Dances are part of Art and Culture. There are folk dances that are particular to a region. Classical dances recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Here first we will cover all forms of dances in India.
Bharatnatyam is the oldest classical dance form. It derives its name from Bharatmuni and Natyam which means dance in Tamil. The origins of this dance form can be traced back to ‘Sadir’- the solo dance performance of temple dancers or ‘Devadasis’ in Tamil Nadu, hence it was also referred to as ‘Dashiattam’.
Four dance teachers of Thanjavur defined the elements of a Bharatnatyam recital. The elements are:
Alarippu: It is an invocatory piece of performance which includes basic dance postures and is accompanied by rhythmic syllables. It is meant to seek the blessings of God.
Jatiswaram: It is the Nritta component and is devoid of expressions, it includes the different poses and movements.
Jatiswaram: It is the Nritta component and is devoid of expressions, it includes the different poses and movements.
Shabnam: It is the dramatic element with expressed words, which includes the abhinaya in the song. It is generally in praise of the glory of God.
Varnam: It is the Nritya component. It is a combination of dance and emotions and is the most important part of the whole performance.
Padam: It refers to a mastery over the abhinaya(expression) of the spiritual message, by the artist. Music becomes light, dance becomes emotional.
Jawali: These are short live lyrical dance performed at a faster tempo.
Thillana: It is the concluding stage of the performance, and comprises pure dance(Nritta) with exuberant movement and intricate rhythmic variations.
Bharatnatyam is often referred to as the ‘fire dance’, as it is the manifestation of fire in the human body. One of the principal mudras is ‘Kataka Mukha Hasta’ in which he three fingers are joined to symbolize ‘Om’.
In Bharatnatyam recital, the knees are mostly bent and the weight is equally distributed across both the feet. It is also characterized by the ‘Ekcharya Lasyam’ style in which one dancer plays many different roles.
Originally performed by a group of actors going from village to village, known as Kusselavas, Kuchipudi derives its name from the Andhra. Stories of Bhagavat Purana became a central theme of the recitals, and the dancers came to be known as Bhagavathalus. The dance form gained prominence under the patronage of Vijayanagar and Golconda rulers.
In the temples of Kerala, two forms of dance-drama, Ramanattam and Krishnattam, evolved under the patronage of feudal lords, narrating episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. Some features of Kathakali dance are:
Mohiniattam or the Dance of an Enchantress is essentially a solo dance performance by women that was further developed by Vadivelu in 19th century and gained prominence uner the rulers of Travancore in the present state of Kerala.
The caves of Udayagiri-Khandagiri provide some of the earliest examples of Odissi dance. It was primarily practised by the ‘maharis’ and patronised by he Jain king Kheravela. In the mid-twentieth century, Odissi gained international acclaim due to the efforts of Charles Fabri and Indrani Rehman. Some of the features of Odissi are:
Manipuri dance form finds its mythological origin to the celestial dance of Shiva and Pravati in the valleys of Manipur along with the local ‘Gandharvas’. The dance form traces its origin to the festival of Lai Haraoba where many dances were performed. It is performed generally by females. Some of the features of Manipuri dance are as follows:
Tracing its origins from the Ras Leela of Brajbhoomi , Kathak dance is the traditional dance form of Uttar Pradesh. Kathak derived its name from the ‘Kathika’ or the story-tellers who recited verses from the epics, with gestures and music. It was also influenced by Persian costumes and styles of dancing. The classical style of Kathak was revived by Lady Leela Sokhey in twentieth century. Some of the features of Kathak are:
An importent feature of Kathak is the development of different Gharanas as it is based on Hindustani style of music:
Kathak dance form is characterised by the use of intricate footworks and pirouttes. The elements of a Kathak recital are:
Sattriya dance in modern-form was introduced by the Vaishnava saint Shankaradeva in the 15th century A.D in Assam. Dance derives its name from the Vaishnava monasteries known as ‘Sattras’, where it was primarily practised. Some of the features of Sattriya dance include:
The folk dance forms are generally spontaneous, crude and performed by the masses without any formal training. This simplicity gives the art form an inherent beauty. However these dance forms have remained confined to a certain sect of people or at a perticular locality, to whom the knowledge has been passed down the ages. For more details click.
Saraikella Chhau dance – Jharkhand (Uses Mask)
Mayurbhanj Chhau dance – Odisha (No Mask Is Used)
Purulia Chhau dance – West Bengal (Uses Mask)
There are three main styles of Chhau dance, Saraikella Chhau in Jharkhand, Mayurbhanj Chhau in Odisha and Purulia Chhau in West Bengal. Of these, Mayurbhanj Chhau artists don’t wear masks. In 2010, UNESCO inscribed Chhau in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Garba is a popular folk dance of Gujrat, held at the time of Navaratra. Garba actually refers to ‘Garba Deep’ – an earthern pot with holes, in which a lamp is lit and women dance around it in circular movements with rhythmic clapping.
It is an energetic dance, lively dance form in which polished sticks or dandiyas are used. It represents a mock fight between Durga and Mahishasura.
It is folk dance of Goa that celebrates the youthfulness of region. It is performed during Dussehra and Holi. People wear rainbow like constumes with multi coloured flags and streamers make it a visual spectacle.
This dance is performed by women of Bhil tribe in Rajasthan. It is characterised by the pirouetting movements of the women, which brings into prominence the multi-coloured vibrancies of the flowing Ghaghra.
Performed by women of Kalbelia community of Rajasthan. The costumes and dance movement are similar to that of serpents.
It is the popular folk dance of Himachal Pradesh, performed during the Dussehra festivities.
Bhangra is the highly energetic folk dance of Punjab. Giddha is the female counterpart of male Bhangra.
