Chau Dance

Once relegated to the realm of "traditional" dance, Chau has been recognized for several years now as a legitimate form of Classical Indian Dance. While this photo (right) was taken at a Chau festival in Bihar, Chau dancers were also in attendance from Orissa. The Chau dance style seems firmly established in the area of the old Odra Kingdom--now known as the states of Orissa, Bengal, and Bihar.