Author: Jiwan Pani
Publisher: Publications Division
Year: 2000
Language: English
Pages: 131
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8123007906
Description
India has a wide range of folk dance tradition. Scores of differing styles of folk dances are surviving in each of the around thirty different cultural regions of the country. This elegantly produced illustrated book on art paper in large format enumerates and elucidates the vast body of folk dances of India according to the basic character or particular occasion of performance of the dance.
The range and variety of folk dance traditions surviving in India is indeed amazing. The sub-continent has around thirty different cultural regions. In each there are scores of differing styles of folk dances. This vast body of folk traditions can be mainly divided into two categories: dances performed by the tribal communities, and those by the non-tribal people.
India has more than 460 different tribal communities and each has several kinds of dance traditions. All these tribal dances are either ritualistic or simply celebrative. The folk people have again two kinds of dance traditions: those which are performed basically for an audience and those which are, like the dances of the tribal communities, do not presuppose any audience.
The vast body of Indian folk dances can be further sub-divided according to the basic character or particular occasion of performance of the dance. They are: Ritual dances; Trance dances; Ceremonial dances; Harvest dances; Social dances; Seasonal dances; Martial and Game dances; Dances of Boys as Girls; Drum dances and Recreational dances.