Dances of the Kabelia, Rajastan
Rajasthan, the "Land of Kings" in northern India, is a region with agricultural fields in the east and the Thar Desert in the west. Folk musicians, dancers and entertainers live mainly as nomads and herders. Strictly speaking the Langa, Manganizar, Dholie, Dhadir and Sapera are not "Gypsies", but they have a similar position in society as the Roma, Sinti, or Nawar, and live in the original homeland of the "Gypsies". In this workshop we will learn the dance style of the Kabelia, a caste that is closely associated with snake charmers. This is reflected in the dance, for example with the use of the Mudra (hand gesture) Sharpa Shisha (snake head).