Folk Dance Training at Satvikam Shivam
Folk Dances of Gujarat : Gujarat is known as the 'Land of Festivals'. A number of fairs and festivals are celebrated in the state with great fervor and joy. The celebrations of these occasions are accompanied with traditional dance and music performances. The state has been blessed with a rich tradition of performing arts. The various song, dance and drama forms practiced in Gujarat are famous throughout India.
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Garaba: Garba is the most popular folk dance of Gujarat. The dance is said to have an ancient origin. Garba is a typical dance performed by women in the honor of Ma Jagdambe, the Mother Goddess.
The dance involves circular patterns of movement and rhythmic clapping. It popularly performed during Navratri. The word comes from "garbha deep" which is translated as either light in the inner sanctum of the temple or lamp inside a perforated earthen pot (which is often used in the dance). Garba songs are composed by folk poet and are lyrical poems sung in praise of Lord Krishna. Singing in chorns is an invariable accompaniment of garba Nrtiya. Other forms of Garba are Deevo, Ghado and Garbi. |
Dandia - Ras : Dandiya Raas is an energetic, vibrant folk dance of Gujarat. The dance form is performed in a group consisting of men and women. Both men and women wear colorful clothes specially designed for the dance. Beautifully decorated wooden sticks are used as props in the dance. Made of bamboo and painted in different vibrant colors, the sticks look beautiful. While dancing the performers hold the sticks in both the hands and strike them together on the beats of the musical instruments. The performers dance in a group forming a circle. The sticks when struck together produce melodious sound. It is a fast-paced dance which involves a great deal of energy. The Kathiawari Raas dancers of Gujarat are best known for this dance form.
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Ghada Garaba: Ghada Garaba is type of Garaba performed in Gujarat. All the girls while doing Garaba in a circular ring they also hold Ghada (pots) in their hands or on head while dancing.
Songs of Ghada Garaba are interesting and usually themed of a village girl going to river or well fetching the water. Many social theme usually woven in the songs of Ghada Garaba. Many Ghada songs are written on Gopi and Krishna Leela. |
Diva Garabo: Diva Garabo is a very special type of Garaba performed holding lightened Lamps - Diya in the hands specially in Gujarat state. Dancers moves in a circle like Garba and also makes other choreographies with diva. Usually this dance performed in dark so light of lamps create divine mesmerizing environment.
Songs are usually prayers of Hindu Gods and many times performed on Diwali or new year nights to welcome laxmi. At Satvikam Shivam we have performed many times Diva dance bringing variety to dance form and Students can learnt beautiful folk dance. |
Tippani: Originating from Sorath – a popular region of Saurastra, Tippani is another popular folk dance prevalent in Gujarat. This dance form is popular among the people of Kharva and Koli habitants of the coastal region, as they dance in the form of sailor and fisherman.
Tippani is performed using a long sticks in the hand. Dancers take a wooden rod to beat the floor,which had iron/wood piece at one end, to make it stronger in opposite rows,which made the dance an interesting work. Each woman would have a Tippani and would dance in two rows opposite to each other and would sing. Musical instruments like Zanz, Manjira, Dhol and Shenai are used to control the Hempo and pace of the movements.A special characteristic of the dance is the vigourous swiftness and rythnic cadence of footsteps and Tippani steppings. After a day of grueling labor, the people unwind themselves with dance and music. Even a woman sings and dances to the rhythm to fight boredom. The invention of cement and tiles has diminished the use of Tippani but this dance form is still vogue and musch admired on the stage. |
Manjira Nritya / Manjira Garabo : Manjira Nritya is a peculiar type of folk dance of Padhaar community of Bhalnalkantha region. They entice us with heart rending display with jingling music of Manjira with precision and skill. In this dance,padhaars sit in circular positin with legs stretched. Musical instruments like Ektaro, Tabla, players give "Tal" to other instruments. Dancers continue playing with Manjira with varieties of actions and modes by getting up, sitting, standing, turning, taking fudadi and playing manjira with feet fingers by raising legs vertically.
