There is no corner in the world where you cannot hear the applauds for the richness of Indian culture. And Indian classical dance is one of its aspects. Before knowing about the Indian classical dance types, please scroll down to understand their historical significance. 

From Where Did the Indian Classical Dance Originate?

Having their roots from the Natya Shastra, classical dance performances were a way-out for communicating with the almighty. Whether it was gratitude towards the harvest deity, anger for the sufferings, or the request to achieve tranquility, people expressed every emotion flawlessly through their dance. In fact, expressions and emotions were two of the elements of Indian classical dance. 

Although India has a diversified culture with a plethora of dance forms, not all are classical. A few of them, such as Bihu, Garba, Bhangra, and much more, are folk dances.

According to the Sangeet Natak Akademi, there are only eight classical dance forms recognized so far. Let’s have a quick stroll through each of them. 

1- Bharatanatyam: The Oldest Glory of Indian Dance

This dance form was revived by Rukmani Devi Arundale and E Krishna Iyer in the early 20th century. As its name speaks out loud, this dance form is an epitome of emotion(Bhava), music(Raga), rhythm(Taal), and dance(Natyam) bound together in one string. Enlisted are a few more good things about this dance:

• Seven-staged Performance ( Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Padam, Tillana and Shlokam)
• Eye-pleasing Costumes( Men: Silk Dhoti, Women: Six-piece dress made of silk saree)
• Ghungroo Rhythm( Both men and women wear ankle-bells)
• Mythological Tales ( Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism)

2- Kuchipudi: An Ultimate Depiction of Krishna’s Life

If you wish to know the life events of Lord Krishna, then spectating a Kuchipudi dance performance needs to be on your bucket list. This mesmerizing dance from Andhra Pradesh is incomplete without the harmonious rhythm of musical instruments like mridangam, cymbals, veena, flute and the tambura.

Are you confused between Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dance? Check for the single fans in the dancer’s dress and the rounded poses they give to identify a Kuchipudi performance. Thanks to Siddhendra Yogi for propagating this commendable dance form!

3- Kathakali: The Green-masked Pride of Kerala

Have you seen those people with lavish green paint on their face in the Incredible India video? They are Kuchipudi dancers, the pride of Kerala. The valiant tales from the Ramayana and Mahabharat are the two sources for the themes of this dance. 

One of its unique features is the distinctive face makeups for different characters. In that case, the evil character has a red mark on the cheeks. Whereas the divine characters have elongated eyes and light green detailing on the upper cheeks. 

4- Mohiniyattam: The Feminine Sway of Kerala 

Justifying its name perfectly, Mohiniyattam is a feminine dance form. It depicts the story of Mohini, the enchantress incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who tricked the demons to acquire the pot of immortality drink. 

With some graceful expressions and delicate steps, this dance is all about a woman solo dancer. Her elegant white saree with golden borders adds serenity to her overall performance. Additionally, this dance borrows some of its hand gestures and traditional repertoires from Bharatanatyam and Kathakali.

5- Kathak: A Storytelling Twirl From North India

One of the popular classical dances of India, Kathak, owes its legacy to three schools (gharanas) of North India: Lucknow, Banaras, and Jaipur. Since it has both the Hindu and Muslim schools, this element makes it unique. Thumri is one of the popular Hindustani genres of this dance form that expresses various romantic tales. 

Paying extra emphasis on storytelling, its performers present the tales of Ramayan, Mahabharat, and Krishna flawlessly. The credit goes to the picturesque eye movements, hand gestures, and footwork they use. Both men and women adorn their ankles with Ghungroo (ankle-bells) while performing this art. 

6- Odissi: The Accentuated Dance of Odisha

Do you find it interesting to learn the lores of Indian deities? Without waiting much, go and watch an Odissi dance performance. Accompanied by a singer, drummer who plays Pakhawaj, flute and sitar, this form has one of the most delicate and elegant movements. 

The costumes for the Odissi dance are almost similar to the Bharatanatyam outfits. However, the female Odissi dancers perform in the orchestra of Carnatic music wearing a bright-colored patta saree. Besides that, they embellish their look with filigree silver jewelry too. 

7- Manipuri : The Spiritual Dance from Manipur

Another classical dance representing the romantic tales of Radha-Krishna, Manipuri dance has its traces from Manipur. Since its performers maintain zero eye contact with the audience, this characteristic makes it an introverted dance form. 

Manipuri dance comprises the Jagoi and Cholom elements. The former is gentle while the latter is vigorous. Performers bend their legs and bring the knees together to ensure light and swing movements. Are you excited to learn about its principal musical instruments? Well, they are pung, drum, and flute. 

8- Sattariya: A Part of Neo-Vaishnavism Movement 

The lately recognized dance form, Sattriya, is all about the representation of mythological tales of Vaishnavism. A unique feature of this form is the group of men who play the drum in various rhythms using different hand gestures. The Purush Pak (Male) and Prakriti Pak(Female) perform on the Borgeet music supported by the beats, correspondingly.

Following are a few more standout perks of this dance form:

• Male Dress: Dhoti, Chadar, and Paguri(Turban)
• Female Dress: Ghuri, Chadar, and Kanchi(waistcloth)
• Two Corpuses: Ankiya bhaona and Ojapali dances 
• Famous artists: Guru Jatin Goswami and Sharodi Saikia

Final Thoughts,

Undoubtedly, Indian classical dance types are unique in every facet: Historical significance, style, or performance. They are the secret languages of the body and soul that don’t need words. 

Although we covered the basic features of the Indian Classical dance types, you can still discover a cornucopia of amazing things about them. Believe it or not, you will forget Hip-hop and Zumba!

So, have you fallen in love with any of the eight discussed Indian dances? Tell us in the comment box about your favorite one. 

To get to know more about Indian culture, check out our posts on Holi decoration ideas for school and Lohari decoration ideas.