| . | . | . | FOLK DANCES OF
KEONJHAR
One cannot imagine tribal life without dance and music. On festive occasions dancing is indispensable. Most tribal villages have akhara where men and women assemble together to dance to the tune of indigenous music.
The Changu dance derives its name from a kind of drum called Changu, which invariably accompanies the dance. This dance is common to almost all the tribes but is more popular among the Bhuyans. The peculiar feature of the dance is that the men confront the girls with music and song and then recede backwards when the girls confront them. The girls dance standing in a row generally holding each other’s hand.
It is generally performed during the Chaitra Parab festival in the month of Chaitra. It is a dance with a strong folk character; almost like a dance drama. This dance originated perhaps in Mayurbhanj district of Orissa and Sareikela district of Bihar. In this dance footwork and body movement of the dancers are most artistic and virile. Facial expressions are generally absent.
The Juang dance is performed to the accompaniment of tambourines. Earlier they used to dance dressed in primitive leaf but not any more. Men sing as the girls dance accompanied by deep sounding tambourines. In one form the girls move around in a single file keeping the right hand on the right shoulder of the girl in front. The Juangs also have what are called the bear dance and the pigeon dance.
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