In Saurashtra, Bhajanika have mastery over the art of playing manjira. They play manjira while singing Bhajans and get absorbed in singing. In Rajasthan this type of dance is known as “Tera Tal”. Here, four to five women sit with streched legs, tie thirteen manjira right from toe to feet fingers upto arms covering all limbs and play manjira and dance with tal and rhythm. |
Rajasthani Folk: Rajasthani Ghoomar
Ghoomar is a traditional Folk Dance of Rajasthan. Ghoomar was developed by the Bhil tribe and was then adopted by other Rajasthani communities. It is performed by women in swirling robes, and accompanied by men and women singing together. This folk dance gets its name from ‘ghoomna’, the pirouetting which displays the spectacular colors of the flowing ‘ghaghara’, the long skirt of the Rajasthani women. There is an amazing grace as the skirts flair slowly while the women twirl in circles, their faces covered with the help of veils. They use measured steps and various graceful inclinations of the body, beating palms or snapping fingers at particular cadences while singing lilting songs. Mostly Goddess Saraswati is worshiped during this dance. This dance is usually done in a circle. |
Rajasthani Folk: Kalbelia
Kalbelia or Kabeliya is one of the famous dance forms of Rajasthan, performed by a tribe of the same name They are famous for their dance which is an integral part of their culture. The Kalbelia dance, performed to celebrate any joyful moment in the community, is an integral part of Kalbelia culture. Their dances and songs are a matter of pride and a marker of identity for the Kalbelias and they represent the creative adaptation of this community of snake charmers. The dancers are women in flowing black skirts who dance and swirl, replicating the movements of a serpent. The upper body cloth is called Angrakhi and a piece of cloth worn on head known as Odhani similarly the lower body cloth is called Lengha. All these cloths are mixed in red and black hues and embroidered in such a way that when these dancers perform these clothes represent a combination of colours soothing to eyes as well as to the atmosphere. |
Maharastrian Folk : Lavani (Marathi Dance)
Lavani is a folk dance of Maharastra state of India. The word Lavani is derived from the word lavanya which means beauty. Lavani is a combination of traditional song and dance, which particularly performed to the beats of Dholki, a percussion instrument. Lavani is noted for its powerful rhythm. Lavani has contributed substantially to the development of Marathi folk theatre.
In Maharashtra and southern Madhya Pradesh, it is performed by the female performers wearing nine-yard long Sarie. The songs are sung in a quick tempo. Although beginnings of Lavani can be traced back to 1560s, it came into prominence during the later days of the Peshwa rule. Several celebrated Marathi Shahir poet-singers, which include Parasharam (1754-1844), Ram Joshi (1762–1812), Anant Fandi (1744-1819), Honaji Bala (1754-1844), Prabhakar (1769-1843), Saganbhau and Lok Shahir Annabhau Sathe (1 August 1920 - 18 July 1969) contributed significantly for the development of this genre of music.of Lavani. Honaji Bala introduced tabla in place of the traditional dholki. He also developed the baithakichi Lavani, a subgenre, which is presented by the singer in the seated position. Usually Lavani Dance form is performed by Dhangars or shepherds of Sholapur district of Maharashtra. Lavani is the poetry written by Dhangras who gets the inspiration by nature. The Lavani dance from contains the tales of Birth of their Diety called Biruba. In general in the Lavani Songs there are meaningless chants which are used to fill the gaps within the musical sounds. Lavani the musical drama goes on for the entire night and at the end of the Lavani performance, a replica of Manmathas mount is burnt. |
Hariyanvi Khoria Dance: The
Khoria dance is a famous folk dance in Haryana. This dance is performed at
auspicious instances like weddings, during other important festivities and during monsoon or time of harvest. There is a
group of dancers who perform this dance and the speed is the most important
feature of this dance. In fact this is one of the fastest of the folk dances.
The Khoria dance has a very typical style that is characteristic of the tribes of Haryana. This dance is performed by the women of Haryana. They are all very well dressed and their dresses have golden or silver embroidery on them, and the dress itself give us a grand feeling. Also, they also wear very grand jewelry. The dancers start slowly with their colorful dresses twirling and the various colors merging and mixing. In course of performance, the dancers form a ring and clap with their hands too. The dance starts slowly but quickly picks up momentum, and starts to proceed at a very rapid pace. This keeps on increasing and the speed just becomes unimaginable. As the speed increases, the whole group starts to disintegrate. |
Bhangda (Folk Dance of Punjab): Bhangra is a traditional and lively form of folk dance which originated from Punjab. People in Punjab traditionally perform Bhangra while celebrating the harvest. During Bhangra, people sing Punjabi Boliyaan lyrics, at least one person plays the the dhol drum, and other people may play the flute, dholak drum, or other musical instruments. The Dhol plays an integral part of many Bhangra performances.
Men wrap a four to six meter long Chadra or a silken cloth around the wrist along the coat and the headgear. Long shirts known as Kurtas are also worn. Women on the other hand wear a Ghagra - a long skirt. Dupattas - the colorful veils are also worn by the women. Bhangra dance, typically performed in a team, involves co-ordination, timing and technique amongst the various team members. Traditionally Bhangra in India is accompanied by the pulsating rhythm of the Dhol, the Algozeh, the Chimpta, the Tumbi and traditional folk songs sung by men and women. |
I Enjoy Indian Folk dances becuase Indian folk dances are performed to express joy and happiness of heart. India is having a treasure of a variety of folk dances. The cultural diversity and rich traditional pattern of Indian society is truly reflected through variety of Indian folk dances. Each dance bring traditions of the region and our colorful culture. These dances are full of variation and multiplicity in terms of themes, forms, and styles.
No matter what folk dance it is , the verve and vitality of it always touches me............ Perform a Folk dance and enjoy the joy of soul within. |