Which dance form is predominantly performed by women and the postures are said to replicate those found in temple sculptures?



Odissi is indigenous to Orissa in eastern India. It is predominantly a dance for women, with postures that replicate those found in temple sculptures. Based on archaeological findings, odissi is believed to be the oldest of the surviving Indian classical dances. Odissi is a very complex and expressive dance, with over fifty mudras (symbolic hand gestures) commonly used.



The classical music and dance form of Odisha was prefixed with “Odissi” by noted Odia poet Kabichandra Kalicharan Pattanayak, who was the centre of the cultural revival of Odisha post-independence, to retain its distinct identity.



Odissi dance form can be broken down to the movement of the head, bust and torso and the accompanying gestures and expressions. The soulful expressions accompanied by graceful gestures and deft movements punctuated with intermittent moments of stillness appropriates watching Odissi Dance to “Poetry in Motion”.



The range of emotions portrayed is huge and touches every emotional chord - right from melancholy to ecstasy, sensual to rage, pride to devotion, and philosophical to the religious.



 



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Usually performed by women as an ode to the female incarnation of Vishnu, which is one of the popular dance forms of Kerala?



Kathakali is another classical dance form of Kerala. Mohiniyattam dance gets its name from the word Mohini – a mythical enchantress avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, who helps the good prevail over evil by developing her feminine powers.



The dance form Mohiniyattam has love and devotion to God as its major themes, with usually Lord Vishnu or his incarnation Lord Krishna as the lead character. Mohiniyattam comprises about 40 different basic movements called adavukal and its performance style is marked by the swaying of hips and the gentle movements with straight body posture from side-to-side. This dance like many other classical dance forms of India follows the sign language (mudra) as described in the ancient treatise on Hastha Lakshanadeepika to convey the story. These mudras are expressed through fingers and palms of the hands.



In Kerala, there are centres that offer training in Mohiniyattam. The Kerala Kalamandalam, which is a deemed university is the premier centre in Kerala for learning classical art forms, where one can undergo training in Mohiniyattam.



 



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Which folk dance from Rajasthan, traditionally performed by the culture-rich Bhil tribe?



Quintessentially Rajasthani, Ghoomar is probably the most popular folk dance in India. This dance form was introduced by the Bhil tribe, and later adopted by the royal communities of Rajasthan, including Rajputs. It is performed by women on special events and festivals, such as the arrival of a newlywed bride at her marital house, Holi and Teej.



The women wear traditional outfit, which is ghagra (a long, swirling skirt) and kanchli or choli (a blouse). To complete the ensemble, a veil is worn covering the face. The beauty of this folk genre is in its graceful movements that involve swaying hands, beating palms and spinning around, while singing the traditional songs. The coordinated movement among women and their whirling outfit, coupled with the upbeat rhythms and songs, leave the spectators mesmerised.



The traditional dresses of men are Pagri, Angarkha, Dhoti and Gamchha. Traditionally women wear Sari and Ghagra Choli.



There are many traditional ornaments of Bhils. Men wear Kada, Bajuband, Chain, ear rings, Kardhani. Women wear variety of ornaments including hansli, ring, Zele-zumke, earring, narniyan (bangle), nathni (nose-jewel) etc. Tattooing is traditional custom among them. Women folks do tattooing generally before marriage.



 



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Which dance form from Karnataka usually begins at night and goes on till early morning?



Yakshajana is a theatre form that is most common along the coast as well as in the Malenadur region of Karnataka. The term Yakshajana is a combination of yaksha, who are nature spirits, with jana or gana which means song. Like most theatre forms found in South India, Yakshajana combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make up as well as stage techniques and as such it closely resembles western opera. In Karnataka, it sometimes simply referred to as ‘the play’. A Yakshajana performance usually starts at dusk and continues till dawn.



A performance of the Yakshajana consists of a group of background musicians called Himmela as well as the dance and dialogue group called the Mummelawho perform the Yakshaga prasanga. The Himmela consists of a Bhagawata who is also the singer, a harmonium called maddale for the drone and loud drums called Chande.



The facial make up of the actors vary from simple to very elaborate designs.  The motif on the face differs and depends if the actor is portraying a hero, demon or a female character. The makeup for a demon is quite elaborate and features artificial eyelids as well as white dots to showcase the violent and fierce nature of demons. These types of makeup can take many hours to complete.



