Classical Dances of India

Introduction:

The article “CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA” is not a guide to performing classical dances of India, but rather a guide to understanding their significance in Indian society. The popularity and relevance of these dances are so great that India put them at the top of the national curriculum. It is likely that these dances will soon be taken off the curriculum as they no longer hold cultural relevance due to modern dance styles, which have been taking precedence over Indian classical dance for some time now. As India continues its own cultural evolution and internationalises more rapidly, it appears that there will now be too many variations of this particular genre for one single category on a list like this article’s.

What is Classical Dance?

Classical Dance is further subdivided into two types, which are:

Classical Dance (Mandal) : these dances are the finest in all of India, and are the most beautiful and elegant dances. They are generally performed to Indian classical music.

Modern Dance (Western Art): these dances have their roots in the West; however, they have been adapted for use in India. They now come with a variety of dance forms like jazz, ballet, salsa, etc., and thus cover a wide range of styles from classical to modern to folk dance.

The Origins:

By far the most popular dance of India, the classical dances emerged as early as 3000 BC on the Indian sub-continents. They originated in and were performed to ancient Indian music. Thus they are simply referred to as “classical” dances.

Types of Classical Dance in India:

1)Kathak: Kathak, meaning “story teller”, is derived from the verb katha, meaning “to teach”. It is an ancient dance form that involves stories told through the use of hand gestures. Kathak from the state of Uttar Pradesh is one of the eight classical dances of India and has many forms and styles.

2) Bharatnatyam: Bharatnatyam, meaning “dance of India”, is derived from the word bharaṇa, which means “to entertain”. This classical dance is referred to as devotional dance because it imitates aspects and manifestations of both nature and a variety of Hindu gods and goddesses.

3) Kuchipudi: Kuchipudi means “ball game” in Sanskrit. This dance form is native to the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. A precursor to Bharatnatyam, it was at one time called “Andhra leela”, which means “dance of Andhra”. Kuchipudi originated as an independent dance form and later found its way into mainstream Indian classical dances and Bharatnatyam.

4)Kathakali:Kathakali from Kerala state  is derived from the word Kathaka, meaning “a description which tells a story”. It is a very dramatic type of dance that involves stories and characters, most often from Hindu mythology. The stories are told in the form of a play, with actors performing scenes while the audience watches on stage. This dance form was reserved only for the upper caste and higher-class citizens.

5) Mohiniattam:Dance from the state of Kerala . Mohiniattam means “the goddess of illusion”. As such, it was a sacred dance performed by men that imitated the image of the Hindu deity Mohini, who is believed to be an incarnation of Parvati herself. This dance was reserved for Hindus and only performed during special occasions in which gods were worshipped.

6) Odissi: Odissi is derived from the word Odi, meaning “to spread out” or “to dance”. It is an ancient classical dance form from India’s Western state Orissa that originated between 1000 AD and 1500 AD. It was originally a group performance dance, but is currently performed solo. Odissi uses both classical and folk elements to create its dance style.

7) Manipuri: Manipuri is a classical dance of India that originally came from the Manipur state in northeastern India. It is also referred to as “the dance of the manipuris”. The Manipuris are an Indian ethnic group whose original home was in the region located today along the Indo-Myanmar border. The Manipuris have a history of more than 2000 years and thus have had ample time to develop their own distinctive cultural identity.

occurs in the autumn season. Worship of the goddess Durga is another major part of this festival. Garba began as a folk dance with men and women dancing in circles, holding hands. Today, this simple act has been replaced by more complex choreography that includes colourful costumes, dramatic lighting effects, and intricate footwork.

8)Sattriya :A beautiful dance from Assam .It is celebrated in winters in the north east .Mythological stories are been in this dance .Bhokots (male monks ) used to perform sattriya in olden days but in modern days both men and women perform  on it.

Conclusion:

A person of Indian origin is classified as someone whose ancestors are from India, or whose family lived in India for generations. Thus, people of Indian origin include Indians as well as ethnic and national groups who may have been born outside India but whose family histories and personal cultural ties are closely linked to the Indian subcontinent. There are many famous dancers in the world who come from different parts of the globe and have their own specialties. The dancers that were listed above are some of the greats that helped to bring popularity to classical forms of dance.