Punjabi dances are an array of folk and religious

dances Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

of the Punjabi people indigenous to the Punjab region, straddling the border of India and Pakistan. The style of Punjabi dances ranges from very high energy to slow and reserved, and there are specific styles for men and women. Some of the dances are secular while others are presented in religious contexts.

Overview

The main Punjabi folk dance for females is Gidda and for men Bhangra. The dances are typically performed at times of celebration, such as harvest (

Visakhi Vaisakhi (Punjabi: ), also pronounced Baisakhi, marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is traditionally celebrated annually on 13 April and sometimes 14 April as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India. Further, ot ...

weddings A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage v ...

Lohri ''Lohri'' is a popular winter Punjabi folk festival celebrated primarily in Northern India. The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to the Punjab region. It is believed by many that the festiva ...

, etc.. Married Punjabi couples usually dance together. ;Common Punjabi female folk dances * Sammi *

Giddha Giddha ( pa, گدها, ਗਿੱਧਾ, ) is a popular folk dance of women in the Punjab region. The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as bhangra; at the same time it mana ...

Kikli Kikkli ( pa, ਕਿੱਕਲੀ, pronounced: kick-lee), also spelled as Kikli, is one of the folk dances of Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi l ...

Common Punjabi male folk dances * Bhangra *

Jhumar Jhumar or Jhoomar (also called Ghumbar in Sandalbar area) is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Multan and Balochistan, also thrived in Sandalbar areas (Faisal abad, Jhang, Chiniot, Nankana Sahib, Toba Tek Singh districts) ...

Luddi Luddi is a traditional folk dance of Punjab. It is performed in cirles by both men and women while clicking their fingers and clapping hands, jumps and half-turns. Luddi is performed on weddings and sports to celebrate victory, it is performed by a ...

Gatka Gatka (; ; hi, गतका; ur, ) is a form of martial art associated primarily with the Sikhs of the Punjab and other related ethnic groups, such as Hindkowans. It is a style of stick-fighting, with wooden sticks intended to simula ...

* Julli

References

External links

Glossary of different Punjabi Folk Dances

Folk dances of Punjab

Activities in Lahore and Folk Dances

Folk Dances in Punjab
{{Dance in India Punjab Punjabi culture Dances of Pakistan India dance-related lists