Dances of Our Land – Class 6 Arts Chapter 15 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 6ArtsChapter 15NCERT book: Kriti - Arts Class 6

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 15 of the NCERT Class 6 Arts book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 15: Dances of Our Land (Dance)

Introduction

Chapter 15, Dances of Our Land, begins: "Let's start our dance journey! Get ready to put on your dancing bells and dive into the world of dance!" The chapter is about discovering the dance forms that make our country colourful and lively — first in your own region, then in other regions — and comparing them.

From rich traditional loka nrityas to the energetic beats of local celebrations, these dances are deeply rooted in our society.

Key Ideas

1. Exploring your region's dances

List the regional dances of your area, discuss them with friends, parents and teachers, and if possible go on a field trip to meet local artists or hold a small workshop. Learn their postures, gestures and graceful movements.

2. Recording a field trip — the Garba example

The book shows how to record observations using Garba from Gujarat:

A. Introduction: Performed during Navaratri, when Goddess Durga is worshipped. It celebrates culture, tradition and community spirit and togetherness.

B. Characteristics: vibrant, energetic movements; rhythmic clapping; circular patterns with dancers moving in concentric circles.

C. Accompaniments: traditional folk music with the dhol, tabla and dandia sticks.

D. Costumes: chaniya choli (ghagra) for women and kediyu-kafni (a type of dhoti and kurta) for men.

3. Dances of other states

The book gives these examples:

Kerala – Thiruvathira Kali: performed by women; costume is the simple Kerala-style mundu and vesthi with traditional ornaments; performed on Thiruvathira, Shivratri, Onam and other festivals.

Odisha – Saila: performed by a tribal community; colourful sarees and dhotis with tribal jewellery of beads, shells and metal; performed at the Chaitra Parva festival at the start of the agricultural season.

Kashmir – Rouf: performed by women in a group; attire is the pheran (a loose, long robe) with embroidered dress and jewellery; performed during Eid, Baisakhi and Navroz, weddings, harvest celebrations and other gatherings.

4. Comparing regional dances — Kalbelia and Nongkrem

Kalbelia (Rajasthan):

Costume: women wear an upper-body cloth (angrakhi), a head cloth (odhani) and a lehenga embroidered with small mirrors

Purpose: linked to rituals, often showing mythological stories; special dances during Holi

Performers: dance by women, song by men

Accompaniments: folk music with woodwind instruments like the pungi and percussion instruments

Nongkrem (Meghalaya):

Costume: women wear traditional costumes; men wear vibrant colours and hold swords and a white yak-hair whisk

Purpose: celebrated in autumn to please the powerful Goddess for a plentiful harvest and people's prosperity

Performers: both men and women

Accompaniments: traditional music with the drum and a wind instrument called the tangmuri

Activities in the Chapter

Activity 1: Explore your regional dances and visit local artists.

Activity 2: Watch videos of other regional dances and list states with their dance forms.

Activity 3: Make a comparative chart (state, costume, purpose, performers, accompaniments) for two dances.

Project: Prepare a project on a local dance with pictures, a related folk song and handmade jewellery models; present it to the class.

Activity 5: Write a note on a renowned modern Indian dancer and try to imitate their moves.

Key Terms

Loka nritya – folk dance (लोक नृत्य)

Regional dance – dance belonging to a region (क्षेत्रीय नृत्य)

Field trip – visit to learn directly (क्षेत्र-भ्रमण)

Concentric circles – circles sharing one centre (संकेंद्रित वृत्त)

Accompaniment – music/instruments that support a dance (संगत)

Dandia – wooden sticks used in Gujarati dance (डांडिया)

Chaniya choli – women's Garba costume (चनिया चोली)

Pheran – long loose Kashmiri robe (फेरन)

Pungi – wind instrument of Rajasthan (पुंगी)

Tangmuri – wind instrument of Meghalaya (तांगमुरी)

Comparative chart – chart to compare features (तुलनात्मक तालिका)

Harvest – gathering of crops (फसल कटाई)

Connect to Your Life

Which dance is performed in your neighbourhood during festivals? Try recording it using the book's four headings: introduction, characteristics, accompaniments and costumes.

Common Mistakes

Mixing up states: Rouf is from Kashmir, Saila from Odisha, Thiruvathira Kali from Kerala.

Forgetting that in Kalbelia women dance while men sing, whereas Nongkrem has both men and women dancing.

Writing only the dance name in a comparison — compare costume, purpose, performers and accompaniments.

Let's Reflect

What is one thing that is the same, and one thing that is different, between your local dance and Garba?

Which renowned dancer would you write about, and why?

💡 Key Learning Points

✓Regional folk dances (loka nrityas) are deeply rooted in society and can be studied through field trips and workshops.
✓A dance can be recorded under four headings: introduction, characteristics, accompaniments and costumes — as shown for Garba.
✓Garba of Gujarat is performed at Navaratri in concentric circles with dhol, tabla and dandia sticks.
✓Other states have their own dances, such as Thiruvathira Kali (Kerala), Saila (Odisha) and Rouf (Kashmir).
✓Comparing dances like Kalbelia (Rajasthan) and Nongkrem (Meghalaya) shows differences in costume, purpose, performers and music.

👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

→Invite a local folk artist or plan a short field trip for Activity 1.
→Model the Garba observation sheet on the board with its four headings before students record their own.
→Show a map of India and pin Garba, Thiruvathira Kali, Saila, Rouf, Kalbelia and Nongkrem to their states.
→Give groups a blank comparison chart (state, costume, purpose, performers, accompaniments) to fill in.
→Let students make paper jewellery models for their dance project.
→Hold a short 'dancer of the week' talk where a student presents a renowned modern Indian dancer.

📋 Assessment Questions

Can the student describe Garba using the four headings?
Can the student match Thiruvathira Kali, Saila and Rouf to their states?
Can the student compare Kalbelia and Nongkrem on at least three points?
Can the student present a project on a local dance with a related folk song?

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