G-20 Delegates join local artists in performing Maharashtrian lezim dance

Delegates part of G20 meetings in India were seen dancing with folk artistes in Maharashtra's Pune. The delegates danced with performers at a cultural programme on the sidelines of the Infrastructure Working Group discussions. A two-day session on various aspects of infrastructure investment began in Pune on 16 January. 65 delegates from IWG member countries, guest nations and international organizations invited by India as G20 President are participating in the discussions. Lezim is a folk dance form, from the state of Maharashtra. This dance is named after a wooden idiophone to which thin metal discs are fitted which produce a jingling sound and the dancers use this while classical dancing.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: G-20 delegates joined local artists performing Maharashtrian lezim dance at a cultural program in Pune yesterday pic.twitter.com/aZ7jW0e8ha

— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2023

Dholki, a drum instrument is used as the main percussion music. Lezim is especially popular in rural Maharashtra, often played during the Ganesh festiva in village Jatras (religious processions) and in schools as part of the fitness regime. The rural form of the dance usually consists of lezim dancers in two rows, repeating a sequence of steps, changing the steps every few beats. Thus, a 5-minute lezim performance can consist of 25 different steps danced in unison. Other variations include dancing the lezim in four rows, in a single circle formation (Nartakasamuhanni), or in concentric circles formations (samuhanrtyanta nartakam)(similar to the garbha dance), with each dancer twirling and dancers of opposite rows often playing lezim with each other. Changes in steps are "announced" by a ring leader using a whistle.