Dance is an expression of human emotion as mush as music and it is found in almost limitless variations in Rajasthan. Simple unsophisticated, dancing is seen in their fairs and festivals in the kudakna of the Meena boys, the dancing which goes with the Rasiya songs of Braj, and the dancing by women and men where the women carry a pot or a lighted lamp on their head. In the Charkala dance of Braj, an elaborate lampstand replaces the single lamp.
Some of the famous dances of Rajasthan are :
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 gay occassions.
Bhavi : One of the state’s most spectacular performances, it consists of veiled women dancers balancing up to seven or nine brass pitchers as they dance nimbly.
Ghoomar Dance : This is basically a community dance for women and performed on. auspicious occasions. Derived from the word ghoomna, pirouette, this is a very simple dance where the ladies move gently, gracefully in circles.
Fire Dance : If there is divine protection to be offered, the Jasnaiths of Bikaner and Churu must be responsible for cornering most of it.
Kachhi Ghodi : This is a dance performed on dummy horses. Men in elaborate costumes ride the equally well decorated dummy horses.Kathak Dance : This formal, classical dance evolved as a gharana in the courts of Jaipur where it reached a scale that established it as distinct from the other centre of Kathak, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. Even today, the Jaipur gharana is well established.Folk Dance : A fascinating folk dance of Sherdukpens - a small community of West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh, Bardo Chham depicts the victory of good over evil. The dance has an interesting background.
Sapera Dance : One of the most sensuous dance forms of Rajasthan, performed by the Kalbeliya snake-charmer’s community, the sapera dancers wear long, black skirts embroidered with silver ribbons.
Drum Dance : This to the accompaniment of his troupe that consists of musicians holding aloft drums around their necked and cymbals in their hands. A stirring performance from a martial race.
Maand Dance : Rajasthan’s most sophisticated style of folk music and has come a long way from the time it was only sung in royal courts, in praise of the Rajput rulers.
Terah Talli : Another devotional form of dance practiced by theee Kamad community of Pokhran and Deedwana, to honour their folk hero, Baba Ramdeo, it consists of women sitting on the floor before his image.
Caari Or Pot 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 gay occassions.
Holi Dance : This exuberant dance is connected with the seasonal festival of spring. When the rural community rejoices and relaxes after the completion of their agricultural operations.Kathputli Dance : Puppet Shows wire (Kathputli) accompanied by traditional music. The legend said that the Kathputli are celestial beings sent to earth by the gods to entertain men.