The ornaments used in Badaguttitu Yakshajana are made out of light wood and feature mirror work as well as colored stones and are covered in gold foil. The ornaments worn in Badagutittu consist of a head gear called Kireeta or Pagade, a Kavacha that decorates the chest, armlets called Buja Keerthi that decorate the shoulder as well as a belt called Dabu. The mirror work on the ornaments helps reflect light and make the whole costume feel more colorful. These ornaments are generally worn as a vest and generally cover the top half of the body. A red, black and orange checkered Dhoti is worn on the lower half of the body.



 



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Which dance form is usually performed by women in nine-yard saris and to the accompaniment of rhythmic music?



Lavani is a combination of traditional song and dance, which particularly performed to the enchanting beats of 'Dholaki', a drum-like instrument. The dance is performed by attractive women wearing nine-yard saris. They are sung in a quick tempo. Lavani originated in the arid region of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.



Lavani developed into two distinct performances, namely Phadachi Lavani and Baithakichi Lavani. The Lavani sung and enacted in a public performance before a large audience in a theatrical atmosphere is called Phadachi Lavani. And, when the Lavani is sung in a closed chamber for a private and select audience by a girl sitting before the audience, it came to be known as Baithakichi Lavani.



The ladies that perform lavani wear a long sari length around 9 yards. They form a bun (juda in Hindi or ambada in marathi) with their hair. They wear heavy jewellery that includes necklace, earrings, payal, kamarpatta (a belt at the waist), bangles etc. They usually put a large bindi of dark red color on their forehead. The sari they wear is called nauvari. The sari is wrapped and is more comfortable as compared to other sari types. There are also men that dance in lavni along with the ladies. They are the called nat (male dancer) usually the kinnars. These men dance in support with the lead dancer.



 



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Which dance form of north India is said to have originated from Kathakars, travelling storytellers who used a blend of dance, song, and drama to narrate their tales?



Kathak is believed to be originated in North India where Kathakars (storytellers) used to travel to different places to communicate stories from ancient scriptures like Ramayan, Mahabharat and Lord Krishna stories through dance, music and songs. It got its name from the word "katha" which means "story" in English. It is known for its spins, outstanding rhythmic footwork, however, it also involves hand gestures, facial expressions and eye work. Both male and female dancer can be seen dancing together in this form of classical dance.



In Kathak, the dancer wears a sari with choli, or long embroidered skirt with choli with ornaments and ghunghru (musical anklet). The male dancers wear a combination of chudidar kurta and a dupatta tied at the waist. The dancers do not wear heavy makeup, it remains sharp and fine to show the expressions. A bun with a garland is also a part of the costume.



The ghunghru are very heavy and used to produce a large variety of sounds to show heavy rains, the sound of horse riding, running train, etc.



 



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Believed to have originated in eastern India, which dance form is performed in States such as West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand etc. and often involves the adorning of masks named after the dance form



Chhau, a form of tribal martial dance of India, is believed to have originated in the former princely state of Mayurbhanj. Today, three variations of the dance are performed in eastern India – Seraikella Chhau in Jharkhand, Mayurbhanj Chhau in Orissa, and Purulia Chhau in West Bengal.



Chhau in West Bengal has a distinctive character of its own. Though it has not changed much in spirit from its hunting or warfare origins due to lack of sustained patronage, its outer form has been altered to an extent. In fact the Purulia Chhau is almost an antithesis of the sophisticated and stylised Seraikella form.



Brief and simple rituals precede the performances usually conducted before a Shiva temple or in the village square. Basically, a ritual dance, Chhau was performed on the occasion of the sun festival observed at the end of the month of Chaitra (mid April) as per the Bengali calendar. With time Chhau has become an integral part of other festivals too. It also provides an opportunity for groups of young people to pursue it as a profession. There are many renowned Chhau dancers in Purulia like late Gambhir Sing Mura and Nepal Chandra Mahato; both were Padmashree awardees.



The most important and characteristic part of Purulia Chhau is the mask. This is an indispensable part of the dance that liberates the dancer and assigns a role. Vigorous jumps, hops and twists  portray the mood of Chhau. These movements however are not arbitrary. On the contrary, every body movement including the movement of the even the peaks of each masks follow prefixed rules and grammar of the dance. The shoulder and chest movements indicate euphoria, melancholy or courage. Jumping in the air or as it is known in the dancers’ dialect ulfa, indicates attack during the enactment of a war scene. The expression in the mask’s face is researched intently and portrays minute nuances of the character. It needs extremely high artistic perfection and detailed knowledge of mythology and the epics for the artist to make the right mask depicting the appropriate mood. The wide eyed masks are made of pulp, painted with indigenous colours and decorated with peacock feathers, zari (gold and silver embroidery) and jute – used to make knitted eyebrows and thick hair on the demon masks. 



