Ahead of Navratri celebrations next month, residents of Mumbai and Pune are heading to Garba and Dandiya classes to learn and perfect their moves and turns. Dance studios and cultural groups have kicked off workshops and special batches, catering to every age and experience bracket.
They also have a crash course of six hours spread across two weekends. We don’t have separate fees for different levels. We want everyone to learn and progress without feeling left behind. Garba and Dandiya are taught together. Aayush shares that instructors start with steps like Teen Taali, Hinch, Dakla to help students understand the variations of beats. All of this together makes you a good Garba dancer. Usually people just focus on fast steps which is a mistake. They consist of two-and-a-half to three hour long sessions, usually held over a weekend. Founder Parth Patel recommends giving at least six to seven months of regular practice to novices. Patel also encourages people to explore the older musical repertoire of Garba, while also acknowledging newer songs and remixes for helping introduce the form to another generation. Spins are an important part of Garba, but if done without control, you can become dizzy or accidentally bump into other people. Garba has multiple rhythms— it can progress from slower two-step patterns to three-step and four-step rhythms. Developing a basic understanding of rhythm is extremely important for a beginner
A class for everyone Prerna Khoda and Shubham Shitole, founders of Soulbeats Dance and Fitness in Pune, are conducting a three-week course, consisting of 15 one-hour sessions, for all dance enthusiasts, irrespective of their experience. Where: Kharadi, Pune When: Three-week course starting from September 21, Crash course starts September 26 Price: ₹ 3,000 with pre-registration and ₹ 3,300 for on-the-spot registration for the three-week course. The crash course costs ₹ 1,600 Contact: 7447711071 Mixing Traditional and Contemporary Steps Mumbai’s DanceVerse Co, founded by Aayush, Heer and Pooja Shah, conducts classes across the city in areas like Borivali, Kandivali, Malad and Ghatkopar, offering multiple courses. Where: Borivali and Bhayandar When: Starts September 19 Price: ₹ 2500-3500 for one-month course Contact:9757244825 Exploring Garba Inside Out One of the most popular classes at Thangaat Garba are their three-day workshops. Where: Andheri West, Mumbai and Kothurd, Pune When: Mumbai classes start on September 22, Pune batch starts on October 2 Price: ₹ 600 to ₹ 1,300 per hour Contact: 7977578746 Step-By-Step Guidance For Different Levels Sanskruti Garba is conducting workshops across multiple cities including Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad Jaipur and other locations. Where: Kharadi, Wadgaon Sheri, Viman Nagar in Pune When: Starts Septermber 28 Price: Mumbai: ₹ 1399 for 2 days, Pune : ₹ 1999 for 11 days Contact: 9766063356 The OG Navratri playlist Pani Puri-inspired Garba tracks Tetudo Pavli Lyo Jode Rejo Raj Khamma Kodiyar Falguni Pathak’s classics (Inputs by Parth Patel, Thangaat Garba) Checklist Wear comfortable, preferably loose clothing to allow unrestricted movement Understand the basic leg movement and two-count rhythm of Garba.
Prerna says, “We cover basic, intermediate and advanced steps throughout the course. “We teach both traditional and contemporary steps, and try to cover spins, barrels, couple Garba, dandiya, etc over the course,” shares Aayush, adding, “Garba is not just steps, rather a combination of steps, expressions, energy, postures, grace and more importantly, enjoyment. “But, if someone genuinely wants to become a proficient Garba dancer, I would recommend one-and-a-half to two years of proper training and practice,” he says. Chetan Dashmukhe, founder, says their trainers are trained by Gujarat’s finest Garba masters, with step-by-step guidance designed for different skill levels.
