Indian Classical and Folk Dances MCQs for Govt. Exams

Jagoi is the classical dance form of Manipur

• This classical dance form is also known as Manipuri dance.
• It is popularly known for its themes of Hindu Vaishnavism which exquisite performances of Raslila.
• This is also performed during Lai Haraoba on themes related to Shaktism, Shaivism and tribal deities such as Umang Lai.
• For Manipuri dance, musical accompaniment comes from a percussion instrument called the Pung.

Lavani is the traditional dance form of Maharashtra.

• It is a combination of traditional song and dance that has performed especially with the Dholki beats which isa percussion instrument.
• It has made a significant contribution to the growth of Marathi folk theatre.
• This dance form began in the 17th Century.
• The songs are sung at a fast tempo.

Dandiya or Dandiya Raas is the traditional folk dance of Gujarat which is performed with two sticks in the hands of two people. It is generally performed on the evenings of Navratri.

• Bhangra is a folk dance of Punjab while its female version on dance is known as Giddha.

• Dances	Tribes or Community its related to	Place of origin
  Kalbelia	Kalbelia Community	Rajasthan
  Charba	Dussehra	Himachal Pradesh
  Bhangra/Giddha	-	Punjab
  Raslila	Raslila of Krishna and Radha	Uttar Pradesh
  Dadra	Semi-classical dance performed by courtesans	Uttar Pradesh

• The Bihu dance is an indigenous folk dance related to the Bihu festival from the Indian state of Assam.
• The earliest depiction of Bihu dance can be found in sculptures from the 9th century found in the Assam districts of Tezpur and Darrang.
• The inscriptions of King Lakshminaryan from the 14th century also mention Bihu.
• The first appearance of the Bihu dance on a stage was in 1962, part of a cultural event that took place in Guwahati.

• Sua Nach has been performed by Satnamis and this folk dance showcases the culture of the tribals of Chattisgarh.

• Rouf is one of the most popular folk music of Kashmir.
• A combination of Kashmiri folk dance and Kashmiri folk song
• performed by Kashmiri women or girls on different occasions.

• Ghoomar or Gangore is a traditional folk dance performed by the Bhil tribe women in Rajasthan.

• Bohag Bihu is indigenous to Assam and is related to the festival of Bihu, it is the main festival of the state.
• It is a group dance usually performed by young men and women and it involves using rapid hand movements and brisk steps.

Ras Leela is the theatrical dance form of Uttar Pradesh.

• It is part of the traditional Krishna story mentioned in Hindu scriptures like the Bhagavata Purana, and literature like the Gita Govinda.
• The Indian classical dance of Kathak developed from the 'Raslila of Braj and Manipuri Classical Dance' (Vrindavana) also known as Natwari Nritya.
• It is a popular folk theatre form in the Mathura region of Vrindavana, in Uttar Pradesh.
• It is also known as "the love dance."

• Dandiya Raas is the folk dance of Gujarat.
• It is the socio-religious folk dance of Gujarat.
• It performed popularly at Navaratri Festival.
• Kapila Vatsyayan argued that Rasa's theory of esthetics gives the Indian arts the underlying unity.
• The popular forms of Raas include Dandiya Raas, Gopgunthan Solanga Raas, and Mer Dandiya Raas.

• Ghoomar is Rajasthan's traditional folk-dance.
• It was the Bhil tribe that performed it to worship Goddess Sarasvati who was later adopted by other cultures of Rajasthan.
• In 2013 it was ranked 4th in the "Top 10 Local Dances around the World" list. Usually, the dance involves pirouetting performers while moving in and out of a large circle.
• In 1986, Maharani Rajmata Goverdhan Kumari of Santrampur founded 'Gangaur Ghoomar Dance Academy' to conserve and promote Ghoomar folk dance.

