ZUMBA:-

Zumba is a popular fitness program inspired by Latin dance. The word ‘ Zumba’ comes from the Colombian word that means to move fast and to have fun, which is just how people describe the routine. Using upbeat Latin music together with cardiovascular exercise, zumba is aerobic dancing that is lots of fun and easy to learn. Zumba classes are usually for an hour duration and are taught by licensed zumba instructors. The exercise consists of music with fast and slow rhythms, as well as resistance training. There are nine different types of classes for different age groups. Zumba Gold is a program designed for the needs of elderly. zumba Step is a lower body workout that incorporates Zumba routines and step aerobics. Zumba Toning is for the people who do their workouts with toning sticks. Zumba Toning will target the abs, thighs, arms and other muscles throughout the body. Aqua zumba classes are held in a swimming pool. The instructor leads the class poolside wile participants follow in shallow water. Zumba in the Circuit combines dance with circuit training. These classes usually last 30 min and feature strength exercises on various stations in timed intervals. Zumba kids and zumba kids Jr. classes are designed for children between the age of 4 and 12. zumba Gold-toning is for older participants with goals of improving one’s muscle strength, mobility, posture and concentration. Zumba santao is a chair workout that focuses on using body weight to strengthen and tone the body. Overall, zumba mixes effective body sculpting movements with easy to do follow, fun dance steps. People usually seem to forget about the workout during a zumba session, allowing them to exercise longer and burn more calories.

SALSA:-

In many styles of salsa dancing, as a dancer shifts their weight by stepping , the upper body  remains level and nearly unaffected by the weight changes. Weight shifts cause the hips to move. Arms and shoulder movements are also incorporated. The arms are used by the ‘lead’ dancer to communicate or signal the ‘follower’, either in open or closed position. The open position requires  the two dancers to hold one or both hands, especially for the move that involves turns, putting arms behind the back or moving around each other. Incorporating other dance styles into salsa has become very common for both men as well as women, for example; - shimmies, leg work, arm work and body movements. The basic movement occurring in the dance pattern of the various salsa styles is the stepping on the beat of the music. Salsa is best grouped in pairs of 4 – beat pattern counted ‘ 1-2-3-….-5-6-7-..’.The leader starts on the count 1 by stepping with the left foot. On the count 2 and 3 they step with right and left, respectively. On the count 4 the lead pauses or makes an optional step with the foot. On counts 5, 6 and 7 , they step with right , left and right respectively again followed by a pause on the count 8 . . In most styles, the leader starts with the left foot and the follower starts with the right foot regardless of the pattern about to be danced.

TAP DANCING

Tap dancing is a form of dance characterized by the using the sound of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. Two major variations on tap dancing exists: rhythm tap focuses on musicality and practitioners consider themselves to e a part of the Jazz tradition. “Soft Shoes” is a rhythm form of tap dancing that does not require special shoes, and though rhythm is generated by tapping of the feet, it also uses sliding of the feet more often den modern rhythm tap. Tap dancers make frequent use of syncopation. Choreography typically starts on the eight or first beat count. Another aspect of tap dancing is improvisation. Tap dancing can either be done with music following the beats provided or without musical accompaniment.

Hoofers are tap dancers who dance primarily “closer to the floor” using mostly footwork and not showing very much arm or body movement. This kind of tap dancing, also called as rhythm tap, was first employed by slaves in America. Common tap steps include the shuffle ,shuffle ball change , double shuffle, leap shuffle, hop shuffle, flap, flap ball change, running flap, flap heel, cramp roll , buffalo and so on . These consist of a rhythm that is changed to make a new time steps by adding or removing steps. In tap dancing the group of dancers must work together to create the sound keeping their steps at the correct speed to match each other.

BELLY DANCING

Belly dancing is a western-coined name for a type of Middle Eastern dance. Originally a ‘solo, improvised dance involving torso articulations’ , belly dance takes many different forms depending on the country and region both in costume and dance style, and new styles have evolved in the west as its popularity has spread globally. Unlike many Western dance forms, the focus of the dance is on relaxed, natural isolations of the torso muscles, rather than on the movements of the limbs through space. Although some of these isolations appear superficially similar to the isolations used in Jazz ballet, they are sometime driven differently and have a different feeling or emphasis. The costume most commonly associated with Bely dancing is called ‘ Bedlah” , which typically includes a fitted top or bra, a fitted hip belt and a full-length skirt or harem pants. The bra and belt may be richly decorated with beads, sequins, crystals, coins and embroidery. The belt may be a separate piece or sewn into a skirt. it has been suggested that the bedlah was inspired by glamorous Hollywood costumes. Earlier costumes were made up of a full skirt, light chemise and tight cropped vest with heavy embellishments and jewelry. As well as the two pieced bedlah costumes, full length dresses are sometimes worn, especially when dancing more earthy baladi style.

