Dhimsa among the folk dances of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh has one world-famous classical dance — Kuchipudi — and a deep bench of folk and tribal forms. Dhimsa is the best known of the tribal ones, and since the 2026 Guinness record, arguably the most famous folk dance in the state. Here is where it sits in the family.
Dhimsa and its neighbours
Tribal circle dance of the Araku hills — linked chain, drum-led, danced by the hill communities at festivals. The one this site is about.
The stick dance: pairs strike small sticks in rhythm as the circle weaves — village festival staple across coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.
A vigorous drum dance of north coastal Andhra — dancers play drums slung at the chest while leaping; often seen at the same events as Dhimsa.
The mask-and-basket-figure dance of West Godavari — dancers wear towering woven frames and move to percussion.
The "heroic dance" associated with Shaivite tradition — intense, ritual, performed at temple festivals.
The dance of the Banjara/Lambadi communities — famous for mirror-worked costumes and swaying group movements.
Folk, tribal, classical — the useful distinction
Kuchipudi is a classical form: codified technique, formal training, solo and ensemble repertoire, stage presentation. The folk forms above belong to particular communities and occasions, learned by joining in rather than by syllabus. Dhimsa sits in the tribal branch of that folk family: it belongs to the hill communities of the Araku–Koraput belt specifically, which is why it appears on both sides of the Andhra–Odisha border and why its varieties map onto village ritual life rather than stage repertoire.
What makes Dhimsa stand out among all of them is the chain: most Andhra folk dances are danced near each other; Dhimsa is danced holding each other — the whole performance is one connected line. See how it works →
Last updated: 2026-08-04