• Giddha is a popular folk dance of women in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.
  • The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as bhangra.
  • Other important dances of Punjab: Bhangra, Daff, Luddi, Jhumar, Jaago, Dhamal.
• Bagurumba: Folk dance of indigenous Bodo tribe in Assam and Northeast India.
  • The Bagurumba dance is accepted as the main traditional dance of Bodo people.
  • Other important dances of Assam: Bihu dance, Bichhua, Natpuja, Maharas, Kaligopal.
• Lezim: Folk dance form, from the state of Maharashtra.
  • Other important dances of Maharashtra: Lavani, Nakata, Koli, Gafa, Dahikala.
• Nati: Folk dance form from the state of Himachal Pradesh.
  • This dance is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest folk dance.
  • Other important dances of Himachal Pradesh: Dangi, Chham dance, Jhora, Jhali.

• Bhangra is a folk dance of Punjab.
  • People traditionally perform Bhangra while performing harvest rituals during Baisakhi.
  • People sing Punjabi songs during Bhangra.
  • It is a pleasant dance in which dialects are sung and applause.

• The origin of Garba is Gujarat.
  • Presently Garba is popular as a folk dance in Gujarat as well as in Rajasthan and Malwa Pradesh.
  • It involves dancing with each other with the help of sticks.
• There is dance Kathak related to Uttar Pradesh and dance boul related to West Bengal.

• ​​The Bihu dance is a folk dance from the Indian state of Assam related to the Bihu festival and an important part of Assamese culture.

• The Indian state of Odisha is associated with the classical dance, Odissi.
• Odissi is one of the many forms of Indian classical dance.
• Sensuous and lyrical, Odissi is a dance of love and passion touching on the divine and the human, the sublime, and the mundane.
• Archaeological evidence of this dance form dating back to the 2nd century B.C. is found in the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar.
• Odissi is a highly stylized dance and to some extent is based on the classical Natya Shastra and the Abhinaya Darpana.
• The techniques of movement are built around the two basic postures of the Chowk and the Tribhanga.
• The chowk is a position imitating a square - a very masculine stance with the weight of the body equally balanced.
• The tribhanga is a very feminine stance where the body is deflected at the neck, torso and the knees.

Garba is the folk dance form of Gujarat.

• It is traditionally done during Navarātrī, the nine-day Hindu festival.
• It is performed as a representation of the Hindu perception of time in a circle. Dancers ' rings revolve in loops, as time is cyclical in Hinduism.
• The Ghoomer is the traditional folk dance form of Rajasthan.
• The Laho is the folk dance form of Meghalaya.
• The Kathak is the classical dance form of Uttar Pradesh.

• Ghoomar or Ghumar is a traditional folk dance of Rajasthan.
  • It was the Bhil tribe who performed it to worship Goddess Sarasvati which was later embraced by other Rajasthani communities.
  • The dance is chiefly performed by veiled women who wear flowing dresses called ghaghara.

• Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma is a renowned player of Santoor instrument (was known as the Shata-Tantri Veena in earlier days) and also the vocalist.
• Shiv Kumar Sharma is the recipient of many prestigious awards like “Padma Shree”, “Padma Vibhushan”, “Sangeet Natak Academy Award”.

• Kathak origin is from ras Leela from Brajbhoomi, it's a traditional dance of Uttar Pradesh.
• Kathak is performed by Kathia who recites verses from epic with gesture and music.
• Sitara Devi is related to Kathak dance.​
• Different styles based on the Hindustani style of music Kathak has various types of gharanas.
  • Lucknow- It reached its peak under Nawab Wajid Ali Khan. It gives importance to expression and grace.
  • Jaipur- Initiated by Bhanuji. Emphasis on fluency, speed, long rhythmic pattern.
  • Raigarh- Developed under the patronage of Raja Chakradhar Singh. Emphasis on percussion music.
  • Banaras- It developed under Jankiprasad. Great use of floorwork and special emphasis of symmetry.
• Elements of Kathak is:
  • Anand
  • Thaat
  • Toda and Tukdas
  • Jugalbandi
  • Padhant
  • Tarana
  • Kramalya
  • Gat bhaav

• T. Balasaraswati, in full Thanjavur Balasaraswati, (born May 13, 1918, Madras [now Chennai], India died February 9, 1984, Madras).
• She was an Indian dancer and singer in the Karnatak (South Indian) tradition.
• She was one of the 20th century’s foremost exponents of the Bharata Natyam style of classical dance.

