing the Padhar dance form, the people are in a mood of frenzy and excitement thus indulging in a lot of fun, dance, music and merry -making. The dance form portrays the rich culture and traditions of the place and also show the hardships of the people, their way of accepting the challenges and overcoming them. The dancers wear normal dhoti and kurta while performing the dance. The head is covered with the tied piece of cloth giving a graceful and pleasant look to the performance.

Maharashtrian Dance

Dance is the best medium through which you can express yourself.  Enriched with beautiful culture and traditions, each festive occasion in Maharashtra is accompanied by song, music and dance. 

Dhangari Gaja

 The Marathi dance known as Dhangari Gaja is one of the most famous folk dances of Maharashtra. It is performed by the shepherds of Sholapur district who are well-known as Dhangars. Dhangari Gaja is a dance form performed to please their God Biruba and gain his blessings. The poetry on which the dance is based generally revolves around nature and its forms. The Dhangari Gaja dance is mainly performed by men wearing Pheta, Dhoti, Angarakha and colorful hankerchiefs.


 Koli Dance

 The folk dance of Maharashtra, Koli dance is performed by the Koli fishermen. The community is famous because of its unique identity and lively dance forms. The dance is performed by both men and women with the fishermen standing in two rows holding oars in their hands. The men portray the boat rowing movements and the women are present in the opposite rows with their arms linked and progressing towards men folk. The colorful dress, different identity and happy personality is reflected in this dance form. Men wear lungis and women wear green sarees. Koli dance actually illustrate the struggles and hardships faced by the fishing community in earning their livelihood.

 Dindi

 t’s a religious folk dance performed on the day of Ekadashi, falling in the Karthik month. The dance form portrays the naughty and playful nature of Lord Krishna. The devotional dance is basically performed to the beats of a small drum known as “Dindi”. Dindi Dance, full of energy and life creates enthusiasm amongst the dancers performing to the melodious tune of the music. The performers form geometric patterns, holding a flag or the Monkey God in their hands.


 Lavani Dance

 The word Lavani is derived from the word Lavanya which means beauty. The dance is performed to the enchanting beats of Dholak by the women wearing 9-yard saree. It’s very surprising to see how these women, draped in 9 – yard saree manage to perform the dance movements with so much elegance. The dance was performed to entertain and motivate the tired soldiers of Maratha battle in the 18^th and 19^th century. But, today it is performed by people as a part of celebrations. Numerous poets including Honaji Bala, Ramjoshi and Prabhakar added to the name and fame of Lavani folk dance.


Tamasha

 One of the dance form combining romantic music with the Lavani dance, Tamasha is said to be derived from the old form of Sanskrit drama: The Bhana and The Prahsana. In Persian language, word Tamasha means entertainment and fun. The thematic dance is based on the stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The two main forms of Tamasha dance are: one form is the balled singing & the other is the theatrical performance of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. Tuntuni, Manjeera, Halgi, Lejim, Dholki, Kade, Harmonium are the main musical instruments used in this dance form.


Povadas

 It’s a form of Marathi ballad, portraying the life of Shri Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The great Maratha ruler always held a respectful position in the hearts of Marathis. They seek to remember their leader and his glorious life through Povadas dance. Povadas are sung, along with movements on the sound of a drum, tuntune, cymbal and tambourine. The dance is performed by men who wear loose upper garment with a salwar, traditional turban and a colorful waistband tied with side knots. Because of the popularity of Povadas folk dance, social and political matters have also become a part of these performances.

Dance Types

1. Ballet:

                            

 

  
Ballet is referred to as the backbone of different types dance forms. It is an interesting form of dance. The person performing ballet looks very elegant at all postures. The techniques to do ballet where developed many years ago. To become a perfect ballet dancer you must be highly disciplined and trained and must have qualities of dedication and hard work. Proper dedication is required to glide effortlessly across the stage. One thing that all ballet dancers have in common is the love for beauty, grace and disciple. This type of dance style can be learnt by both man and woman.

