The palpating beats of dhol laced with the magnificence of the body movements' envelope the viewers whilst the colorful costumes and that neat presentation bewitch them. With the typical folk elements subdued in it, the Manipuri dance has therefore a remarkable charm. The dancer begins with the movements known as the chali. Chali suggests the fundamental basics of walking and covering space. The dancer moves first to the front and back with hands held horizontally at the chest level and then moves these hands vertically in an up-and-down direction. She then covers space in side-ways walking, ending by weaving circles and spirals. In this movements the diverse types of Brahmaris are also introduced. Uplai and the longlai are the two distinct varieties of the Brahmaris. Although jerks are avoided yet "Achingana of the jumping movements are introduced in the Tandava part of any Manipuri dance. The movements of challis again form the various types of parengs. All the Lais are employed in Parengs and also Talas are used. The rajmela, the seven beats (rupaka), 15 beats (panchamsvari) and the 16 beats (tintala) out limns the parengs. Bhangis like ostha bhangi pareng, the gostha Vrindavan pareng and the gostha Khurumba pareng are ideally imbibed into the dance pattern and is eloquently uttered in the Rasa Leela dance styles. The compositions from the Classical Sanskrit literature are illustrated in this dance style. Quite evidently therefore in the rasa dances, we find that all the four types of pindis mentioned by Bharata. The mellisonant melody of the Meera and Krihna are also in vogue . Girls, colorfully dressed begin the dance and then the men join in the middle. |