DANCE OF WEST BENGAL

Bengali dance forms draw from folk traditions, especially those of the tribal
groups, as well as the broader Indian dance traditions.

GAMBHIRA:

One of the folk dances of West Bengal, it is a traditional and devotional form of
dance. This dance is performed by the devotees of Goddess Shakthi. This dance
has undergone various changes over time and this lead to the Muslim
community to become a custodian of this dance.

This dance involves two main dancers surrounding a chorus of people. The two
main dancers dance to the tune of the
harmonium, flute, drum and the judi. The
dancers express their emotions through their
dialogues and their signature dialogues which
are repeated by the chorus

This dance mainly originated in the

community of Malda in West Bengal. The
initial type of this folk dance was agriculture
based and as time progressed, the dance
became a devotional type of dance. The
dancers wear masks throughout the dance.

KIRTAN DANCE:

This dance form is said to be the best form

of Bhakthi yoga. This dance was introduces
around 500 years ago.

The most famous type of this dance was

done to pay a tribute to Lord Krishna. The
devotees sang out their love and affection
of their Lord and danced as if the Almighty
appeared before their eyes.

This dance has several elements of music,

expressions, drama and so on. The dancers
are well aware of the tune of the music and
dance and express themselves accordingly.
KUSHAN DANCE:

This dance is relatively a traditional form of dance revolved around Ramayana.

Ku means bad and Shan means wiping out in Bengali. Thus the word means
wiping out the evil forces.

Men perform this dance. Men dress up as women to enact their role in the dance
form. There are various musical instruments
that are used in this dance. Some of them
include the harmonium, kohl, flute and so
on.

The narration of the dance is done in pure

Bengali and the secondary narration in the
colloquial language is done so as to
understand the theme and the dialogues
spoken by the lead dancer or the mool.

ALKAP DANCE:

This dance is done mainly by the rural

community of West Bengal and is very
prominent especially in Malda and
Rajshahi. This dance is associated with
the Gajan festival of Shiva around mid-
April.

This dance is a confluence of dancing,

singing, drama and recital. The dance
drama portrays the most popular love
stories along with a mix of dialogues and emotions. The group includes the
chorus performers, the instrumentalists, the dancers and the singers.

CHHAU-MOST POPULAR OF THE FOLK DANCES OF WEST

BENGAL

Chhau Dance is a renowned tribal martial

dance, a unique thing amongst folk dances
of West Bengal. The dance primarily
belongs to West Bengal since its believed
to have originated from Purulia district but
its widely popular in other states like
Odisha, Jharkhand etc. The Purulia Chhau is
distinct compared to its counterparts in
terms of the characters.
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Natua Dance

Natua, an ancient dance form, features in the Shiv Puranas. The

word Natua, may have been derived from the name of Lord
Nataraj. This highly acrobatic dance form involves many tricks
with fire and is usually accompanied by the beats of a Jai Dhak,
the instrument which is said to have been created by Lord Shiva.
The dance is performed during the Charak Puja and occasionally
during marriages.

Rabha Dances

The women of the Rabha Community perform the

Rabha Dances, popular in the Northern part of
Bengal. The men provide the musical
accompaniment, playing the Barangshi (a bamboo
flute), Hem (a drum with two faces), Dandi &
Barding, (idiophones made from bamboo) and
Karnal (a rare tribal instrument made of bamboo and
buffalo horn). The Rabha women have different
dances for different occasions, like the "Fai Nang
Ning Mein" or Welcome Dance, the "Braisar Pridan"
or New Year's Dance and "Larai Lunge" or War
Dance.

humur Dance

The Jhumur Dance is one of the liveliest folk dances of

Bengal. Several variations of this dance have emerged from
Purulia, Birbhum, Bankura and Burddhaman. This is an
elaborate dance, choreographed and performed by
professional artistes. Here lies its essential difference with
forms like the Santhal Dance. The dance is performed by
girls while the boys play the Dhol and Madol. This
entertaining dance is performed on stage and during road
shows. Heavy make-up and ornate jewellery form part of
the costume of the Jhumur dancers. This secular dance form
is accompanied by fast-paced and cheerful Jhumur songs