Dollu Kunitha :
The Dollu Kunitha is a popular drum dance of Karnataka.The drum dance is performed by the male members of the shepherd community,known as Kourba. Carrying large drums, decorated with coloured clothes and slung from their necks, the men beat the drums as they dance with nimble movements of the feet and legs. The dance is, at times, accompanied by songs, which are either religious or in praise of war.
Dandaria :
This dance is performed by some tribes of Andhra Pradesh during festivals. The dancers, dressed in their best, exchange visits with other villages and are received as honoured guests wherever they go. The old and young men of the tribes dance together, holding sticks, which they strike against one another to keep time.
Karagam :
It is the most common form of folk dance in Tamil Nadu, dedicated to Mariamman, the Goddess of health and rain. The Karagam dance is essentially performed by men balancing pots filled with uncooked rice, surrounded by a tall conical bamboo frame covered with flowers. The musical accompaniment comprises a drum and a long pipe.
Kummi :
The womenfolk of Tamil Nadu have three closely related dances, which are seen at their best during festivities. The simplest of these is the Kummi, in which the dancers gather in a circle and clap their hands as they dance. An extension to this dance is the Kolattam, where instead of clapping, the participants hold small wooden sticks in their hands and strike them in rhythm as they dance.
Kuttiyattam :
Kuttiyattam, a dance from Kerala literally means 'acting together' and the theme for this dance form is taken from mythology. Evolved in the 9th century A.D., Kuttiyattam has two or more characters on stage. The Chakkiars play the male cast and the Nangiars play the female roles while also reciting Sanskrit verses. The performance can last between 6 to 20 days.
Padavani :
Padayani is one of the most colourful and spectacular folk arts associated with the festivals of some temples in southern Kerala (Aleppy, Quilon, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts). The word Padayani literally means military formations, but in this folk art it is mainly a series of divine and semi-divine impersonations wearing huge masks of different shapes, colours and designs. The most important of the kolams usually presented in a Padayani performance are Bhairavi (Kali), Kalan (God of death), Yakshi (fairy) and Pakshi (bird).
Kolam :
The Kolam consists of a huge headgear with many projections with a mask for the face and a chest piece to cover the breast and abdomen of the performer. The dancers wearing kolams perform, as singers recite poems accompanied by the wild and loud rhythm of the instrumentalists.
Lava :
This is the colourful dance of the Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep. The dancers wear multi-hued costumes, a headgear and carry special drums. The dance movements are prolific and profuse, and are in rhythm with the drum beats and vocal accompaniment.
Nicobarese :
This is the dance of the Nicobarese tribal group residing in the island of Nicobar. The dance is performed during the Ossuary Feast or the Pig Festival. Dedicated to the departed head of the family, the occasion is observed with night long dancing in moonlight under swaying palms. Feasting on island delicacies followed by a pig fight in the morning are the other attractions of the celeration.
