Sammi Dance is a very colourful traditional dance form of
Punjab. This dance is performed by women, near the
Chenab River valley. A legend is also associated with this dance. It was originally performed by the Princess Sammi of Marwad to show excessive emotion at her separation from Rajkumar Suchkumar of
Rajasthan.
In this dance, the women make a circle and hold their hands to form a chain. They dance in a circle, making various patterns with their feet. As the dance picks up speed, the dancers break the chain and lift up their hands to start clapping according to the rhythm. It is this clapping and snapping which constitute a Sammi dance. No musical instruments are required as accompaniment to Sammi dance.
Another form of this dance is called roomal sammi, a dance performed with handkerchiefs.
The performer's costume consists of a
kurta, tehmet and bhochhan, a thick loose rectangular cloth used to cover their heads.