 

 2. Bharatnatyam:

                         

 

  Bharatnatyam is an Indian classical dance form having its origin in India. This dance form was first seen in the temples of Tamil Nadu, one of the states of India. It is a dance form practiced by both males and females. It is known among all for its tenderness of graceful expressions and posses and beauty of the dance steps. Dancers wear anklets while performing which consists of numerous copper bells attached. Dancers must excel in the art of perfect ringing of bells in the anklets and must also have proper control over it. Bharatnatyam is one of the well-known types of dance in India.

 

  3. Kathak:

                 

 

 In types of Indian dance, Kathak is one which originated in the north Indian land. Among the many dance name list, Kathak is one beautiful form of art. Nomadic bards of ancient Northern India are known to lay down the foundation of this dance form. They were known as storyteller or Kathakars. The performers usually wear the famous Lehenga Choli costume while dancing. Even the copper bells used in Bharatnatyam are used in this dance form.

History Of Dance

 From the earliest moments of known human history, dance accompanied ancient rituals, spiritual gatherings and social events. As a conduit of trance, spiritual force, pleasure, expression, performance and interaction, dance became infused into our nature from the earliest moments of our existence.The oldest proof of existence of dancing comes from the 9000 year old cave paintings that were found in India, which depicts various scenes of hunting, childbirth, religious rites, burials and most importantly, communal drinking and dancing.Since dancing itself cannot leave clearly identifiable archeological artifacts that can be found today, scientist looked for secondary clues, written word, stone carvings, paintings and similar artifacts. Period when dancing became widespread can be traced to the third millennia BC, when Egyptians started using dance as integral parts of their religious ceremonies.

 European dances before the start of Renaissance were not widely documented, any only few isolated fragments of their existence remain found today. The most basic "chain shaped" dance practiced by commoners was most widespread across Europe, but the arrival of Renaissance and new forms of music brought many other styles in fashion. Renaissance dances from Spain, France and Italy were soon surpassed by Baroque dances which became widely popular in French and English courts.early years of 20th century many modern dances were invented (Foxtrot, One-Step, Tango, Charleston, Swing, Postmodern, Hip-hop, breakdancing and more) and the expansion of musical brought those dances into worldwide popularity.

Dance is passion

Dance is more than just a sport, it’s a passion. The only way to get first in a dance competition is to practice all the time, make sure your dance costume looks exactly like the rest of your teams, and perform like you’ve never performed before.

 
"You have to give your best, in order to BE the best" is a quote that the Bomber Dance Team coaches say to the dancers moments before every competition. No one should join dance just to say that they are in a sport, they should love to dance and give your best while in dance. That is what's going to make you an amazing dancer.Dance is about expressing yourself, it's an art.Dance is a therapy. I can express sadness, anger, and happiness through it.The point is that the true meaning of dance isn't about competition. The core of dance is about passion and enjoying yourself by moving freely to what you feel.

Importance of dance

Dance, like any other form of art, is a mode of expression.Dancing is an activity that requires little to no effort on your part. Dancing also imparts some very noticeable benefits to our mind and body.Dancing is one of the most celebrated art forms in the world and hence offers immense financial potential. Dancing is good not just for your body, but for your soul as well. Dancing is exhilarating, and a single session will leave you tired but happy.dancing is something that comes naturally. It doesn’t matter whether you are as graceful as a swan or as left-footed as a duck with a limp, you will still be dancing as exuberantly as the next person when the occasion arises. Dancing is an intimate form of enjoyment, and hence brings people closer.

Dance is skill

Dance is a perfoeming art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement Dances generally have a characteristic tempo and rhythmic pattern.Dance studies are offered through the arts and humanities programs of many higher education institutions.Dance is a powerful impulse, but the art of dance is that impulse channeled by skillful performers into something that becomes intensely expressive and that may delight spectators who feel no wish to dance themselves.Dancing is not a sport, though it does have some athletic aspects.some people to express their feelings and emotions.