Ras Dance is one of the beautiful folk dance forms performed all over the state of
Gujarat. The dance is much popular in the
Kutch and
Saurashtra region of the state. It is a very energetic, colorful and playful dance form providing opportunity for acting and exchanging messages through eye contact. Ras Dance is considered as a form of
Ras Lila, which
Lord Krishna used to perform at Gokul and
Vrindavan.
Ras Dance is generally performed by a group of youthful people who move in measured steps around a circle. Ras is performed with small sticks known as ‘Dandias’. The dance is accompanied by a singing chorus and a host of musical instruments such as Dhol, Cymbal and Shehnai. The typical folk costume of this dance is a small coat known as ‘Kedia’, with tight sleeves and pleated frills at the waist, highly embroidered borders, tight trousers, colorfully embroidered cap or colored turban and colorful kamarbandha (cummerbund).
The Lalit Rasak is one form of Ras dance, in which the dancers measure the time by different measures with their hands and refrain by their feet.
