Calgary Marathi Association (CMA) is proud to present Dhol-Tasha, Lezim, Zanj performance for the Calgary Stampede Parade. What you see on the 8 July 2022 Calgary Stampeded Parade is Lezim, which is a folk dance from the state of Maharashtra in India where the dancers carry a small musical instrument with jingling cymbals called the ‘Lezim’. The dance is a treat to watch and enjoy. It’s impossible to stay still when you hear Dhol-Tasha, the traditional drums of the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

The Lezim performers you see on Calgary Stampede Parade are not professional Lezim performers but are all volunteers. Once approval from the Stampede Committee was obtained by the CMA, the entire process of sourcing & ordering the musical instruments, including practicing for Stampede was completed in less than one month. So, kudos to all organizers and volunteers of this Lezim Performance.

In Lezim dance, there are various types of movements like stepping, hopping, crouching, and bending. Every movement of the dance is executed in perfect time with the proper strikes which are swung in four or eight counts. This provides a rhythmic accompaniment to the dance. Lezim Dance is frequently used as a fitness drill by schools in Maharashtra, militias and other institutions because it involves many callisthenic moves and can be quite strenuous.

The primary instruments played are described below.

Lezim

A set of small cymbals tied to a wooden handle

Dhol

A heavy large bass drum carried over the shoulder/waist for percussion

Tasha

A smaller snare drum is worn around the waist

Zanj (cymbals)

A cymbal is a pair of round plates used as a common percussion instrument

 

Our generous Supporters

Thank you forever…

Fun Fact

Alberta’s most recent GDP was $323 Billion with an area of 661,848 km2. The state of Maharashtra’s most recent GDP was $547 Billion with an area of 307,713 km2. In Canadian Dollars.