Though small in area, the Haryana state has a wealth of preserved folk culture, in which dances are main point of attention. Many Haryana songs and dances are related to harvest and festivals. As long as there are agricultural festivals in the state, there will always be a distinctive Haryani folk tradition of dance and music, entertaining the whole India.
Phag Dance or Phalgun or "Faag" Dance
This is a seasonal dance ,through which agricultural people express their joy and vigour. During the month of February -March ,they have a little leisure between sowing and harvesting. The crops are growing well, the spring is on and the rural folk express themselves through song and dance.
In this dance men and women group together. The rhythm takes them on to emotional expression through their hands, eyes, and feet. The dance involves a variety of movement ,requiring sound co-ordination. Women wear traditional costumes in different
colours. Men similarly display different colours in their turbans. They sing in the ancient Daamal style, a combination of dance and song, the origin of which dates to the hoary past, it is a mixed dance but some times it is performed by men only. The songs are different in each case.
Daph dance
Daph dance is also a seasonal dance connected with the harvest and spring. It depicts the joyful emotions of the farmers. Men and women of all sections of the village community participate in this dance, separately. For melodic instruments the ancient Haryanavis used flutes, lutes and beens. The daph used in this dance is an ancient instrument. The songs are most suited to the occasion. The sound of the ornaments worn by the women also becomes a part of the dance-orchestra.
Dhamal Dance
Dhamal dance is as old as the Mahabharatha. It is popular among the Ahirs of Gurgaon district. It is also in vogue in Mahendargarh and Jhajjar. The dance is rooted in the deeper emotions of the people, is performed on moonlit nights of Phalgun. When the winter veil of fog and mist is lifted from the face of the earth and whisper of spring is in the air indeed. The dancers assemble in an open space and form themselves into a circle. They start with a song to the sound of Dhamal beats. The songs sung during the dance relate to the burden of love and labour. They depict the villager's hopes, aspirations, their love -longings and joys and sorrows. Between fifteen and twenty dancers participate in the dance. Old musical instruments like Sarangi, Been, Dholak and Khartals constitute the orchestra. First of all the orchestra men make a line and start playing folk tunes. The dancers move in front of them emerging right and left when the dance starts.
Folk Dances of Haryana
Phag - A Haryana Seasonal Dance
This is a seasonal dance of the farmers usually performed in the month of 'Phalgun'. This is a mixed dance but sometimes performed by men only. Women wear colorful traditional clothes and men display gay colorful turbans.
This dance is popular in the central areas of Haryana. This dance is performed by women at the house of the bridegroom in the night on which the marriage party has gone to the bride's house. By this dance the.
