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.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. They also have a crash course of six hours spread across two weekends. Prerna says, “We cover basic, intermediate and advanced steps throughout the course. 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.”
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: 7447711071Mixing 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. Aayush shares that instructors start with steps like Teen Taali, Hinch, Dakla to help students understand the variations of beats. “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. All of this together makes you a good Garba dancer. Usually people just focus on fast steps which is a mistake.”
{{/usCountry}}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. Aayush shares that instructors start with steps like Teen Taali, Hinch, Dakla to help students understand the variations of beats. “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. All of this together makes you a good Garba dancer. Usually people just focus on fast steps which is a mistake.”
{{/usCountry}}Where: Borivali and Bhayandar
When: Starts September 19
Price: ₹2500-3500 for one-month course
Contact:9757244825Exploring Garba Inside Out
One of the most popular classes at Thangaat Garba are their three-day workshops. 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. “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. 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.
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: 7977578746Step-By-Step Guidance For Different Levels
Sanskruti Garba is conducting workshops across multiple cities including Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad Jaipur and other locations. Chetan Dashmukhe, founder, says their trainers are trained by Gujarat’s finest Garba masters, with step-by-step guidance designed for different skill levels.Where: Kharadi, Wadgaon Sheri, Viman Nagar in PuneWhen: Starts Septermber 28Price: Mumbai: ₹1399 for 2 days, Pune : ₹1999 for 11 daysContact: 9766063356The 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. 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