| Dappan Kuthu | |
|---|---|
 A typical Dappankuthu move | |
| Other names | Dappan Kuthu Kuthu |
| Stylistic origins | Tamil dance |
| Cultural origins | Tamil Nadu |
Dappankuthu (or simply Kuthu; /dəpɑːŋkuθu/) is a folk dance and music genre, that is typically danced to the Gaana music genre or Kuthu Beats with an emphasis on percussion performed in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of several popular genres employed in film music, mainly in Tamil cinema and other South films, filmed and produced by people of Tamil culture.[1] It is related to name Teenmaar (transl. Three sounds) music in Telugu states.[2]
Unlike classical Indian dances such as bharatanatyam or kathakali, dappankuthu is relatively informal in that it has no structured, repeated steps and dancers do not learn through formal dance classes. It shares its emphasis on percussion with older folk dances of Tamil Nadu, such as kummi and kolattam.
- ^ "Versatility is his forte". Business Line. 6 October 2003. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Thapliyal, Adesh (10 March 2023). "A Brief History of South Indian Kuthu and Teenmaar Music in 10 Songs". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.