 



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What the women’s costume is called in Manipuri dance form?



The costumes for Manipuri dancers, particularly for women are quite unique from other Indian classical dance forms. A male dancer wears a bright coloured dhoti, also referred as dhora or dhotra that covers lower part of his body from waist. The unique style of wearing it gives the dancer the flexibility to perform his footwork. A crown decorated with peacock feather adorns the dancer’s head, who portrays the character of Lord Krishna. The costume of female dancers resembles that of a Manipuri bride, referred as Potloi costumes. These costumes were introduced for dancers characterising Gopis in ‘Rasa Lila’ dance by Meidingu Bhagyachandra Maharaj. The most distinguished of these is the Kumil costume that is an exquisitely embellished long skirt in the shape of a barrel with a stiffened bottom. The skirt is embroidered with fine gold and silver works decorated with small mirror pieces and designs of lotus and other natural items as border prints. The top border of Kumil adorns a wavy and translucent fine skirt tied in three places around the waist in Trikasta and opens up like a flower. A velvet choli or blouse adorns the upper part of the body and a translucent veil white in colour covers the head. The dancer wears round shaped jewellery or garlands of flowers to adorn her face, hand, neck, waist and legs that synchronize well with her costume. However unlike other Indian classical dance forms a Manipuri dancer does not wear a ghunghroo that is a musical anklet made of leather straps with small metallic bells attached to it. The entire get up of the dancers performing gracefully onstage complimented with devotional music gives the feel of watching floating apsaras.



The drummers who also dance while drumming are male artists. They wear white dhoti that covers the lower part of body from waist and a white turban on the head. A shawl neatly folded adorns their left shoulders while the drum strap falls on their right shoulders.



 



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Which folk dance form is named after the most important festival of Assam and celebrated thrice every year?



The Assamese celebrate Bihu thrice a year, which signify the distinct cycles of farming - Bhogali/Magh Bihu (January), Bohag/Rongali Bihu (April), and Kongali Bihu (October).



On the day of Bohag Bihu, various delicacies like Mangsho, Chira and Pitha are made. Women, men and children are seen singing, feasting, exchanging gifts, seeking blessings from elders, wearing new clothes, and performing the traditional Bihu dance on this day.



Bihu is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Vishu’. It not only marks the beginning of the New Year but also signifies the beginning of the harvest season in Assam. The festivities of Bihu are spread over a period of seven days and each day is devoted to a special custom. Largely, the festival revolves around the preparation of special food items and celebrations that include the famous Bihu dance, which is a local form of dance.



The first of the seven days of Rongaali Bihu is known as the Goru Bihu and involves giving the cattle a bath while using soaps and herbs that are considered auspicious. The ritual is accompanied by a folk song.



The following day is considered the most important day of Bohaag Bihu and commences the New Year. Special respect is paid to the elders of the family by giving them a towel called the Gamosa. This is one of the most important rituals and the towel is worn on the head and body. The Gamosa is a symbol of the highest respect in the Assamese community.



 



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Rouf is a group dance performed by the women folk of which region?



Rouf is one of the oldest forms of Kashmir dance and performed only by women. The dance is performed by a group of women dressed in colorful pherans with exquisite zari embroidery, in two lines facing each other with their arms around the shoulders of the dancers next to them. They move gracefully back and forth while singing Chakri, a pleasant pathetic song based on mystical Sufi poetry. It is also said that the dance movements are inspired by the lovemaking of the bee or question and answer. It is shared on any festive occasions but especially as a welcoming dance for the spring season and on Id-ul-Fitar and Ramzan days.



The dance is being performed by the women in beautiful costumes and on a piece of characteristic music. In the past, every village, town even streets of Srinagar were resounding with Rouf. The simple footwork of Rouf is both a visual as well as an artistic indulgence.



Rouf is delightful to watch and hear. During the performance of rouf women wear colorful pharans and Kasaba. Rouf songs are not the same during different occasions in Kashmir except for the presentation of dancing style. The rouf which are sung by the Kashmiri women during different occasions depicts different themes like joy, happiness, sorrow, welcome songs, spring songs, etc.



 



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