Around ten performers from India are showcasing the unique kalbelia dance across shopping malls this DSF. Deira City Centre recently hosted the kalbelia group that will be touring malls the coming weeks. The group will be performing at Arabian Center on Feb 2 at 6:30pm, 8pm, and 9:30pm.
The kalbelia dance takes its name from the kalbelia community, known for their nomadic way of life and their penchant for catching snakes and trading snake venom. Hence, the dance movements and the costumes bear resemblance to serpents.
Male participants are usually involved in the musical part of the dance. The instruments (pungi, dufli, been, khanjari, morchang, khuralio and dholak) are used to create the rhythm by which the dancers perform. As the performance goes on, the rhythm takes pace and so does the dance.
The kalbelia dancers (mainly females) wear long black skirts embellished with silver ribbons. As they spin in circles, their bodies sway acrobatically to the tunes of the pungi, dufli and the plaintive notes of the been - the wooden instrument of snake charmers.
DSF runs till Feb 28 with performances in malls across Dubai and streets such as Rigga, Seef, Dhiyafah, and The Walk at JBR