• Karma is the traditional dance form of Jharkhand.
• This is held during the Festival of Karma.
• It begins on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrab.
• Rouf is the folk dance form of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Dhimsa is the folk dance of Andhra Pradesh.
• Gangaur is the folk dance of Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan.

• This dance is famous and performed mostly by all communities but is most famous in the Mewar and Marwar region of Rajasthan.
• Gair dance is performed by both men and women.
• It is performed on occasions like Holi and Janmashtami.
• Gair originated from Bhil dance.

• Hand gestures used in Indian classical dances are called Mudra.
• Every hand gesture has a precise meaning and a symbolic value.
• They are also accompanied by bodily expressions that give full meaning to the dance.

• List of important classical dances:

• 'Thoda' sport is a form of martial art belonged to the state of Himachal Pradesh.
• A person need to have an expertise in archery to participate in this sport.
• Bows and arrows are the main weapons needed to play this sport.
• The objective of this sport is to create highly energetic atmosphere with continuous leg-kicking on one-hand and constant attempts to hit the target on the other.

• Natyanjali Dance Festival pays tribute to Lord Shiva.
• The festival was introduced in Chidambaram Sri Sabanayagar Temple.
• Its a combination of two words "Natya"- Dance "Anjali"-offerings.
• It is performed in Prakarmas which is an outer area enclosing the temple.

• Chhau dance included in UNESCO's Intangible Heritage list in the year 2010.
• Chhau, a unique form of masked dance, is preserved by the royal family of Saraikela, the former state of Jharkhand.
• The dancer employs a deity, animal, bird, hunter, rainbow, night, or flower.

• The name of the folk dances and their respective states name are given below:

• Garba is not a classical dance. It is a dance form of Gujarat performed during the Navaratri.
• Kathak is an Indian classical dance form, which is found in 3 distinct forms, namely Jaipur, Lucknow, and Banaras.
• Kuchipudi is a major Indian classical dance form which originated in Andhra Pradesh.
• Odissi is an ancient Indian classical dance which originated in Odisha. It exists in 2 major styles, namely Maharis and Gotipuas.

• Garba is a famous dance form of Gujarat state in India.
• Traditionally, it is performed during the nine-day Hindu festival Navaratri.

• ‘Sattriya’ is a traditional Hindu classical dance form of Assam.

• Sattriya—Assam:
  • The Sattriya dance of Assam is a classical form of dance, which is highly devotional in character with the spiritual aspect being predominant.
  • The word ‘Sattriya’ is derived from ‘Sattra’which means ‘monastery’.
  • The dance developed and grew within the Satras, it is named after these religious institutions.
  • It emerges from a 500–year-old comprehensive theatre tradition nurtured in the Vaishnav Monasteries of Assam.
  • There were two dance forms prevalent in Assam before the neo-Vaishnava movement, such as Ojapali and Devadasi with many classical elements.
  • As far as Devadasi dance is concerned, the resemblance of a good number of rhythmic syllables and dance postures along with footwork with Sattriya dance is a clear indication of the influence of the former on the latter.
  • Sattriya dance tradition is governed by strictly laid-down principles in respect of hasta mudras, footwork, acharyas, music, etc.

• Ghumura, Chau, Goti Pua, Nacni, Odissi are traditional classical dance form of Odisha.
• Thang-Ta, Dhol Cholom are traditional classical dance form of Manipur.
• Dekhnni, Fugdi, Corridinho, Dashavatara are traditional classical dance form of Goa.

• Kolam is a traditional folk art of Indian states- Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, and some parts of Maharashtra and Goa.
• It is a form of drawing which is drawn using rock powder/chalk powder/rice flour and filled using synthetically/naturally coloured powders.
• It is a geometric line drawing comprising of curved loops which are drawn around a grid pattern of dots.

• Cheraw is a very old traditional dance of Mizoram.
• It is also known as the Bamboo dance.

