Indian Folk Dance encompasses popular folk dances from Haryana's Jhumar to Maharashtra's Lavani

Dance is a form of expression and various Indian dance forms have captured the true essence of it. Beautiful music coupled with graceful and energetic movements form the crux of our beloved folk dances and they are as beautiful to look at as they are enjoyable to perform. While India has hundreds of folk dances that hold the power to mesmerise the audience, we have a list of 6 dances that you should watch live if you have an appreciation for the performing arts.

Bhangra

If you are thinking of a power-packed energetic performance, nothing can match the effervescence of this folk dance from the state of Punjab. Initially performed by farmers to enjoy the harvesting season during Baisakhi, the dance soon became mainstream and we see a lot of influence of bhangra on Bollywood dances as well.

Lavani

Performed on the beats of traditional musical instruments, especially dholak, lavani is performed all over Maharashtra. Coupled with very fast beats and peppy lyrics, lavani performances are very enjoyable and they usually denote stories through the performances based on societal issues as well as tales of romance and longing.

Garba

Gujarati music is upbeat and it makes perfect sense that the folk dance emerging from the state would be just like that. Garba is usually performed on festive occasions like Vasant Panchami and Holi. It is performed on all 9 days of Navratri as a tribute to Goddess Amba.

Bihu

An elegant, joyous and beautiful dance form, Bihu is a celebration of the spring season. Performed in a group like most other folk dances, Bihu dance costumes are mekhela chador for women and gamosa for the men of the Assamese community.

Chhau

A beautiful and tough folk dance in terms of learning and performing the art is Chhau. Very popular in Odisha and Jharkhand, Chhau depicts mock fights between warriors. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati.

Jhumar

This folk dance form is prevalent in the state of Haryana and gets its name from a piece of ornament that Haryanavi women wear on their heads during the dance performance. A unique routine is that a portion of the dance is sometimes performed on a thali, where the dancer balances herself and moves with elegance.