 Name: Sukanya Kavlekar

Roll. No: SU150436
Class: FYBsc (B)

BALLET

Ballet is a type of performance dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15^th century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread, highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary based on French terminology. It has been globally influential and has defined the foundational techniques used in many other dance genres. Becoming a ballet dancer requires years of training. Ballet has been taught in various schools around the world, which have historically incorporated their own cultures to evolve the art. Ballet consists of choreography and music for a ballet production. Ballet are choreographed and performed by trained artists. Traditional classical ballets usually are performed with classical music accompaniment and use elaborate costumes and staging, whereas modern ballets, such as neoclassical works often are performed in simple costumes and without elaborate sets or scenery. In France, ballet developed even further under her aristocratic influence. The dancers in these early court ballets were mostly noble amateurs. Ballets in this period were lengthy and elaborate and often served a political purpose.

Ornamented costumes were meant to impress viewers and restricted performers’ freedom of movement. The ballets were performed in large chambers with viewers on three sides. The later invention of proscenium stage distanced performers from audience members, who could then better view and appreciate the technical feats of professional dancers in the production.

TANGO

One of the most fascinating of all dances, the tango is a sensual ballroom dance that originated in South Africa in the early twentieth century. Tango is usually performed by a man and woman, expressing an element of romance in their synchronized movements. Originally, the tango was performed only by women, but once it spread into Argentina, it developed into a dance for couples. The popularity of tango has greatly increased over the years. Argentine tango is much more intimate than modern Tango, and is well-suited to dancing in small settings. Argentine Tango retains the intimacy of the original dance.

Several different styles of tango exist, each with its own individual flair. Most of the styles are danced in either open embrace, with the couple having space between their bodies, or in close embrace, where the couple is closely connected at either the chest or the hip areas. Many people are familiar with “ballroom tango,” characterized by strong, dramatic head snaps. Tango is danced to a repetitive style of music. The count of the music is either 16 or 32 beats. Tango dancers must strive to make a strong connection with the music as well as their audience

PASO DOBLE

Paso Doble or Pasodoble is a lively dance modeled after the drama of the Spanish bullfight. Paso doble actually means “two-step.”

The Paso Doble is a theatrical Spanish dance. Traditionally, the man is characterized as the matador (bullfighter) and the lady as his cape in the drama of a Spanish bullfight. The dancers may choose to enact the role of the torero, picador, banderillero, bull or Spanish dancer, and may change roles throughout the dance. Based on Flamenco the Paso Doble is both arrogant and passionate. The Paso Doble is performed more as a competition dance than as a social dance.

The Paso Doble originated in southern France and began gaining popularity in the United States in the 1930’s. Because the dance developed in France, the steps of the Spanish Paso Doble actually have French names. Paso Doble music has strong Flamenco influences. The bold, inspiring music has a simple 1-2-1-2 march rhythm, with very few rhythm changes. The tempo of Paso Doble music is usually a brisk 60 beats per minute. The Spanish Gypse Dance has become the universal anthem of the Paso Doble.

The Paso Doble has a significant number of songs. The song has breaks or “highlight” in fixed position in the song. Highlights emphasize music and are more powerful sounding than other parts of the music, usually dancers have decoration trick and then the position that is to be held to the end of the highlight.  Traditional Paso Doble routines are choreographed to match these highlight, as well as the musical phrases. Accordingly, most other ballroom pasodoble tunes are written with similar highlights.

BREAKDANCE

Breakdance also known as breaking, b-girling or b-boying, is a street dance style that evolved as part of hip hop movement that originated among African American and Latin American youths in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970’s. It is arguably the best known of all hip hop dance styles. A break dancer is also known as a breaker and B-boy.

