Tribal Dance India

Indian Tribal Dances are performed strictly by aboriginal populations in the country. These people, sometimes denominated as adivasi, possess a culture, distinct from the pan Indian population. It may be noted here that Indian tribal dances are vastly dissimilar from Indian folk dances, which can never be related. A common example of a tribal dance is the Santhali Dance, indigenous from West Bengal. Other tribal dances of India include the Dhimsa dance by Oriya tribes, the Dhimsa dance, yet another tribal dance from Andhra Pradesh, the Nagaland tribal dances. Each of these aboriginal tribes possesses its own distinguishable dance traditions and invariably all of them are interwoven with the life of the people who dance it.

Music

Tribal Fusion dance evolved closely with developments in the electronic and world music genres. Early Bay Area DJs who contributed to the form include Bassnectar. The movement carried over into the music produced specifically for bellydancers, also called Oriental music, giving rise to the creation of the electronica Oriental genre. Artist Jeremiah Soto of Solace and Eventide Musical Productions produced some of the first Electronica Oriental albums, quickly followed by Turbo Tabla artist Karim Nagi, and beatboxing champion Pete List. Many more names followed suit creating a rapidly growing musical outlet for the budding new dance form. Producer Miles Copland contributed greatly to the electronica Orienal movement signing many musicians and dancers who would become forerunners of the Tribal Fusion movement.

Types Of Tribal Dance 

Kaadar Nritham is a type of ribal dance in which Only women partake.It is a primitive dance of the Kaadar tribes of the forest of Kochi area. The performers arrange themselves in a semicircle. They hold the tip of their cloths in their hands to the level of the waist and wave it to various rhythms of the dance. It is a very simple but elegant tribal dance in slow steps.

Elelakkaradi is a highly heroic group - dance in which almost the whole community of men, women and children participate. The dance is very common with the tribal called Irular of Attappadi in Palakkad district. The dance brings out the fight of the people against the wild bears which often attack their tribal hamlets. Hear the dancers move out in rhythmic steps, with vociferous shouts and war cries and keep time to the beatings of the primitive drums. The various stages in the fight against the wild beasts are very well presented

Kaanikkar Nritham is a group dance of the kanikkar tribes. The dance is performed as a ritual offering. The steps of the dancers perfectly synchronise with the waving of the hands and beating of drums.

Paravalli Kali is a mixed dance of the aboriginals of dense forest of Travancore area in which both men and women participate. They dance holding arms together, or shoulder to shoulder, linked in a backlock posture. The dance develops into variety of pleasing pattern, in which the men and women change their positions which amazing speed. The entire group of dancers sing songs and move swift rhythm in a circle. The linked arms swing to the rhythm in a fascinating wavelike movement.

Man Kali is a tribal dance. It is mainly of two kinds. In one version, the Ramayana episode in which Sita is being enchanted by Maricha in the guise of a golden deer is enacted in graceful movements. In the second type, one man takes the role of a deer while another that of a hunter. The deer hopes about and jumps around. The hunter follows in close steps and his movements and gestures suggest drawing the bow, aiming it, hurling the spear, brandishing some wooden log, etc. the whole dance is performed to the rhythm of wild percussion instruments.

Paniyar Kali are another set of tribel inhabiting the hilly forests of Wayand district. Their dance is highly masculine and only men participate. Hear the dancers numbering about eight or ten stand in a circle with hands linked together. They have around with rhythmic flexions of the body and while moving stamp the ground in perfect rhythm to the loud beat of the primitive percussion instruments called Karu, Para, Udukku, etc. As the dance gathers momentum the circle is swiftly expanded and contracted and the dancers utter peculiar cries which gradually run up to a high pitch.

Thavala Kali  is a tribal dance in which a number of participants, usually boys, jump one above the other in succession, imitating the leaps of the frog.

Edaya Nritham is the dance of the tribal shepherds. Both men and women participate. One of the shepherds sing. This is repeated in chorus by all the rest. As the singing is going in, one of them imitate the special sounds of shepherds driving their sheep. The dance as such consists of someone of the group crying successively to imitate the wild animals that try to attack the sheep and also the thief who tries to robe them while the other members of the group very adeptly bring out the terror on the faces of the lamps and their mournful walings.