Koli dance is the dance of the fishermen of the Koli caste of Maharashtra. It is one of the most popular folk dances in the state. Koli dance depicts the lives and ways of the fishermen. It portrays their lifestyle in the dance form.
Koli Dance Performance
Both men and women participate in the Koli dance performance. Since the Koli community is attached to the sea and fish, the Koli dance performance is very close to nature. The dance movements are connected with rows and nets that are used in their occupation. The entire dance is the portrayal of their daily activity which is the part of their work.
The movements of the men and women are about the way they work and the act of catching the fish along with the movement of the waves. Men hold the stick and women jump along with the movement of the stick. Everyone enjoys this dance a lot, making it the most important folk dance of Maharashtra.
Costume
The costumes that they wear are unique, sometimes women wear green color sarees and men wear lungis. This dance mainly shows their hardships of catching the fish which is the only source of their livelihood.
The dancers of this community form the union and dance together. It is a way of celebrating their work and they cherish this day as the onset of the fresh new season of harvesting just like farmers. The sea and boats are sacred to them and are worshipped by them regularly. The dancers show every part of their livelihood through this dance.
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