Indian Classical Dances
India is a land of diversity and cultural heritage.India has a very rich tradition of classical dances. The classical dance forms which have developed, have set rules that have been followed traditionally over the years. Apart from the gracious hand & leg postures & movements, the dancers have to acquire the skill of portraying various emotions faithfully in each expression on their face & each fluid movement of their hand, legs & in fact their whole body. Every part conveys some meaning in their graceful motion.
The various dance forms have also developed a particular form of make-up for the performance, which is a skill by itself. The costumes for all forms are elaborate & rich, but each form & style have their own traditional patterns set down. Jewels for the dancers are also specially created to suit their purpose.
India has a spectacular heritage of performing ritual,folk and classical arts.Indian cultural dance is basically divided into three major categories.They are represented in the form of ...
# Nritta
Nritta is pure dance which includes the basic dance steps and the variation of foot movements. In Bharathanatyam,'Alarippu' is one of the Nritta items.
# Nritya
Nritya means expression.It comes from the mind and is shown through the face and eyes. Nritya is based on a theme or story. In Bharathanatyam,'Padam' is one of the Nritya Items.
# Natya
Natya includes the dramatic representation of stories from mythology.In Bhrathanatyam,'Varnam' is one of the Natya Items.
Following are different forms of Indian Classical Dances
# Bharatha Natyam
Origin: Tanjavoor of Tamil Nadu,South India
Characteristics:
The dance form is based on 'Adavu' (Steps) and 'Hasta Mudra' (handgestures). The dancer artistically tells stories and events from the epics through mudras (movements of the hand and feet) and facial expressions.This dance is poetry in motion.Bharathanatyam gives importance to Padartha Abhinaya.The music of Bharathanatyam is based on Carnatic Classical Music.
# Mohiniyattam
Origin: State of Kerala, Southwestern India.
Characteristics:
Classical female-dance tradition of South-Kerala. The theme of Mohiniyattam dance is love and devotion to god. Mohiniyattam gives more importance to gestural and facial acting.The expressions which are shown to express poetic meanings is Abinaya.Navarasas(Nine Moods) comes under the Abhinaya or Expression part in dance.The music used in Mohiniyattam is based on Classical or Semi-Classical compositions
# Kathakali
Origin: State of Kerala, Southwestern India
Characteristics:
Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of Kerala.It is a complete art constituting three fine arts-Abhinaya (acting) and Nrithya (dancing) and Geeta (music). 'Katha' in Sanskrit means story and 'Kali' a Dravidian word meaning play.A Kathakali actor enacts his ideas through mudras.Kathakali characters communicate through the language of hand-gestures,body movements and facial expressions.All its themes are selected from the great Indian epics, Raamayana, Mahaabhaarata, and the Bhaagavata. Kathakali music has developed into a distinctive type of singing known as the sopana style . Kathakali was originally performed only by men, with female characters played by men, but in recent years women have begun to dance Kathakali
# Kathak
Origin:State of Uttar Pradesh,Northern India
Characteristics:
The word Kathak, derived from 'Katha', literally means storyteller.In Kathak,more emphasis was laid on nritta, the pure dance aspect and less on abhinaya.Tatkar is the basic footwork of kathak.It is the fundamental footwork from which all other foot sounds and compositions are created.Dancers perform Kathak keeping their bodies straight.Both men and women perform Kathak dances.Traditionally the stories were of Radha and Krishna, in the Natwari style.Kathak is bound with classical Hindustani music, and the rhythmic nimbleness of the feet is accompanied by the table or pakhawaj.
# Kuchipudi
Origin:State of Andhra Pradesh,Southern India
Dance Characteristics:
Kuchipudi is originated as a form of dance drama with religious themes. Kuchipudi gives importance to Vakyartha Abhinaya(use of words or dialogues).According to tradition this dance is originally performed by men of the Brahmin community.It has a rich repertoire of Kalapas and Yakshaganas,dance dramas and solos.Kuchipudi music is based on pure classical ragas and taalas.
# Manipuri
Origin: State of Manipur,Northeastern India
Characteristics:
The technique of Manipuri dancing is based on an interesting principle of compensatory movement with the objective of achieving rounded movements and avoiding any jerks,sharp edges or straight lines.Manipuri dances are devotional or ritualistic rather than entertainment of the eyes.The Mudra's or hand Movements in Manipuri dance are quite different from other classical dance forms.Dhak, Kartal, Mangkang, and Sembong are the soul of Manipuri Sankritana music and Classical Manipuri Dance.The main musical instrument in Manipuri dance is Kartal or cymbal.
# Odissi
Origin:State of Orissa,Eastern India
Characteristics:
Odissi is a graceful style of classical dance that is inspired thematically by the literature, art and spiritual movements of the Vaishnava (worshippers of Vishnu).It was performed in the temples of Orissa as a religious rite and offering by the Devadasis known as Maharis. Odissi presents a fine synthesiss of lasya (feminity) and Tandava aspects of the Indian Classical Dance. The dancer very efficiently changers from one to the other according to the need of the expressional number, rythmic syllables and abhinaya. The dance numbers are either in Sanskrit or Orissi and the music is a combination of Hindustani and Carnatic classical styles.