Breaking was born when the street comer DJ’s would take the breakdown sections of dance records and string them together or loo them without any elements of the song per se. This provided a raw rhythmic base for improvising and further mixing, and it allowed dancers to display their skills during the break. Breakdancing has a variety of influences, there is no tradition in breakdancing, dancers picked elements from other dances and sports including but not limited to gymnastics, Capoeira, lindy hop, disco, etc. Popular speculations of the early 1980’s suggest that breakdancing, in its organized fashion seen today, began as a method of rival gangs of the ghetto to mediate and settle territorial disputes. In a turn-based showcase of dance routines, the winning side was determined by dancers who could outperform the other by displaying a set of more complicated and innovative moves. Breakdancing remains an enjoyable pastime for enthusiasts and, for a few, a serious competitive dance where annual exhibitions and competitions of all levels take place.

 Name: Desiree Fernandes

Roll. No: SU150427
Class: FYBsc (B)

                                           

                                
                                       Kuchipudi

It is one of six classical dance styles of south-east Indian. Kuchipudi is indigenous to the state of Andhra Pradesh and differs from the other five classical styles by the inclusion of singing. Kuchipudi originated in the 17^th century with the creation by sidhyendra yogi of the dance-drama bhama kalapam, a story of Satyabhama, the charming but jealous wife of god Krishna. It derives Kuchipudi from the village of kuchelapuram, a small village about 65 kms from Vijayawada. It is known for its graceful movements and its strong narrative/dramatic character.

There is a legend concerning the origins of kuchipudi. It is said that there was once an orphan of strikakulam who was raised by the village. These kind people had him married at childhood as was the custom of the time. However, for hi training he went to Udipi for vedic studies. During his study he acquired the name sidhendra yogi. After a time he returned to Srikakulam. However, the village elders ordered him to go to his wife’s house to assume his family responsibilities. On the journey he came upon a river. As he was swimming across the river he suddenly realized that he could swim no further. He then prayed to god to give him the strength to make it across. He did make it, and upon reaching the shore he vowed to become a sanyasi and devote his life to religious affairs.

He then settled in the village of kuchelapuram and started teaching. Here, he instructed Brahmin boys in devotional dance dramas based upon religious themes. These religious plays were presented as offering to god in the tradition of the natya Shastra.

Kuchipudi flourished as a dramatic form of dance for hundred of years. It was held in high esteem by the rules of the deccan. For instance tana shah in 1678 granted the lands around kuchipudi to the Brahmins who performed the dance.

At times the dancers could even wield political and social power. One example was a play-cum-social commentary performed in 1502. It seems that a group of artists performed before immadi narasa nayaka. In this play, they indicated that the people were being unfairly treated by a local raja. The dancers succeeded in freeing him people from the abusive practices of the raja, but the artist at one point required the protection of the army.

Modern kuchipudi acquired its present from in the 20^th century. A number of people were responsible for moving it from the villages to the performance stage. One of the most notable was guru lakshminarayan shastry. After him, a number of other luminaries would mould it into its present shape. Some notable names are vempati china satyam, C.R. acharyalu, and Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna.

                                       

                            

                

                                           Manipuri

Manipuri is unique among the classical Indian dances in that the instrumentation is a central part of the dance, rather than as a side accompaniment. Dances are very much based upon the cymbals and the cylindrical drum known as Manipuri mridang or pung. Unlike other classical, dances where the instrument is merely used as an accompaniment, the pung and kartal are actually used in the dance. Other common instruments are the harmonium, pena, bansuri, shankh and esraj. The songs used in manipri are usually from the great poets of old such as jaydev, vidyapati, chandidas, govindadas or gyandas. Any of a number of language may be used such as Sanskrit, Maithili, brijbhasha or others.

There are a number of forms in Manipuri. These are the ras lila, the pung cholom, nupa cholom, tholbi and a host of others.we will now look at them in greater detail.

The ras lila is the most important dance form in the Manipuri style. The theme resolves around the love of Krishna and the milkmaids. Although the themes are romantic, we must remember that the bhakti school of Hinduism considers physical love as a metaphor for spiritual longing. There are five ras lilas that deal with divine love of radha and Krishna. These are: maharas, vasantras, kunjaras, nityaras and divaras. Others ras deal with various aspects of krishna’s life such as karnabheda, marriage, etc. the performance of ras lila is generally performed in a special enclosure in front of the temple called a nat mandap.

Manipuri dance is purely religious and its aim is a spiritual experience. Development of music and dance has through religious festivals and daily activities of the Manipuri people. According to the legend, the indigenous people of the Manipuri valley were the dance-expert gandharvas mentioned in the hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Not only is dance a medium of worship and enjoyment, a door to the divine, but indispensable for all socio-cultural ceremonies. From the religious point of view and from the artistic angle of vision, Manipuri classical form of dance is claimed not only to be one of the most chastest, modest, softest and mildestnbut the most meaningful dances of the world.

