Dandari is a folk dance, performed by the
Gond tribe of northern hilly region of
Hyderabad District in
Andhra Pradesh. Dandari is a kind of stick dance, enacted by male dancers.
During the Dandari dance performance, the young men and boys dress like women and girls and visit the neighboring villages in a dancing procession. They dance by stepping slowly towards the left side and fluctuating the right foot on to the left foot at every step. The Dandari dancers hold two sticks in hands and strike the sticks first. Next, they strike the sticks of other persons standing on their right and left. Like this, they play ‘
Kolatam’ and return to the original position. Afterwards, by touching the ground with the sticks, the dancers pay tribute to the Gods.
Then the artists form a circle, drop the sticks down and start singing. While the Dandari dance is going on, the Gusadi dancers enter into the circle.
