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Indian Classical Dances

Indian classical dances have roots in Hindu musical theatre styles described in the ancient Sanskrit text Natya Shastra. There are currently nine official classical dances recognized in India, though some scholars include additional forms. The major dances share common aspects including three core performance categories - Nritta (abstract rhythmic dance), Nritya (expressive dance communicating feelings/stories), and Natya (solo or group theatrical performances using standardized gestures). All Indian classical dances also use similar symbolism and hand gestures to express emotions and stories through abhinaya performance techniques described in the Natya Shastra as connecting artists and audiences through body, speech, mind and setting.

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Samyak Mohanty
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226 views8 pages

Indian Classical Dances

Indian classical dances have roots in Hindu musical theatre styles described in the ancient Sanskrit text Natya Shastra. There are currently nine official classical dances recognized in India, though some scholars include additional forms. The major dances share common aspects including three core performance categories - Nritta (abstract rhythmic dance), Nritya (expressive dance communicating feelings/stories), and Natya (solo or group theatrical performances using standardized gestures). All Indian classical dances also use similar symbolism and hand gestures to express emotions and stories through abhinaya performance techniques described in the Natya Shastra as connecting artists and audiences through body, speech, mind and setting.

Uploaded by

Samyak Mohanty
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© © All Rights Reserved
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INDIAN CLASSICAL

DANCES
THE UNSPOKEN EXPRESSION

BY –PRIYANKA RUDRANSHI (10 B, ROLL NO.26)


INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCES (INTRODUCTION)

Indian classical dance or

Shastriya Devesh is an umbrella


term for various performance arts rooted
in Hindu musical theatre styles,
whose theory and practice can be traced
to the Sanskrit text Natya Shastra.
The number of classical dances range
from eight to more, depending on the
source and scholar. The Sangeet Natak
Academy recognizes eight –
Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam.
Scholars such as Drid Williams add Chhau, Yakshagana and Bhagavata Mela to the list.
Additionally, the Indian Ministry of Culture includes Chhau in its classical list. These dances are traditionally regional.
They consist of compositions
in Hindi, Malayalam, Meitei (Manipuri), Sanskrit, Tamil, Odia, Telugu, or any other Indian language and they represent an unity of core ideas in a diversity of styles, costumes and expression. Currently, there
are 9 official classical dances in India.
DANCE FORMS
The Natya Shastra mentions four Pravrittis (traditions, genres) of ancient dance-drama in vogue when it
was composed – Avanti (Ujjain, central), Dakshinatya (south), Panchali (north, west) and Odra-Magadhi
(east).

Sources differ in their list of Indian classical dance forms.

• Encyclopædia Britannica mentions six dances. The Sangeet Natak Akademi has given recognition to
nine Indian dances. The Indian government’s Ministry of Culture includes nine dance forms. Scholars
such as Drid Williams and others include Yaksagana and Bhagavata Mela to the nine classical Indian
dances in the Sangeet Natak Akademi list.
Classical Dances recognised by Classical Dances recognised by
Sangeeta Natak Academy: The Ministry of Culture
Bharatanatyam, from Tamil Nadu Chhau, from Eastern India (Odisha, Jharkhand, and
Kathak, from Uttar Pradesh West Bengal.
• Gaudiya Nritya, from Manipur and West Bengal
Kathakali, from Kerala
Kuchipudi, from Andhra Pradesh
Manipuri, from Manipur
Mohiniyattam, from Kerala
Odissi, from Odisha
• Sattriya, from Assam
SHARED ASPECTS
• All major classical Indian dance forms include in repertoire, three categories of
performance in the Natya Shastra. These are Nritta, Nritya and Natya.
• The Nritta performance is an abstract, fast and rhythmic aspect of the dance.
• The Nritya is slower and expressive aspect of the dance that attempts to communicate
feelings, storyline particularly with spiritual themes In Hindu dance traditions.
• • The Natyam is a play, typically a team performance, but can be acted out by a solo
performer where the dancer uses certain standardized body movements to indicate a
new character in the underlying story. A Natya incorporates the elements of a Nritya.

• All classical dances of India used similar symbolism and rules of gestures in abhinaya
(acting). The roots of abhinaya are found in the Natyashastra text which defines drama
in verse 6.10 as that which aesthetically arouses joy in the spectator, through the
medium of actor’s art of communication, that helps connect and transport the
individual into a super sensual inner state of being . A performance art, asserts
Natyashastra, connects the artists and the audience through abhinaya (literally,
“carrying to the spectators”), that is applying body- speech-mind and scene, wherein
the actors communicate to the audience, through song and music. Drama in this ancient
Sanskrit text, this is an art to engage every aspect of life, to glorify and gift a state of
joyful consciousness.
In Hindu classical dances, the artist successfully expresses the spiritual ideas by paying attention to
four aspects of a performance:
• Angika (gestures and body language),
• Vachika (song, recitation, music and rhythm),
• • Aharya (stage setting, costume, make up, jewelry),
• • Sattvika (artist’s mental disposition and emotional connection with the story and audience,
wherein the artist’s inner and outer state resonates)
• Abhinaya draws out the bhava (mood, psychological states).
END OF THE PROJECT

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