Mohiniyattam and Kathakali dance are two classical dance forms associated with Kerala.

• Bharatnatyam dance's origin can be traced from back to Sadir-the solo dance of temple dancer or devadasis in Tamil Nadu.
• Bharatnatyam is also known as Dashiattam.
• Rukmini Devi Arundale is related to Bharatnatyam.

Swang:

• is a popular folk dance–theatre form
• Performed generally in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh
• is dialogue-oriented rather than movement-oriented
• considered as the most ancient folk theatre form of India

• Santhal tribe is famous for folk dance in Jharkhand
  • The Santal or Santhal, are a Munda ethnic group native to India and Bangladesh.
  • Santhals are the largest tribe in the Jharkhand state of India in terms of population and are also found in the states of Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal.

• Santhali dance is a popular folk dance practiced by Santhal tribes in Jharkhand.
  • This dance form has attained popularity all across India and also has been featured in many reputed Bengali cinemas like 'Agantuk' by Satyajit Ray. Santhali Dance, Jharkhand.
  • This folk dance not only projects the culture or traditions of the local tribes but also showcases the strength of unity.

• Mohiniyattam is a classical dance form from the state of Kerala, southwestern India.
• It is believed to have originated in the 16^th century.
• In Vishnu's rebirth as the enchantress Mohini the dance is performed by women in memory of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Extra facts:

• Chham dance is a dance form of Himachal Pradesh but this festival is also popular in other Buddhist regions.
• This dance form is majorly associated with the Tibetan Buddhism that prospered in the Great Himalayan Mountain Range.
• It is celebrated in masked and costumed ritual with roots in Buddhism.
• In the places like Ladakh, Dharamshala, Lahaul Valley, Spiti Valley & Sikkim, and Bhutan and Tibet, the Chham folk dance is still in practice among the Buddhist people.

• ‘Gidda’ is a dance form of Punjab.
• Gidha is a popular dance form in Punjab.
• It is performed during the most joyous occasions held in Punjab.
• It is performed only by the ladies.
• Gidha was derived from the ancient dance called the ring dance.
• The costume for this dance is very simple.
• The jewelry, and the music used for the dance also plays a vital role in defining the uniqueness of the dance.
• There are no instruments involved in the Gidha dance apart from a dhol.
• It is not performed according to any cut-and-dried rule.

• Other important dance forms in Punjab are:
  • Bhangra.
  • Daff.
  • Dhaman.
  • Bhand.
• Important dance forms in Assam are:
  • Bihu.
  • Maharas.
  • Kaligopal.
  • Natpuja.
  • Bagurumba.
  • Naga dance.
• Important dance forms in Odisha are:
  • Ghumara.
  • Savari.
  • Painka.
  • Munari.
• Important dance forms in West Bengal are:
  • Gambhira.
  • Alkap Dance.
  • Kirtan dance.
  • Chhau.

• The popular folk Dance of Maharashtra is known as Tamasha.

• Maharashtra's Folk Dances:
  • Dhangari Gaja.
  • Folk Dances.
  • Koli Dance.
  • Lavani Dance.
  • Povadas Dance.
  • Tamasha.

• Thumri is usually sung in slow tempo and Dadra is a bit faster.
• Thumri has more elaborate, the lengthy structure of improvisation than crisp, compact Dadra.
• Raas or Dandiya Raas is the socio-religious folk dance originating from the Indian state of Gujarat and popularly performed in the festival of Navaratri. The dance is performed in the Marwar region of Rajasthan too

• The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognizes eight classical dance in India.
• Kathak dance is originated from Uttar Pradesh.

