Contents: Introduction. 1. A Discourse on the notion of Performing Art and Culture. 2. A Worldview of the Santal Traditions and Folk Dances. 3. Social Dancing I: Considering Contextualization. 4. Social Dancing II: Considering Contextualization. 5. Postmodern/Modern Impact on Santali Dance-songs. Conclusion. Select Bibliography Index.

Santal Folk Dance-Songscharts a hitherto unexplored epistemological terrain: to study Santali Folk Dance-songs of Jharkhand as the primary subject matter and contextualize how ‘the Santali culture’ is getting manifested in its art form. In fact, the Folk Dance-Songs offer a window to peep into the world of the Santals, their lives, customs, traditions religions and philosophy. It has been observed that these dance-songs have escaped the overpowering drive to ‘civilize’ them, be it in the pre-colonial, colonial times or thereafter and thus exist in their natural forms. This is, however, not to suggest that the Santali dance-songs have remained static in their pristine forms, it is a fact that gradual changes have crept into their forms, but not to the extent to alter their soul and spirit. All these factors make the Santali dance-songs worthy of documentation to understand the Santali cultural reality.