Braj Raslila is a popular folk dance of region of Uttar Pradesh, revolving around the adolscent love stories of Radha and Krishna.
It is the semi-classical form of dance popular in Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by the music of same style. It was extremely popular among the courtesans of Lucknow region.
Jawara is the harvest dance popular in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. The dance, which includes balancing a basket full of jawar on the head, is accompanied by a heavy instrumental music.
Matki dance is performed by the women of Malwa region on the occasions of wedding and other festivities. It is mainly performed solo, while balancing a number of earthen pots on the head. Aada and Khada Nach are popular variants of Matki dance.
Gaur Maria is an importent ritualistic dance form of the Bison Horn Maria tribes who live in the Bastar region of Chattisgarh. Done by both men and women.
Alkap is a rural dance-drama performance prevalent in Jharkhand and West Bengal. The dance is generally associated with the Gajan festival of Shiva.
Biraha dance along with its variant, Bidesia is a popular form of entertainment in rural Bihar. It is a portrayal of pain of the women, whose partners are away from home. However this dance form is practised solely by males, who play the role of female characters as well.
Paika is a martial folk dance performed in the southern parts of Odisha. Paika is a form of long spear. The work Paika signifies battle.
Jat-Jatin is popular in the northern parts of Bihar, especially in the regions of Mithila. This dance form is unique in its representation of the tender love and quarrel of a married couple.
Jhumar is a popular harvest dance, performed by the tribal people of Jharkhand and Odisha. It has two variations – Janani Jhumar, performed by women and Mardana Jhumar, performed by men. It is a major attraction at many fairs and festivals.
The Danda Nata or the Danda Jatra is one of the oldest folk arts of India. Mainly popular in Odisha, it is a unique blend of dance, drama and music. While it mainly narrates stories and lore about Shiva, the theme is generally social harmony and brotherhood.
Bihu is the popular dance of Assam, performed in group by both men and women. The dancers are dressed in colorful traditional dresses to celebrate the pomp and gaiety. The dance performance includes group formations, rapid hand movement and brisk footsteps.
Thang Ta is the exclusive martial dance form of Manipur. Thang means sword and Ta means spear. The dance performance is a unique display of skill, creativity and agility in which the performers enact a mock fight sequence – leaping to attack and defend.
The Rangma is the war dance of Nagas. Dressed in colourful costumes, jewellery and colourful headgears, the dancers enact mock war formations and traditions.
The Singhi Chham is a popular mask dance of Sikkim. The dancers are dressed in furry costumes, symbolising the snow lion and pay tribute to Khang-chen Dzong Pa(Kanchenjunga peak).
Performed by women, standing in a circular formation. A unique feature of the dance performance is the absence of any accompanying music. The dance is generally performed during Pongal and other religious festivities.
Mayilattam is afolk dance of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in which young girls are dressed as peacoks, with colourful headgears, beaks and feathers. It is also known as peacock dance.
Burrakatha or jangam Katha, is a form of dance narration from Andhra Pradesh, in which a single performer narrates stories from the puranas.
Butta Bommalu literally means basket toys and is a popular dance form of the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The dancers wear masks of different characters, resembling toy like shapes, and entertain through delicate movements and non-verbal music.
Kaikottikali is a popular temple dance of Kerala. It is performed by both men and women at the time of Onam to celebrate rich harvest. Airukali and Tattamakali are similar forms of this dance.
Padayani is a martial art dance performed in the temples of southern Kerala. Padayani literally means row of infantry, and it’s a very rich and colourful affair. The dancers wear huge masks known as kolams, and present interpretations of divine and semi divine narratives. Some of the popular characters are Bhairavi, Kalan(god of death), Yakshi and Pakshi, etc.
Martial dance in southern Kerala and Lakshwadeep. Kol means stick and Parcha means shield. The dancers use mock weapons made of wood and enact fight sequences.
Bhootha Aradhane or devil worship is a popular dance form in Karnataka. Prior to the performance, idols depicting devils are placed on a plinth and the performer then dances vigorously, as if a possessed person.Dance form popular in Mysore region. It is primarily a religious dance performed by men who use long bamboo poles decorated with colourful exuberance makes it a visual spectacle and is extemely popular among the masses of all religion.
Dance form popular in Mysore region. It is primarily a religious dance performed by men who use long bamboo poles decorated with colourful exuberance makes it a visual spectacle and is extemely popular among the masses of all religion.
It is a art form of Kerala. It is a solo performance, where the performer desses himself as a snake. It is combination of prose and poetry, and is generally a narration in Malayalam. It has been traditionally performed by the Chakyar community. The performer wear a colourful headgear, a large black moustache and red spots all over his body.
It is performed by tribal sikhs in Punjab and adjoining areas during the harvest season. Movement of arms is the most importent part, on the tune of the drums. Costumes are same as in Bhangra. It was carried to India by the traders of Balochistan.
During the tribal festival of ‘Karma’ by many tribes of Eastern India especially in the Chota Nagpur plateau. Dancers from circle and dance with arms around each other’s waist
Performed in Chattisgarh by the Yadav community, especially during the festival of Diwali.
It is performed in Jammu and Kashmir by Wattal tribes. It involves colourful costumes with a tall conical hat for men. Performers dance and sing to the drum beats.
These dance in varied formations, mostly in circles and rows. It has many subtypes according to local customs. It is performed in the Kongan region of Goa.
It is folk dance of Mizoram and performed using bamboo sticks. It is likely to have a foreign origin. Men tap long pairs of bamboo in rhythmic beats, and girls dance to the beats of bamboo.
Mostly peformed during festival of Dussehra in Odisha. It is peformed by the tribes and many instruments are used. Events of Mahabharata, Ramayana, etc are represented.
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