• Dances	Origin	Main Reviving Personals	Famous Proponents
  Bharatnatyam	Tamil Nadu	E. Krishna Iyer, Rukmini devi Arundale	Yamini Krishnamurthy, Lakshmi Vishwanathan, Padma Subramaniam, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai
  Kuchipudi	Andhra Pradesh	Balasaraswati, Ragini devi	Radha Reddy And Raja Reddy, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Indrani Rehman
  Kathakali	Kerala	V. N. Menon	Guru Kunchu Kurup, Gopinath, Kottakal Sivaraman, Rita Ganguly
  Odissi	Odisha	Indrani Rehman, Charles Fabri	Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Kelu Charan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh, Sharon Lowen, MYrla Barvie
  Manipuri	Manipur	Raja bhag Chandra, Rabindranath Tagore	Nayana, Suverna, Ranjana and Darshna, Guru Bipin Singha
  Kathak	Uttar Pradesh	Lady Leela Sokhey	Birju Maharaj, Lacchu Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Damyanti Joshi
  Sattriya	Assam	Shankaradeva	-
  Mohiniattam	Kerala	V. N. Menon, kalayani Amma	Sunanda Nair, Kalamandalam kshmavathy, Madhuri Amma, Jayaprabha Menon

• Bindori is the folk dance of Jhalawar, Rajasthan.
• This dance is to be done on the occasion of marriage or Holi.
• The dancer wears Dhoti Kurta and dance in the group.
• This dance is performed with the help of a stick. It looks like the Garba dance of Gujrat.

• Other folk dances of Rajasthan:
  1. Ghoomar
  2. Kalbelia
  3. Bhavai
  4. Kachhi Ghodi
  5. Gair
  6. Chari
  7. Kathputli
  8. Chang
  9. Dandiya
  10. Terah Taal

Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu)

• The Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikesvara is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance.
• Bharatnatyam dance is known to be ekaharya, where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance.
• The dance involves transitional movements of the leg, hip and arm. Expressive eye movements and hand gestures are used to convey emotions.
• The accompanying orchestra consists of a vocalist, a mridangam player, violinist or veena player, a flautist and a cymbal player.
• The person who conducts the dance recitation is the Nattuvanar.
• In its usual form, the dance is generally broken into seven main parts – Alarippu, Jatiswaran, Shabda, Varna, Pada, Thillana and Sloka.
• Bharatnatyam poses are depicted on the gopurams of the Chidambaram temple (Tamil Nadu).
• E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale had played a significant role in helping the dance regain its lost popularity and position.

• Sattriya is a major classical dance of India which was introduced in the 15th century A.D by the great Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Mahapurusha Sankaradeva as a powerful medium for the propagation of the Vaishnava faith.

• Sankaradeva introduced this dance form by combining different elements from various treatises, local folk dances with his own rare outlook.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi declared Sattriya Dance as a classical dance form of India on15th November 2000.

• Other important folk dances from Assam: -
  • Bihu
  • Gumrag
  • Bhaona
  • Borpetia Bhortal Nritya
  • Bagurumba
  • Ojapali
  • Jhumur Dance
  • Bohua Nritya
  • Deodhani

• Googa Navami is a festival that is popular in the northern part of the country.
• It is celebrated on Navami.
• The festival is dedicated to Lord Googa.
• The Charri dance of Haryanais related to Googa Navami.
• The dance involves placing a pot lit with lights on it.
• Charri means lighting and hence the dance derives its name.

• Dance of Kalbelia
  • Panihari Dance - Dance performed by both men and women
  • Indauli Dance - Dance performed by both men and women in doubles
  • Sankariya Dance - is an integral part of their Kalbeliya culture and is performed by men and women.
  • Bagdiya Dance - This dance is performed by women only while begging.

• Kalbelia dance is a folk dance of the Rajasthan state of India. It is well known by other names like 'Sapera Dance' or 'Snake Charmer Dance'.
• Kalbelia dance is particularly performed by a Rajasthani tribe called 'Kalbelia'.
• The popularity of this dance is so much worldwide that Rajasthan's Kalbelia dance and songs are now in UNESCO's representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from the year 2010.

• Gulabo bai is a famous dancer of the Kalbeliya caste.
• Gulabo bai is also called as ' Gulabo Sapera'.

Khuallam is the folk dance form of Mizoram.

• The meaning of Khuallam is ‘Dance of the Guests’.
• It is a dance that is normally held in the 'Khuangchawi' ceremony.
• Jagoi is the classsical dance form of Manipur.
• Chau is the classical dance form of West Bengal.
• Laho is the folk dance form of Meghalaya.

• Chhau means shadow its a form of mask dance.
• There are 3 main styles of Chhau dance
  • Jharkhand - Saraikella Chhau
  • Odisha - Mayurbhanj Chhau- In this type of Chhau, the artists don't wear a mask.
  • West Bengal - Purulia Chhau

• Some Indian States and their folk Dances:

• Pannalal Ghosh was a popular flute player and composer who died in 1960.
• He was also known as the 'Pioneer of Indian Classical Flute'.
• The original name of Pannalal Ghosh was Amal Jyoti Ghosh.

• Bhawai is performed with enormous skill this dance is an exciting pot balancing dance of the snake charmer tribe.
• It demonstrates the art of dancing and revolving even while balancing many articles and items on one's head.

Option 4 is correct, i.e. Rajasthan.

• Maand folk music related to Rajasthan state.
• The classic Maand composition made immortal by legendary singers such as Allah Jilai Bai.
• The Best of Rajwadi Mand, offers valuable insights into Maand, the form of Rajasthani music that once flourished in the courts or Rajwadas of Rajasthan.
• The other artists featured in the compilation include Munshi Khan of Nagaur, Allah Jilai Bai of Bikaner, Lalita Bai of Kishangarh, the Jamila-Kulsum group from Jodhpur, Suraiyaa Begum from Jaipur, the Rukma-Hakla group from Barmer, and the Hasan Khan Manganiyar group from Jaisalmer.

Know about Rajasthan:

• Capital: Jaipur
• Languages: Hindi, Rajasthani, Marwari, Mewari, Jaipuri.
• Major Rivers:
  • Chambal owing from the Janapav to Madhya Pradesh
  • Sabarmati owing from Aravalli Ranges to Gulf of Cambay
  • Banas River – originates from Rajasthan and joins Chambal.
  • Luni River owing from Aravalli Ranges.
• Geographical Indications: Kota Doria, Kathputlis, Blue pottery, Molela clay work, Sanganeri, Hand Block Printing, Phulkari, Bikaneri Bhujia, Bagru hand block print, Thewa artwork, Makrana marble.
• World Heritage Sites:
  • Jantar Mantar
  • Keoladeo National Park
  • Chittorgarh Fort
  • Kumbhalgarh
  • Ranthambore Fort
  • Gagron Fort
  • Amber Fort
  • Jaisalmer Fort

• Chholiya dance form is practised using the sword in the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand.
• This dance form is very popular in areas like Pithoragarh, Champawat, Bageshwar and Almora of Kumaon division.
• The origin of this dance form is more than a thousand years when there were conflicts between Kshatriyas of Kumaun- the Khasas and Katyuris.
• Langvir Nritya is a dance form practised by only men and a long bamboo pole is used in it.
• Pandav Nritya is a dance form which is practised by the storytelling of at the time of Mahabharat.

• Gotipua is a dance form which is performed in the state of Odisha.
• It is performed by young boys who dress up as women to praise Lord Jagannath and Krishna.

• Bhawaiya is a musical form of popular folk music in West Bengal.
• It is practised in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, part of Darjeeling and North Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
• Some other folk dance names are:
  • Chhau (It also performed in Odisha and Bihar)
  • Kirtan
  • Alkap
  • Gambhira

Option 4 is correct, i.e. Rajasthan

• Bhawai is performed with enormous skill this dance is an exciting pot balancing dance of the snake charmer tribe.
• It demonstrates the art of dancing and revolving even while balancing many articles and items on one's head.

• Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma is an Indian music composer and Santoor player from the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• He also composed music for many Hindi films in collaboration with Hariprasad Chaurasia (Famous Falutist).
• He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the year 1985.
• He received the 'Padma Shri Award' in 1991. He also received the Padma Vibhusan in 2001.

• Loor is a popular dance form of Haryana, predominantly played in Bangar and Bagar regions.
• It indicates the arrival of the spring season and the sowing of Rabi crops.
• As the name indicates, Loor Dance is performed by girls during Holi.

