Believed to be in existence for more than a millennium, Kolkali- a popular folk dance of Kerala with rhythmic beating of the sticks, which the dancers hold in their hands. Dancers move in circles around a Nilavilakku (traditional metal lamp) as they sing and dance. Though the dancers break away to form different patterns, they never miss a beat. The pace and rhythm of the dance varies from phase to phase, as the accompanying music gradually rises in pitch and the performance reaches its climax.