Indian Folk Dances
Articles on Classical Dances
The various dance forms have also developed a particular form of make-up for the performance, which is a skill by itself. The costumes for all forms are elaborate & rich, but each form & style have their own traditional patterns set down. Jewels for the dancers are also specially created to suit their purpose.
India has a spectacular heritage of performing ritual,folk and classical arts.Indian cultural dance is basically divided into three major categories.They are represented in the form of ...
# Nritta
Nritta is pure dance which includes the basic dance steps and the variation of foot movements. In Bharathanatyam,'Alarippu' is one of the Nritta items.
# Nritya
Nritya means expression.It comes from the mind and is shown through the face and eyes. Nritya is based on a theme or story. In Bharathanatyam,'Padam' is one of the Nritya Items.
# Natya
Natya includes the dramatic representation of stories from mythology.In Bhrathanatyam,'Varnam' is one of the Natya Items.
Following are different forms of Indian Classical Dances
# Bharatha Natyam
Origin: Tanjavoor of Tamil Nadu,South India
Characteristics:
The dance form is based on 'Adavu' (Steps) and 'Hasta Mudra' (handgestures). The dancer artistically tells stories and events from the epics through mudras (movements of the hand and feet) and facial expressions.This dance is poetry in motion.Bharathanatyam gives importance to Padartha Abhinaya.The music of Bharathanatyam is based on Carnatic Classical Music.
# Mohiniyattam
Origin: State of Kerala, Southwestern India.
Characteristics:
Classical female-dance tradition of South-Kerala. The theme of Mohiniyattam dance is love and devotion to god. Mohiniyattam gives more importance to gestural and facial acting.The expressions which are shown to express poetic meanings is Abinaya.Navarasas(Nine Moods) comes under the Abhinaya or Expression part in dance.The music used in Mohiniyattam is based on Classical or Semi-Classical compositions
# Kathakali
Origin: State of Kerala, Southwestern India
Characteristics:
Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of Kerala.It is a complete art constituting three fine arts-Abhinaya (acting) and Nrithya (dancing) and Geeta (music). 'Katha' in Sanskrit means story and 'Kali' a Dravidian word meaning play.A Kathakali actor enacts his ideas through mudras.Kathakali characters communicate through the language of hand-gestures,body movements and facial expressions.All its themes are selected from the great Indian epics, Raamayana, Mahaabhaarata, and the Bhaagavata. Kathakali music has developed into a distinctive type of singing known as the sopana style . Kathakali was originally performed only by men, with female characters played by men, but in recent years women have begun to dance Kathakali
# Kathak
Origin:State of Uttar Pradesh,Northern India
Characteristics:
The word Kathak, derived from 'Katha', literally means storyteller.In Kathak,more emphasis was laid on nritta, the pure dance aspect and less on abhinaya.Tatkar is the basic footwork of kathak.It is the fundamental footwork from which all other foot sounds and compositions are created.Dancers perform Kathak keeping their bodies straight.Both men and women perform Kathak dances.Traditionally the stories were of Radha and Krishna, in the Natwari style.Kathak is bound with classical Hindustani music, and the rhythmic nimbleness of the feet is accompanied by the table or pakhawaj.
# Kuchipudi
Origin:State of Andhra Pradesh,Southern India
Dance Characteristics:
Kuchipudi is originated as a form of dance drama with religious themes. Kuchipudi gives importance to Vakyartha Abhinaya(use of words or dialogues).According to tradition this dance is originally performed by men of the Brahmin community.It has a rich repertoire of Kalapas and Yakshaganas,dance dramas and solos.Kuchipudi music is based on pure classical ragas and taalas.
# Manipuri
Origin: State of Manipur,Northeastern India
Characteristics:
The technique of Manipuri dancing is based on an interesting principle of compensatory movement with the objective of achieving rounded movements and avoiding any jerks,sharp edges or straight lines.Manipuri dances are devotional or ritualistic rather than entertainment of the eyes.The Mudra's or hand Movements in Manipuri dance are quite different from other classical dance forms.Dhak, Kartal, Mangkang, and Sembong are the soul of Manipuri Sankritana music and Classical Manipuri Dance.The main musical instrument in Manipuri dance is Kartal or cymbal.
# Odissi
Origin:State of Orissa,Eastern India
Characteristics:
Odissi is a graceful style of classical dance that is inspired thematically by the literature, art and spiritual movements of the Vaishnava (worshippers of Vishnu).It was performed in the temples of Orissa as a religious rite and offering by the Devadasis known as Maharis. Odissi presents a fine synthesiss of lasya (feminity) and Tandava aspects of the Indian Classical Dance. The dancer very efficiently changers from one to the other according to the need of the expressional number, rythmic syllables and abhinaya. The dance numbers are either in Sanskrit or Orissi and the music is a combination of Hindustani and Carnatic classical styles.
Indian Folk Dances
Articles on Classical Dances