• ‘Paika’ is a traditional dance form associated with Jharkhand.
• Paika dance is mainly performed by the Munda community.
• Paikas were a group of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the safety of the kingdom.
• This dance form represents the great war of the Munda community against the British.
• In this dance form, martial arts are mixed with some other dance steps.
• It is only performed by the male members of the community.

• Other important dance forms of Jharkhand are:
  • Domkach
  • Mardana Jhumair.
  • Janani Jhumair.
  • Jhumta
  • Lahasua.
  • Fagua.
  • Chhau.
  • Santali
• Important dance forms of Madhya Pradesh are:
  • Grida Dance.
  • Matki.
  • Jawara.
  • Khada Nach.
  • Selalarki.
• Important dance forms of Uttarakhand are:
  • Kajari.
  • Garhwali.
  • Jhora.
  • Raslila.
• Important dance forms of Sikkim are:
  • Singhi Chaam.
  • Denzong Gnenha.
  • Tashi Yangku.
  • Chu Faat.
  • Yak Chaam.

• Nat rash dance belongs to Manipur.
• Baagla dance belongs to Meghalaya.
• Lim dance form belongs to Nagaland.
• Baul is a dance form of West Bengal.

Kolattam is a folk dance of Andhra Pradesh.

There are “eight” types of recognized classical dance.

• The origin of the Hallisaka dance is traced to the Harivamsa Purana.
• It is a form of group dance, which is performed by both males and females.

• The Munda is a tribe belonging to the Chotanagpur plateau, spread across, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura, and West Bengal. A Munda is defined by his/her surname, which is based on natural elements such as trees, animals, and birds.
• Nupur (an anklet), is a special dance form involving wearing Nupur on ankles and dance in the chorus.
• They observe many festivals, the most important being the Magha or Basant, a Thanksgiving festival celebrated in spring.

• Ghumura Dance (or Ghumra Dance) is one of the leading folk dance forms in Odisha.
• It is classified as folk dance as the dress code of Ghumura resembles that of tribal dances.
• This dance is one of the most popular dances of the Kalahandi district.

Note: Ghoomar is a folk dance of Rajasthan but Ghumura is of Odisha.

Uday Shankar, the Father of Modern Indian Dance. The person who is honoured to be the “founder of modern dance” in India did not originally have any kind of background in dance. Uday Shankar (1900 - 77), the older brother of the musician Ravi Shankar, belonged to a Rajasthani family with origins in what is now Bangladesh .

• Garadi dance is the most popular folk dance in the Puducherry union territory of India.
• The Garadi dance is related to the Hindu epic Ramayana, this dance is performed at Villanur Temple in Puducherry.
• Bharatanatyam and Kumi folk dance are of Tamil Nadu state.
• Yakshagan is a popular folk dance of Karnataka state.

• Kaathi is a folk Dance.
• Kathi is a popular folk dance of the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh.

Folk Dances of Madhya Pradesh:

• Reena Dance is performed by women of Baiga and Gond tribes.
• Chatkora Dance is a folk dance of the Korku tribe.
• Bhagoria Dance is a folk dance that is performed by Bhils.
• Mataki Dance is a dance of the Malwa region done by Ahir and Gadariya castes.
• Goncho Dance is a dance performed by the Gond tribe.
• Suwa Dance is a dance performed by the Baiga tribe.

The list of folk dances in India:

• Jat-Jattin is the most popular folk dance of North Bihar, especially in Mithila and Koshi region.
• It is performed by a pair of men and women.
• Jat-Jattin is the dance of women and is supposed to be performed on moonlit nights during the monsoons.
• Grown-up girls and young housewives gather in the courtyard and, accompanied by a drum, dance from midnight to sunrise.
• Man goes to far-off places to earn livelihood.
• Jat-Jattin is a folk dance of the same emigrant husband accompanied by his spouse.
• Apart from poverty and sorrow, this dance reflects a rainbow of the sweet and tender quarrel as well as some complaints between husband and wife.
• The folk dance mocks to comfort the hurdles of life with a smile.
• Through this dance, various other socially concerned topics like poverty, sorrow, love, arguments between lovers or husband and wife are also enacted.
• In some versions, the performers wear masks to add a real picture.

