The ‘Prativa’ cultural organization from Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district of Odisha presented a ‘Singari dance’ program at the Odisha Food and Craft Mela in Shilparamam, Hyderabad.‘Singari Nacha’ is the brainchild of Dhyanananda Panda, a Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar awardee of the Sangeet Natak Akademi New Delhi for his research on tribal folk forms of Odisha.

This dance form assimilates the dance movements, musical instruments, costumes and songs of five folk dance forms namely Ghudka, Baje Salia, Banabadi, Dhap and Ghumura.The folk communities of Mali, Teli, Gouda, Bhatras, Bhumias, Gonds, Kondh and Kela are a part of this dance form which retains the originality of all the five folk dances and at the same time provide the essence of each tribal dance on a single platform. Different musical instruments like Ghumura, Nishan, Dhol, Tasha, Dhap, Mahuri and Jhanza are played along with songs in Kalahandi dialect.

“Opportunities are limited but on the rise. This dance form has already been showcased at many International and National festivals including the International Tribal festival in London and National Tribal Dance festival in Chhattisgarh. The folk forms of this country need constant patronage in terms of programs; and grants for training new groups or acquiring musical instruments” says Dhyanananda Panda.