Move in sync with us to vibrant rhythmic Indian music with our free Garba Dance Series! All of us who participate will have an opportunity to showcase our work with a performance at our annual celebration of Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, on Sunday, October 27, 2024, starting at 5 pm. 

Garba is performed in circles, with dancers moving in unison to create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere. Many Garba moves have been adopted by Bollywood dancing! 

Garba emphasizes more than just the steps; it’s about celebrating community, expressing joy, and embracing the festive spirit. The dance brings people together, fostering a sense of unity and celebration through its intricate footwork, graceful movements, and emotive expressions.

In this Garba series, whether you’re new to dance or have experience, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in this rich cultural tradition. You’ll learn to express yourself, explore the stories and mythology embedded in the dance, and enjoy the process of celebration. We encourage you to commit to attending the entire series to ensure that we can progress through the choreography effectively and fully experience the joy of Garba.

A Cultural Note

During Navratri, a vibrant Hindu festival celebrating the divine goddess, people often engage in this lively and energetic dance known as Garba. The traditional dance, which gets its name from the Gujarati word “Garba” meaning “a sacred pot,” is characterized by rhythmic beats, lively music, and colorful, intricate dance steps. The term “Garba” originally referred to the traditional earthen pot with a lamp inside, which symbolizes the divine feminine energy during the festival.

Navratri and Diwali are interconnected in the Hindu festival calendar, as Navratri precedes Diwali and marks a period of worship and celebration of the goddess Durga. The culmination of Navratri leads to Vijayadashami (Dussehra), which signifies the victory of good over evil, Lord Rama’s defeat of the demon king Ravana. Diwali then celebrates this triumph with the festival of lights, symbolizing the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya.