Bharatanatyam

● This is the oldest classical dance form of India (Shastriya Nritya), a famous
classical dance form of present day southern state of Tamil Nadu.
● The name Bharatanatyam is derived from the words Bharata Muni (the
author of Natyashastra) and the word 'Natyam'.
● Bharatanatyam traces its lineage to the ancient dance of Sadir Attam.
● Bharatanatyam Dance which is considered the 'Mother of other classical
dances' of India.
● This dance is also called 'Agni Nritya', because most of the postures of this
dance resemble flames.
● The Seven styles of Bharatnatyam are- Pushpanjali, Alarippu, Jatiswaram,
Shabdam, Varnam, Padam, and Tillana.
● The 3 dance forms in Bharatanatyam are the Melattur, Pandanallur and the
Vazhuvoor. Kalakshetra style is said to be the simplified form of the
Pandanallur style.
● 'Alarippu' is a dance piece from this Classical dance. A Nattuvanar conducts
a Bharatanatyam dance recital. The term Nattuvanar connotes a man who
accompanied the devadasi dance in the capacity of a dance-master, music
conductor, and vocal percussionist.
● Bharatanatyam dance is known as Ekaharya, which implies One dancer
takes on many roles in a single performance.
● Notable Dancers- Alarmel Worli, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma
Subrahmanyam, T Bala Saraswati, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Sonal Mansingh,
Rukmini Devi Arundel, Priyadarshini Govind, Leela Samson, Saroj
Vaidyanath.

Kathak Dance
● Kathak is a classical dance form of Uttar Pradesh. Basically it is a dance
form of North India.
● There are three major Gharana of Kathak – Jaipur Gharana, Lucknow
Gharana and Banaras Gharana.
 ● The traditional origin of Kathak dance is attributed to Bindadin Maharaj of
the Jaipur Gharana.
● The word Kathak is derived from the word 'Katha', which literally means
story.
● Kathak was performed in the courts of the Mughal emperors, where it
acquired its present characteristics and developed into a distinctive style.
● In the 19th century, the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, patronized
Kathak dance.

Features of Kathak Dance

● There is a great influence of Persian costume and dance style in Kathak
dance.
● In this dance the weight of the body is divided equally on the horizontal and
vertical axis and the foot contact is given prominence.
● In this dance, basically the dancer stands upright and holds one hand in a
higher position than the head and the other hand out to the side.
● 'Jugalbandi' is the main attraction of the performance of Kathak dance, in
which there is a competitive game between the dancer and the tabla player.

Major Artists related to Kathak Dance

● Ishwari Prasad, Birju Maharaj, Lachchu Maharaj, Sukhdev Maharaj
Bindadin Maharaj, Achchan Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Shobhana Narayan,
Pandit Gauri Shankar Shashwati Sen, Urmila Nagar.
● Ishwari Prasad, is said to be the first known Kathak teacher. Pandit Birju
Maharaj is his direct descendant .

Kuchipudi
● Kuchipudi dance is a famous Indian classical dance, which is performed in
the state of Andhra Pradesh.
● The Kuchipudi classical dance is accompanied with Carnatic Music.
● The name of Kuchipudi dance originated from 'Kuchelapuram', a village in
the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.
 ● Most of the presentations of this dance are based on stories from the
Bhagavata Purana, although its central theme is pathos-free nature.
● This dance was revived by the efforts of Siddhendra Yogi.

Characteristics of Kuchipudi Dance

● ‘Shringar’ rasa predominates in this.
● This dance represents the earthly elements of the human body. In this dance,
the dancer himself is in the role of a singer, hence it is also called
'dance-drama' presentation.
● Kuchipudi is a dance that combines speech, mime and pure dance.
● There are a few key elements in this dance:
➔ Manduka Shabdam – In this the dancer tells the story of the frog.
➔ Tarang- In this the dancer tries to balance using a brass plate during his
performance by placing his feet on it and placing a water pot on his head.
➔ Jal Chitra Nritya – In this the dancers draw pictures on the floor with their
thumbs while dancing.

Prominent artists related to Kuchipudi dance

● Guru Vempati Chinna, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Radha Reddy, Raja Reddy,
Vedantam Satyanarayana, Indrani Rahman.

