Service Description

Chari Dance 12 Week Course July 3 - Sept 18 7:00 - 8:00 PM PDT (No class August 28th) Chari Dance is a traditional folk dance from Rajasthan, India by the Gujjar community. Women dance with beautiful copper pots balanced on their heads while wearing modest costumes. Costuming includes a gagra (skirt) worn above the ankles, a long (hip length) choli (blouse) and cotton chunni (veil) worn on the head along with ghungroos (ankle bells). Instrumentation that accompany this dance are Dhol and bankia. Traditionally this dance is performed with fire in the pot. However, it can be performed without fire as well. Copper and steel pots will be available for sale in the workshop. However, a 1 liter bottle of water is a good alternate way to learn this dance if you are lacking a pot. The dance includes lovely steps both standing and seated along with twirling. The music is contagious and we have so much fun while learning this dance. Most students are surprised they can do it on their first try! Chari Dance is performed at marriage celebrations, on the birth of a male child and at celebrations and festivals of goodness. During the Chari dance, colorfully dressed, bejeweled women hold earthenware or brass Chari pots on their heads. Often, the Chari are set on lit Diya (oil lamp) or fire with cotton seeds immersed in oil. (This is NOT the technique we use to light to pot.) Dancers carry a flaming pot on their head without touching it, while performing graceful movements of limbs and deep swirls of knees. To make the dance look more attractive lines of lighted patterns are created as the dancers move quietly around the floor. Rajasthan is a desert where women walk for many miles to collect water for their families. They collect their daily water in Chari. The dance celebrates this lifelong ritual of collecting water.