The most obliging aspect of Manipuri culture is that, it has retained the ancient ritual based dances and folk dances along with the later developed classical Manipuri dance style. Among the classical categories, ‘ras leela’-a highly evolved dance drama, choreographed on ‘vaishnavite padavalis’ composed by mainly eminent Bengali poets and some Manipuri gurus, is the highest expression of artistic genius, devotion and excellence of the manipuris.

Manipuri dancers do not wear ankle bells to accentuate the beats tapped out by the feet, in contrast with other indian dance forms, and the dancers feet never strike the ground hard. Movements of the body and feet and facial expressions in Manipuri dance are subtle and aim at devotion and grace.

The history and development of Manipuri dance is interesting. It is said that king khuyoi tompok was a great patron of the arts and developed Manipuri in the 2^nd century AD. However, it is not very like that this early form of Manipuri had much in common with contemporary forms.

It is more likely that Manipuri began to tke a familiar form with the introduction of Vaishnavism in the 15^th century AD. This was first introduced by king kyamba and greatly expanded under the support of later kings such as khagemba, chairairangaba and a host of others.

The earlier forms of Manipuri had not been codified or given a scientific base. This was accomplished in the 18^th century by king bhagychandra. He invited the major teachers and performers from all over the area to codify their art into a coherent system.

Today, Manipuri is generally acknowledge as a classical dance form of very high artistic and technical standards.



                        
                                    MohiniAttam

        Mohiniattam is the feminine dance form of kerala, a state in the south western most part of india. It is danced by women and is known for its very sensual themes. Mohiniattam has an extremely, slow seductive quality. It has only been in recent decades that mohiniattam has risen in popularity and acceptability.

The myth of mohini is central to the performance. According to the story, brahma tells the order gods how they can obtain amrit; amrit bestows immortality and great power. He informs them that they can do so by churned up the ocean of milk. Unfortunately, the job is so great that the gods are forced to seek the assistance of the demons. The demons agree to help, but are secretly plotting to keep it all for themselves.

There is a typical costume for mohiniattam. It is generally simple and white, or off-white. Usually there is a gold brocade, possibly with a border of red. One of the most characteristic signs of the mohiniattam dancer is the bun of hair worn off-centre. This is very much a characteristic of women from kerala.

                                                                      

                    Bharatanatyam

                                                                           Bharatanatyam is one of the most cherished and the most popular of classical indian dance-forms, not only within the country but also outside it. It is considered the epitome of indian of cultural expression.

Lately, Bharatanatyam is also the focus of criticism. It is damned as archaic and irrelevant to the modern times, especially by those who frown on its predominant nayika-nayaka theme. At the same time, evan among its practitioners, it is often misperceived as being bound witth bhakti alone, while in fact Srinagara or love has been its dominant motif.

Generally, the practitioners of the dance fall into four broad categories: those content with whatever they have been taught and staying the course without adding anything of their own; those adding through their creativity, a minty freshness even to the traditional repertoire; those exploring new dimensions within the framework of tradition; and, of course, the rootless ones of modern times who, not knowing which way to go, thinker with the art to the point they degrade it. The middle two categories overlap to an extent. Those who use the technique of bharatanatyam as only one element in their composite works embracing martial arts, etc., are a group apart, outside the penumbra of Bharatanatyam.

The god and goddesses pleaded lord brahma to create another veda which would be simple for the common man to understand. It is believed that considering this request lord brahma created the Panchamaveda, ffift veda, natyaveda, an essence of the other four vedas. It is believed that he has taken pathya form the Rigveda, abhinaya from the Yajurveda, geet from samaveda and rasa from Atharvaveda to form thefifth veda, natyaveda.

Sharada Pokle SU150386

                         Kathakali
 

Kathakali is a highly stylized classical dance – drama form which originated from Kerala in the 17^th century. This classical dance form is particularly noticed for dancer’s elaborate costume, towering head gear, billowing skirts, and long silver nails. Recent developments in Kathakali over the years include improved looks, refined gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise drumming. Kathakali is performed regularly at festivals in temples, at culturals shows for connoisseurs and also at international events, occasionally in fusion dance experiments.

Kathakali is a combination of literature, music, painting, acting and dance. “Katha” means story and “Kali” stands for dance. This is a form of dance firmly confined only to the festival stages in temples. It symbolizes a blending of the Aryan and Dravidian cultures, for shaping its technique.

