Among the Tharu community of Kumaon region of Uttar Pradesh, Tharuba dance is prevalent in which a boy dressed as a girl performs. The Tharuha dancers are also skillful as the Gotipuas and the Sattriya dancers. There are various kinds of dance movements, of which some have acrobatic elements. A dancer while dancing, at times, spins a large brass plate on the tip of the forefinger of the tight hand. The dancers are in a sense professionals since payment is made to them for their performance. They are accompanied by the drummer who plays Mridanga, a drum with two faces. He also sings while playing the drum. A few musicians play cymbals. The musicians form a circle and at the centre the Tharuba dancer performs.
Sattriya
In 16th century, Shankaradeva, a devout Vaishnava and a creative genius of Assam shaped a stylized theatre to give vent to his spiritual feelings. He wrote several Ankianats i.e. one act plays, the performance of which is called Bhawana, literally meaning contemplation or meditation. The Ankianats were performed in the Vaishnava monasteries called Sattra. In Bhawana performance, female roles are played by boys. The performance includes several solo dance passages which are performed by the boys. When these solo passages are performed not as a part of the drama but independent presentation, they are called Sattriya dance. The dance is accompanied by singing and percussion music of Khol, the drum with two faces much like the Pung of Manipur, and Manjira, small cymbals.
Gotipua
Counterparts of Bachcha Nagma are found in Orissa, Assam, and among the Tharu community of Uttar Pradesh. In Orissa the teenaged boys who perform the dance are called Gotipua. The Gotipua dance evolved around 17th century. In southern Orissa especially in the district of Ganjam, the dance is called Sakhi Nacha. The tradition evolved around 17th century. The temple dancers called Maharis could not get the enthusiastic patronage of royal court. As a result, their dancing started declining for lack of proper training in dance. The Raj-nartaki class of dancers who were dancing at the royal court and also for the public during festivals like Vasantotsava, also disappeared owing to lack of patronage, since the royal nobilities preferred more sensual dance of the courtesans called Baiji.