Kalbelia Dance

Facts for Prelims

Kalbelia Dance

News: The dance form is in news due to ongoing 2023 edition of the Jodhpur RIFF festival.

About:
• The Kalbelia Dance is a traditional Indian dance form that originated in the state of Rajasthan. It is performed by the Kalbelia tribe, a nomadic group of snake charmers from the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India.
• The dance is an integral part of their culture and is performed by both men and women.
• The dance movements and costumes bear a resemblance to serpents, reflecting the tribe’s traditional occupation of snake handling.
• The dancers wear snake-like costumes and perform intricate footwork and swaying movements that mimic the movements of a snake.
• The dance is accompanied by traditional music played on instruments like the ‘Been’, ‘Dufli’, ‘Morchang’, ‘Dholak’, ‘Khanjari’, and 'Khuralio.
• The Kalbelia Dance is known for its sensuous and energetic performance, making it one of the most popular folk dances of Rajasthan. It is performed to celebrate moments of joy within the tribe.
• The dance and songs of the Kalbelia tribe have been recognized by UNESCO and are included in the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.