The technique of kathakali includes a highly developed language of gesture, through which the artist can convey whole sentences and stories. The major original kathakali styles included Vettathu Sampradayam, kalladikkodan Sampradayam, and Kaplingadu Sampradayam.

Kathakali is a dramatic performance in which the actor interpret their emotions through highly sensitive medium. This is done by its vivid and persuasive mudras, natural and impressive gestures, graceful and rhythmic movements, wealthy of imagery.it belongs to the imaginative type spoken of in Bharatas Natyashastra. Kathakali is a male art and the dancing is masculine.

  

 kathak                                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 Kathak is the major classical dance form of northern India. The word Kathak means “to tell a story”. It is derived from the dance dramas of ancient India. When the patronage shifted from temples to the royal court, there was a change in the overall emphasis. The emphasis is shifted from the telling of religious stories to one of entertainment.

Originating from north Indian states, in ancient Indian temples Brahmin priests used to narrate the stories of gods and goddesses through dance, they were known as (kathakar) and the dance came to be known as “Kathak”. Kathak traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathak, or movement. From the 16th century onwards it absorbed certain features of Persian dance and central Asian dance which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era. There are three major schools or gharana s of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage: the gharanas of Benares, Jaipur and Lucknow.

Kathak was primarily associated with an institution known as the tawaif. This is a much misunderstood institution of female entertainers, very much like the geisha tradition of japan. It was a profession which demanded the highest standards of training, intelligence, and most important civility. It is said that it was common for royality to send their children’s to the tawaif for instruction in etiquette.

       

                                                                 odissi
 

Odissi, also known as orissi is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Odisha, in eastern India. It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences. There are mainly three books of Odissi. The classic treatise of Indian dance, natya shatra, refers to it as odra – Magadha. 1st BCE bas-reliefs in the hills of udaygiri testify to its antiquity. It was suppressed under the British raj, but has been reconstructed since India gained independence.

 It is particularly distinguished from other classical Indian dance forms by the importance it places upon the Tribhanga, the independent movement of head, chest and pelvis and upon the basic square stance known as chauka or chouka that symbolizes lord Jagannath. This dance is characterized by various Bhangas, which involves stamping of the foot and striking various postures as seen in Indian sculptures. The common Bhangas are Bhanga, Abhanga, Atibhanga, and Tribhanga.

Odissi dance was held in high esteem before the 17^th century. Through a very old dance form, Odissi got recognition as a classical dance from the central government officially, after efforts by many scholars and performers in the 1950s, including a powerful lec-dem in April 1958 by kavichandra kalicharan Pattanayak.on Oriya poet, dramatist and researcher. Pattanayak.on is also credited with naming the dance form as “Odissi”

                             sattriya                                                             

Sattriya, or Sattriya Nritya is one among eight principle classical Indian dance traditions. Whereas some of the other traditions have been revived in the recent past, Sattriya has remained a living tradition since its creation by the founder of Vaishnavism in Assam, the great saint srimant sankardeva, in 15th century Assam. Sattriya dance performed at Guwahati Rabindra Bhawan.

Sankardeva created Sattriya Nritya as an accompaniment to the Ankia Naat, which were usually performed in the sattras, as Assam monasteries are called. As the tradition developed and grew within the sattras, the dance form came to be called Sattriya Nritya. Today, although Sattriya Nritya has emerged from within the confines of the sattras to a much wider recognition, the sattras continue to use the dance form for ritualistic and other purposes for which it was originally created circa 500 years ago. It also has recently become one of the Indian Classical Dances.

The core of sattriya Nritya has usually been mythological stories. This was an artistic way of presenting mythological teachings to the people in an accessible, immediate, and enjoyable manner. Traditionally, sattriya was performed only by bhokots in monasteries as a part of their daily rituals or to mark special festivals. Today, in addition to this practice, sattriya is also performed on stage by men and women who are not the members of the sattras.

Shivali Gaonkar SU150207
 

                       

                        fugdi                                                                                          

The Fugadi is a traditional dance of goa that is quite popular among the women folk of goa. This dance is devoted to the Hindu Elephant god, lord ganesha. Fugadi is a folk dance performed by the women in the Konkani region during Hindu religious festivals like ganesh chaturthi and vrata or towards the end of other dances like Dhalo. Fugadi is an art form that can be traced to the primeval cultural traditions of goa. It is performed during various religious and social occasions.

