India has a large number of folk dances, each of which reflects the way the people of the country live, think, and express themselves in their own distinct style. The stories of the nations the dancers have come from are depicted via their lively movements, lyrics, colours, costumes and music. Moreover, these dances are emotional reactions from the common people of a place.

Folk dances are an important part of India’s tradition and culture, and their importance has always been, and will continue to be, enormous as they are crucial aspects of our country’s culture. In distant places, these forms and representations of Indian art win India love, fame, and respect. The dance is also regarded as part of the history, and the stories behind them may sometimes tell a lot about the times in which they evolved.

These dances are also good kinds of exercise, and they can be a highly effective combining physical and dance activity for improving the physical health while also providing creative joy. It may also bring the people together as when the dancers come together to dance, they commonly do so by holding hands which in furtherance creates a sense of harmony and unity within the group. This might be highly useful for the peace of the country.

People come to know and respect their land better when they perform the Folk Dances together as when it is blended with the modern or the classical dance techniques, it can result in some extremely unique, new dance genres. This has also been attempted with the Bhangra and some few other dances.

Folk Dance of States of India

1. Mathuri of Tamil Nadu

• Performed by the residents of the Indravelli forest region. 
• Done at the Krishna Janmashtami festival.
• The Mahabharata provides the majority of the themes.
• The Nagara is the most commonly used instrument.

1. Bihu of Assam

• One of India’s most colourful folk dances and it ushers in sowing time, which is also the season of marriage, as a part of the Bihu Festival, which celebrates the arrival of Spring and the Assamese New Year.

1. Garba of Gujarat

• Associated with the Shakti worship and is conducted during Navratri and weddings where the people clap their hands to the rhythm of the Dhol as they dance around the centre.

1. Dandiya Raas of Gujarat

• In this lively, bright dancing type, polished sticks known as dandiyas are employed and a hypothetical combat between  Mahishasura and Durga is shown.

1. Daang of Gujarat

• Usually seen at celebrations like Holi and others and accompanist, who stands in the middle of an open area, is surrounded by an interesting circular formation.

1. Jhijhiya of Bihar

• A couple of young female dancers usually performs this dance where the prayers are offered to the Lord Indra for the  fair monsoon and a plentiful harvest.

1. Gaur Maria of Chhattisgarh

• The dance is conducted at the event of a wedding.

1. Kaksar of Chhattisgarh

• A number of young girls and boys dressed in their finest perform to receive the blessing of the village deity Kaksar for a prosperous harvest and the young ones are given a platform to choose their life partners

1. Choliya of Uttarakhand

• It is related with the Kirji Kumbh rituals and has aspects of martial arts.

1. Veerbhadra of Karnataka

• The dance is performed during the ChaitraPurnima and Dhao festivals. 
• The actor portraying Veerbhadra wears a warrior’s outfit and wields swords while he dances.

1. Dholu Kunitha of Karnataka

• Kurubas in this dance form do a drum dance and the dance is known for its forceful drumming and energetic dancing with acrobatic aspects.

1. Oppana of Kerala

• On wedding ceremonies, Muslim ladies from Lakshadweep and North Kerala conduct a bridal dance.
• Grooms and Brides are prepared mentally for marriage and nuptial night by a sequence of music and dance performed by a close friend.

1. Raee of Madhya Pradesh

• It is a popular folk dance in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh region.
• It is largely a female dance, with the dancers moving their feet and whirling their bodies in sync to the accompanied music. It originated in ancient days for ceremonies when the armed troops returned triumphant after war.
• The major musical instruments utilised in this dance are ta, dhapali and mridanalgoza.

1. Gotipua of Odisha

• Young lads costumed as girls do Gotipua dance and sing religious love songs of Radha-Krishna.
• Vandana is part of the dance’s repertoire.

1. Bhangra of Punjab 

• Punjab’s most popular folk dance, performed by men on special occasions and around the festival of Baisakhi.

1. Goa’s Samay, or lamp dance

• It performed with Deepak and the women and men do various movements while balancing the samai on the heads.

1. Ghoomar of Rajasthan and Haryana.

• At festivals such as Holi, Gangaur Puja, and Teej, females from Haryana and Rajasthan border villages perform where girls start singing and applauding in semi-circles.
• After that, the dancers form a circle and the pace of the dance is increased.

1.  Dhobia of Uttar Pradesh

• It is performed at births, weddings, and festivals such as Holi and Dussehra.
• The dance is essentially a dance-drama that begins with the recitation of a couplet in adoration of the almighty.

1. Chakri of Rajasthan

• The women of Rajasthan’s Kanjar community do this dance.
• The dancers spin in rounds in bright skirts that resemble spinning tops, earning them the name Chakri.
• Chakri is backed by the rhythms of nagara, manjira and the daph and is frequently done at weddings and other festive occasions.

1. Mayilattam of Tamilnadu

• Hindu temples host performances where the dancers wear peacock costumes and perform on tall trees linked to their feet.

Conclusion

India is known for its rich cultural heritage and traditions. Dance has been a part of life, from prehistoric days to the most civilised communities. According to local folklore, several dancing styles evolved in various parts of India. Indian folk dance is essentially a simple demonstrations of joy performed to celebrate the passage of time, childbirth, marriages, and festivals.