Bharata Natyam Dance

Bharata Natyam : Originated from Tamil Nadu state in Southern India, it has style that boasts strength & beauty. Bharat Natyam style has balanced and dynamic positions too. In dance, Bharat Natyam dance is like a diamond and has many steps to be in rhythm and expressive positions. It’s the combination of melody & rhythm, poetry & drama, expression & sculpture, color & traditions. These all aspects make it world’s most popular Indian dance.

Manipuri Dance

Manipuri : It originated from Manipur state in North East of India. It’s a devotional & regional dance where Manipuri dancers devote themselves to Lord Krishna or Lord Vishnu. Traditionally, this dance style has been taught to the devotees by the local priests. If a person wanted to learn Manipuri dance, there was no special Guru for teaching Manipuri dance, just visiting a regional priest called ‘Ojha’ was enough to start learning Manipuri dance at priest’s home. Manipuri dance style is very smooth, simple, clean and elegant. The dance is performed by male dancers & female dancers both and the difference is visible very clearly. The female dancer is very poised and gentle and the male dancer is powerful and energetic. Overall, this dance is never aggressive and loud. It’s main theme is for the Shirngar - Bhakti (love & devotional aspect) dance dedicated to God.

Kathak Dance

Kathak : It originated from ‘Braj’ region in Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The word ‘Kathak’ means ‘Katha’ (story in Hindi) – a story being narrated through the Kathak dance. Everyone like stories and in Kathak dance stories the facial expression and style does matter and in that manner to tell a story by dance is called ‘kathak’. In Kathak dance style the dancing skills included are recitation, singing, acting & dancing. This dance originally developed close to Lord Krishna’s birth place in 15th century AD through ‘Ras-leela’ – the divine dance in ‘Braj’. With the passing time the meaning and aim of this traditional devotional dance format has also changed and the devotional lyrics have been replaced by very fast rhythm.

Odissi Dance

Odissi : Originated from Orissa state of India, which is located on the eastern coast of central India. This state is very old and rich in culture, traditions and religious beliefs. In India, dance are always related to devotion towards God and devotee pays their devotion through dance.
Today, in present “Tabu” & “Pallvi” is most famous sculptural poses and dance style practiced in Odissi dance. The ‘ashtapadi’ is a great part in Odissi dance, ‘Moksha (salvation) is also an important part where a Odissi dancer pays homage to God, to the Guru and to audience before ending her performance. In the Odissi dance style, the sacred verses from the ‘Gita-Govind’ are narrated as the main part of lyrics.

Kuchipudi Dance

Kuchipudi : Kuchipudi dance belongs to a little village by the name Kuchipudi itself in the southern Indian state of Andhra pardesh. It’s based on stories from the Puranas. In Kuchipudi dance style, the Kuchipudi dancer is required to sing, dance and deliver the dialogue. This form is still prevalent and popular. In the Kuchipudi dramas male dancers impersonate the female characters. Women are not permitted to take part in this dance drama at all.

Mohiniyattam Dance

Mohiniyattam : Is the dance style developed by the women in Kerala state of southern India. Mohiniyattam dance has the ancient history, which belong to Hindu mythology. The drums called edakka and maddalam are used in this dance like the Kathakali dance style but it has no harsh movement like kathkali.

Sattriya Dance

Sattriya :It is much unknown form of Indian classical dance, relates to the beautiful state of Assam in north east India. It was originated by Srimant Sankaradeva, the man who started the “bhakti movement” (devotional movement) with the Assameese people and was the well known poet, playwright and artist of his time. The name of the Sattriya dance style is also related to the name of ‘Sattra’ village in Assam.

Kathkali Dance

Kathkali : Kathkali dance is very exciting and is the traditional dance form the southern Indian of Kerala. “Katha” means a story and “kali” is play. It’s also based on Hindu mythology story. Of the masked dance forms in India, Kathkali dance is the most vibrant, colorful and the most intricate one. The Kathkali dance troupes became famous for their presentation of “Epic tales” taken from the Puranas.
This dance also faced the bad days, but in 1930, the poet Vallathol Narayana Menon saved this art and established a wonderful Kathkali dance training school for dancers performing Kathkali dance in a place called Shoranpur. Later this was called the “Kalamandlam”. “Kathkali dance” teachers are called “Ashaans”. Kathkali dance is always performed in the night. For performing this art only two things are required a wooden stoole and a small curtain, it called a “therashila”. Allover, Kathkali dance style is very magical, vibrant and colorful, easy and dramatic art.