• Following are some famous folks dance in Bihar:-
  • Jhijhian Dance
  • Kajari Dance
  • Sohar- Khilouna Dance
  • Holi Dance
  • Jhumri Dance
  • Launda Dance

• Performed during festivals in Mizoram, Cheraw is a folk dance form that is popularly called "Bamboo dance" as it is performed using bamboos.
• It is a group dance in which the men rhythmically move and clap bamboos that are held horizontally close to the ground and the women dance by stepping in and out of the beating bamboos.
• Laho is a group dance performed by men and women in Meghalaya during the festivities of Behdienkhlam.
• Bihu dance is performed during the Bihu festival in Assam by young men and women.
• Hojagiri is a group dance performed by women and young girls in Tripura and is characterized by singing and balancing self on an earthen pot.

Verdigao dance is the traditional dance form of Daman and Diu, India.

• Daman and Diu are renowned for their Portuguese folk dances, such as Mando Dance, Verdigao Dance and Vira Dance, which are performed on special occasions.
• Many of the dance themes are based on festivity, eating, singing and drinking.
• People of Daman and Diu are also organizing a folk dance festival.
• These folk dances are performed in slow motion, with the participation of both elders and youngsters in traditional dance.
• Garba is another folk dance in the territory of this union. Garba dance has its origin in Gujarat state.
• This dance is performed by women folks attired in multicolored costumes and beautiful ornaments.

• Thang-Ta is the exclusive martial arts dance belongs to Manipur.

• 'Chholiya' is the famous dance form of Kumaon, Uttarakhand.
• It is generally performed at the Kumaoni weddings.
• It is a sword dance which accompanies a marriage procession.

• Bagga is the martial dance form of Punjab.
• Bagga is also known as Bhangra.
• The dance form is said to be developed in Sialkot (which is now situated in Pakistan).
• It is performed during the “harvest festival” i.e. Vaishakhi.
• The music for Bagga is based on a fast “eight beat taal” known as Kahaerava.

• Cheraw is the traditional bamboo dance of Mizoram.
• The Cheraw or bamboo dance is a traditional dance of Mizoram. It is considered to be one of the oldest dances of Mizoram. The dance is believed to have emerged out of a ritual.
• In this dance form, bamboos are kept in horizontal or cross formation on the ground. Pairs of these bamboo staffs are held by six to eight people.
• The male dancers move these bamboos to a rhythmic beat while the female dancers move gracefully while stepping in and out of the bamboo formations. The bamboos are clapped together by the male dancers to a specific beat.

• Thang ta is a martial art from Manipur.
• Maanch is a dance performed in Malwa, Madhya Pradesh.
• Yak Chaam dance is performed in Sikkim by the Bhutia community.

• Kalbelia:
  • It is performed by Kalbelia tribes.
  • It is performed by both men and women.
  • It is a folk dance form of Rajasthan.

• Kandyan is a dance form of Sri Lanka.
• Originally only males were allowed train as dancers, there are now several schools which also train women in the Kandyan dance form.

• The snow lion dance is related to Sikkim.
• A form of lion dance found in the regions of Tibet.
• It is performed by bon po monks.
• The snow lion is a holy animal of Tibet.
• It is the Tibetan symbol, reflecting Tibet's snowy mountain ranges and glaciers.

• Shondol is a famous dance, which used to be performed by artists for the King of Ladakh on a special occasion
• It was organized by the Live to Love India, Drukpa Charitable Trust, and Young Drukpa Association.
• Shondol is a famous dance, which artists used to perform for the king of Ladakh.

• Ladakh became a Union Territory on 31st October 2019.
• The Indian union territory of Ladakh has seven districts, including the five new districts that were recently approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs:
  Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nabra, Changthang, Leh, and Kargil.
• It is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and distinct culture.
• With the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, India has 28 States and 8 UTs.
• Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd.), was called on by Chairman/CEC Adv.