 Fugadi is generally performed during the month of Bhaadrapada, an occasion for the women to take an temporary break from their normal, monotonus schedule. The women sing and dance while enacting varied formations in a circle or in rows. Usually women in the villages dance Fugadi in circles and women in forest settlements formulate rows. The dance starts with invocation to Hindu gods. The pace is slow in the beginning, but soon attains a fast pace, reaching climax. No percussion support is provided. At the maximum pace, the dancers match the rhythm by blowing air through the mouth that sounds like “FOO”. Hence the same Foogdi or Fugadi. Fugadi this dance is performed at a slower pace. This is one of the most common dances that is performed in goa.

 Dhalo 

                                          

Dhalo is a popular folk dance form from Goa, India. The dance is performed by women and serves as a prayer of protection for their households. Dhalo was chosen to be presented at the folk dance festival New Delhi. The songs on which this dance is performed are usually in Marathi or Konkani languages and are commonly religious or social in nature. The dance is performed by Kunbis, Bhandari, Naik, Gabit and Gaudi communities. According to legend, Radha used to sing love songs known as dhalos to Lord Krishna. Earlier dhalos referred only to the love of Krishna and Radha.

Dhalo usually begins on a Wednesday or on a Sunday. Prior to the celebrations, the women decorate the pen space of their house and the temple with rangoli. Women from the villages are also welcomed to participate in the dance. However, widows do not take part in the dhalos.

The performance takes place in a sacred open space known as mand where all the village folk gather to sing, dance or play music as per part of ritualistic performance. Around midnight the various dances and games begin. The dancers arrange themselves in two parallel rows of 12, facing each other. They form a link within themselves in a tribal fashion with an arm around the back arrangement. In general, two rows of women face each other by swaying forward and backward while singing the stories of their life and the contemporary society. This dances are performed on the first six nights of Dhalo. Originally the themes of the songs sung during the dhalo were about Krishna’s romance, Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

 

 

 

 virabhadra   

                                                 

Virabhadra is described as a warrior who eventually blinded Bhaga and broke, among many other countless Gods. Virabhadra also known as veerabhadra belongs to Rajaka. The origin of Virabhadra is related to the mythological story of Daksha Yaga. Lord Shiva created him by thrashing his matted lock in his deep anger and sorrow due to the self-immolation of sati Devi. The history of Dasha Yaga and sati Devi’s  self-immolation had immense significance in shaping the Sanskrit literature. It led to the development of the concept of Shakti Peethas and there by strengthening Shaktism. Enormous mythological stories in puranas took the Daksha yaga as the reason for its origin.

It is an important incident in Shaivism resulting in the emergence of shree Parvati in the place of Sati Devi and making Shiva a grihastashrami. Kttiyoor Vysakha Mahotsav a 27 day yagnja ceremony, conducted in the scene hilly jungle location in North Kerala is a huge religious pilgrimage attracting thousands of pilgrims. It is a festival commemorating the Daksha yaga and self-immolation of sati Devi. The Daksha yaga is said to have located in this place, Sati Devi is said to have committed suicide here. The rites and rituals of the temple were classified by Shri Sankaracharya.

                                                                                  

Goff

 

 Goff dance is a folk dance performed with using cords, reflecting joy and happiness of peasants from Goa after the season of harvest.

The

Goff dance also called “ribbon dance” is one of the popular folk dances of goa. It is performed during the shigmo festival in Phalguna month. Gaon peasants mainly prtaice this dance after the harvest as a manifestation of their enjoyment. This dance has an affinity with tribal dance forms of Gujarat state. The dance is a major attraction during the festive season and it attracts audiences from various parts of the country. Generally this folk dance is performed I a group. The dance can be performed by a group of males and females. Each dancer hold a colourful cord which hangs at the centre point of the ‘mand’ which is the place of dance performance. The dancers start dancing intricately forming a beautiful, colourful, intricate braid at the first movement. The music begins once again and the dancers reverse the pattern of dancing in such a skilful manner that at the end of the second movement, the braid gets unrevealed and all the cords are loose and single once again.

There are four different braids of Goff dance. The songs that are sung during the Goff dance performance are mostly devoted to Lord Krishna. Ghumat, Samael and surta Shansi or melodic musical instruments accompany the dance performance.

The costume of this folk dance is varied however all the attires are traditional. Some male groups prefer to wear Kurta-pyjama and some kurta dhoti. One the other hand, some female dance groups clad themselves in ghagra-choli while some sari.

Sanashri Shirodkar SU150437