Classical Dances
Arts & Culture · शास्त्रीय नृत्य
📋Quick Overview
India has 8 classical dance forms recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. These dances have ancient origins, codified movements, and are deeply rooted in Indian mythology and scriptures. The most asked exam questions involve matching dances with their states and famous exponents.
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Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni is the oldest treatise on dance and drama. All 8 classical dances derive from it.
📖8 Classical Dances — State & Details
| Dance | State | Key Feature | Famous Exponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Oldest classical dance, temple dance, Nritta-Nritya-Natya | Rukmini Devi Arundale, Padma Subrahmanyam |
| Kathak | Uttar Pradesh | Only classical dance with Hindu-Muslim influence, footwork & spins (chakkar) | Birju Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj |
| Kathakali | Kerala | Male dancers, elaborate costumes & makeup, stories from Ramayana/Mahabharata | Kalamandalam Gopi, Vallathol Narayana Menon (revived) |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Dance-drama tradition, brass plate dance, originated in Kuchipudi village | Raja & Radha Reddy, Vempati Chinna Satyam |
| Odissi | Odisha | Oldest surviving dance, tribhanga posture (3 body bends), temple sculptures | Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh |
| Manipuri | Manipur | Gentle, graceful movements, Raas Leela theme, no footwork | Guru Bipin Singh, Jhaveri Sisters |
| Mohiniyattam | Kerala | Female solo dance, 'Dance of the Enchantress', swaying movements | Sunanda Nair, Bharati Shivaji |
| Sattriya | Assam | Created by Srimanta Sankardev (15th century), performed in Sattras (monasteries) | Recognized as classical in 2000 |
📝Important Points
- •Bharatanatyam was earlier called Sadir or Dasi Attam (temple dance by Devadasis)
- •Kathak has 3 gharanas: Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras
- •Kathakali uses Mudras (hand gestures) and Navarasas (9 emotions)
- •Kerala has 2 classical dances: Kathakali (male) and Mohiniyattam (female)
- •Odissi sculptures found in Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves (2nd century BCE)
- •Manipuri dance avoids showing soles of feet to audience
- •Sattriya was the last (8th) dance to get classical status (2000)
- •Birju Maharaj (1938-2022) was the greatest Kathak dancer of modern era