Bhavai is one of the most dramatic dance forms of Rajasthan. The veiled women dancers balances up to seven or nine brass pitchers over their head as they dance elegantly, swiveling and swaying with the soles of their feet settled on the top of a glass or on the edge of the sword.
Chari is a dance form with effortless
hand and foot movements while balancing
brass pots kept on the heads of the dancers.
Often the dancers keep ignited cottonseed
on the brass pot to provide a special effect
to the dance.
Gair
is performed both by men and women. The
men wear long, pleated tunic that open out
into full-length skirts. The dancers move
is first in clockwise then anti clockwise
directions beating their sticks to create
the rhythm when they turn. This dance has
originated from a Bhill dance and is performed
at the time of Holi. There are two versions
of this dance, one is the Dandi Gair of
the Marwar region and the other is the Geendad
of the Shekhawati region.
Ghoomar is a community dance of the Rajputs performed by the women of the house. The dance comprises of simple swaying movements with remarkable grace provided by the flair of the skirt when the women move in circles. A veil covers the faces of the dancers. Both young and old women participate in Ghoomar dance, which continues for hours into the night. According to a traditional rituals, a bride is expected to dance Ghoomar on being welcomed to her husband's home.
Kachhi Ghodi has originated in the Shekhawati region. It is performed for the entertainment of the bridegroom's party. Dancers wear elaborate costumes giving the effect as if riding on dummy horse. The dance has mock fights, swinging of swords and elegant body movement to the music of flutes and drums.
Kalbeliya is one of the sensuous
dance forms of Rajasthan. It is performed
by the Kalbeliyas, the snake charmers community.
The dancers wear long, black skirt decorated
with sliver ribbons. They spin in circles
with great flexibility and the pace increases
with the increase in beats
Terahtaali a devotional dance form
performed by the Kamad community in honor
of their folk hero Baba Ramdev. The women
sit on the floor before his image. Thirteen
cymbals are tied to various parts of their
body, which they strike with the ones they
hold in their hand. Their hands perform
various dance movements while striking the
cymbals. They sometimes also balance pots
on their hands and hold a sword in their
mouth.