Gypsy Dancers For Hire

1) Rajasthani Kalbeliya 

Kalbeliya refers to the tribe from Rajasthan in Northern India. It is where the image of the popular snake charmer came from. Rajasthan is also thought as the place where the Gypsies came from. Rajasthan is celebrated as the heritage state of India. The dance was recognized as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in November 2010, around 30 years since it was created.

The dancers from Kalbeliya wear black and costumes of intricate embroidery and perform rapid twirls as if conjuring “kundalini” or the serpent power. They make a circle where all women performers are encouraged by the singing of other women even without any exact dance pattern to follow. The dance is a way for them to pay tribute to the Mother Goddess Kali.

The women of the Kalbeliya were known commonly as snake charmers and priestesses of the snake god. They were often called Sapera, the Hindi word for “snake charmer.”

2) Turkish Rom 

There is also a dance performed by Romani musicians and dancers in Sulukule, a legendary district in Istanbul that is famous for the Roma settlements in the world. They fused local folk music and dances and they were known as masters in dancing a 9/8 rhythm known as Roman or Karsilama. They dance with exquisite movements that are usually defined as earthy and refined. The dances were characterized by contortions, body twisting, and playful gesture.

As a short review, Roma people are of Indian origin. Their language is called Romani and is closely related to Hindi. They migrated west in the 11th century. They were very famous entertainers during the Ottoman empire. Today, a lot of famous artists in Istanbul are Roma.

3) Russian Rom  

The largest subgroup of the Romani people living in Russia and Belarus are called Ruska Rom or Russian Gypsies. They were mostly nomadic horse traders, and performers who traveled during the summer. In the winter, they paid for lodging in Russian peasant’s cottages using the money they earn from their horse trading.

Romani dance from Russia is well-known for its whirlwind spins and the use of flamboyant skirts. The arm movements of the dancers are influenced by Russian ballet.

4) Spanish Flamenco 
 
The Spanish Flamenco dance was born out of the solidarity of Gitanas, Muslims, and Jews who were persecuted by church and state authorities in Spain during the 16th century. Its origins were rooted in the gypsy culture of Andalusia, located in the south of Spain. Dancers try to conjure the magic of the dance through precise footwork and harm and arm movements.

Other references would also say that the origin of Flamenco will still be a subject of debate since details of its development were lost in history. The music and musical instruments used by early Flamenco dancers from Andalusia were later modified and adapted by Christians and Jews. The gypsies were accordingly presented as adapting the dance later making it a hybrid music separate from its original musical forms.

Like other forms of dancing, doing a Gypsy dance has a lot of benefits for the body and mind. Any style of Gypsy dance is distinguished by energetic tapping, footwork, jumps and arm movements.

Dancers need to improve their posture and flexibility to be able to perform the intricate movements, usually in manipulating the wide skirt to perform graceful movements. Dancers should endure long training that requires them to follow rhythms and keep their minds in focus.

Dancers can best perform the Gypsy dance by immersing themselves in character and understanding the resilience of the creative Gypsy people. The Gypsy diaspora from India to Central and Eastern Europe speaks so well about the struggles of a group of people who were able to preserve and enrich their culture despite the challenges.

When you get to understand the origin of a dance, you feel more connected to the movement of your body when you try the Gypsy dance. You feel the earth moves with you just like how the Kalbeliya and Turkish Rom did. The movements will follow naturally like the versatile Gypsy dancers.

If you want to learn about Gypsy dance, you may see how the professional Gypsy dancers of Hips Don’t Lie Dance Co. perform it with much dynamism and passion. Watching Gypsy dancers are preferred in many events nowadays as people get a glimpse of the bits and pieces of local cultures and traditions accumulated by the Gypsies while keeping themselves entertained.