Even for myself, a yearly attendee of the AIS Garba Nights, “playing” garba wore me out. Perhaps that is why Indians refer to dancing garba as “playing” garba. Couples or groups dance in a circle to garba rhythms while striking their partners’ dandiya sticks, before spinning on to their next partner and repeating the process.īoth dances are intense cardio workouts, but the dancing aspect makes it extremely fun – almost addictive (think Zumba). For beginners, there is dandiya, which is basically garba combined with what look like colorful drum sticks (if you haven’t yet noticed, India is big on colors) and less skipping. Most importantly, if you’re not spinning (namely, moving around the circle), you’re definitely not dancing garba properly. If you’re not waving your hands with graceful wrist-turns atop, or bringing them together every third beat to strike out a clap, you’re not dancing garba properly.
If you’re not constantly hopping or skipping, you’re not dancing garba properly. Women dress in bright ghagra cholis (traditional three-piece skirted outfits) adorned with bold patterns, heavy beads, and even mirror-work embroidered into the cloth, while men wear flared pyjama pants, a short and rounded kurtha (traditional tunic), and colorfully beaded vests.Īs if the sparkling outfits weren’t enough, the garba frenzy is augmented by the immense amount of energy put in to the dance moves themselves. In very traditional cases, a lit lamp or icon of the goddess Durga is placed in the center of the circle, but for the AIS Garba Night, circles were left empty to allow more people to join or form new groups. Garba is a graceful, energetic form of dance that rhythmically moves around a circle to the sound of drums, synthesizers, and local vocalists. While many aspects about the Navratri rituals intrigue my curiosity, nothing has captivated my attention as much as the fun-filled tradition hailing from India’s northwestern province of Gujarat: garba.
This year, the religious festival falls on October 1 through October 10. This was my final Garba Night before my graduation in December, and it did not disappoint.Įvery year, the Association of Indian Students (AIS) hosts this big-hit event in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center Ballroom as part of the traditional celebration of Navratri, literally translating to a “nine nights” festival honoring the Hindu deity Durga (also known as Shakti). I had spent the entire night skipping and twirling in my black and gold mesh anarkali with bare feet, and needed the break. In the middle of it all, I was there.Ĭompared to previous years, this Sanedo was cut short: we didn’t get the chance to sit down again and repeat the excitement all over, but I didn’t care. Colorful skirts and suave kurthas amassed into one giant kaleidoscope of dancers, all shouting and singing along as loudly as they possibly could.
When the singer reached the refrain, everyone sprung up from their spots and landed spinning, dancing with swift turns, swinging arms and short, energetic hops. The crowd begged the live band to play the family-favorite tune, an upbeat Garba song that involved sitting patiently until the magic words “Sanedo lal lal sanedo” blasted out over the speakers and across the audience.
0 kommentar(er)
