Performed by women dressed in traditional attire, the matki dance is quite difficult and technical as the women dance while balancing earthen pots or matkis on their heads. The dance is performed on the beats of a dhol, which is a double-headed drum. Overall, it makes for an entrancing performance. It is also called the pitcher dance and belongs to the state of Madhya Pradesh, particularly to the Malwa region.

This dance form has been developed by the nomadic tribes of the state. Women often had to carry earthen pots on their heads to collect water and thus they eventually transformed this daily chore into a dance form. The dancers are clad in a colourful lehenga or saree and ornamented with beautiful jewellery pieces. Many times a veil is used to cover the face.