Odissi
● Odissi is one of the 8 recognized classical dances of India.
● Information about Odissi classical dance comes from the
Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves located near Bhubaneswar.
● This dance originated from the dance of the Devadasis who danced in the
temples of Orissa.
● The Jagannath Temple in Puri depicts the Odissi classical dance form.
● This dance was supported by King Kharavela of Orissa.
● Odissi dance gained international fame in the twentieth century through the
efforts of Indrani Rahman.
● Odissi dance is unique in terms of elegance, sensuality and beauty.
 ● Odissi dance resembles Bharatanatyam in the way it expresses various body
postures.
● Pakhavaj, flute, sitar and veena are used as instruments in Odissi dance.
● Jayadeva was the first poet who composed songs to be sung in Odissi
performances.

Major artists related to Odissi dance

● Alarmel Worli, Ramanand Rai, Mohan Mohapatra, Kelucharan Mohapatra,
Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Man Singh, Pankaj Charan Das, Priyambada
Mohanty, Kumkum Mohanty.
● Kelucharan Mohapatra- He Was the first Odissi dancer from Odisha to
receive Padma Vibhushan in 2000.

Kathakali
● Kathakali is a famous classical dance form of India. It is performed in the
state of Kerala.
● Kathakali is a dance form prevalent around Malabar, Cochin and Travancore
in Kerala.
● Kathakali means 'Katha' meaning story and 'Kali' meaning drama. Thus
Kathakali means- 'play of a story'.
● The "Nalacharitham" play is associated with this classical dance.
● "Nalacharitham" is a classic Kathakali play that tells the story of Nala and
Damayanti, characters from the Indian epic, the Mahabharata.
● The play is based on a Sanskrit text called "Nalacharitham" written by the
16th-century poet Unnayi Varier.

Features of Kathakali Dance

● This form of dance is a mixed form of dance, music and acting. It has four
forms – Angika, Aharya, Vaachika and Sathvika.
● Kathakali classical dance forms uses various colours on the face to
symbolize the characters.
● Kathakali dance is mainly interpretive. This classical dance forms uses
various colors on the face to symbolize the characters.
 ● The performance of Kathakali dance begins with Kelikottu, through which
the audience is attracted.
● This is followed by the Todayam, which is a religious dance. In this one or
two performers pray to get the blessings of God.

Major Artists related to Kathakali Dance

● Guru Gopinath, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Uday Shankar, Shanta Rao, Krishna
Nair, Anand Sivaraman, Vallathol Narayan Menon, Chemancheri
Kunhirman Nair.

Mohiniyattam
● Mohiniyattam is a famous classical dance form of Kerala. Its beginning is
considered to be in the 16th century.
● Mohiniyattam is associated with Hindu God, Vishnu.
● This dance forms is mentioned in the ancient text of Vyavahar Mala.
● It is generally a solo dance performed by women, which was patronized by
the rulers of Travancore (Swathi Thirunal).
● Mohiniattam is a combination of two words 'Mohini' and 'Attam', in which
'Mohini' means a 'beautiful woman' and 'Attam' means 'dance'.
● V A Menon and Kalyani Amma are credited for reviving Mohiniyattam on
the world stage.
● Kalyanikutty Amma, who has explained the mythological mysteries behind
this dance, is called the 'mother of Mohiniyattam'.

Features of Mohiniyattam Dance

● It is a drama in the form of dance and poetry, which was performed by the
devadasis of the temple, which is why it is also called 'Dasiyattam'.
● More than 40 basic expressions are performed in this dance, which are called
'Atavukal'.
● In this dance more emphasis is placed on the costumes and embroidered
white saree is used.
● Edakka is the main percussion instrument used in the performance of
Mohiniyattam dance.
 ● This dance is followed by a treatise called 'Hastlakshanadeepika', in which
the postures of hands, palms and fingers are explained in detail.

Major Artists related to Mohiniyattam Dance:

● Hema Malini, Sridevi, Kalyani Amma, Ragini Devi, Bharathi Shivaji,
Shantha Rao, Kanaka Relay, Sunanda Nair.

Manipuri Dance
● Manipuri dance is an Indian classical dance practiced in Northeast India.
● Raas, sankirtana and thang-ta (war dance) are the popular forms of Manipuri
dance.
● This dance is related to Vaishnavism of Meitei people.
● Jagoi and Cholom are the two main parts of this classical dance.

Features of Manipuri Dance

● A major festival 'Lai Haroba' is staged during these festivals, which
originated in the pre-Vaishnava period.
● The literal meaning of 'Lai Haroba' is - the amusement of the gods.
● Radha, Krishna and Gopis are the main characters in Manipuri dance.
● 'Pung' or 'Dhol' is used as the main instrument in Manipuri dance.
● Manipuri dance includes both Tandava and Lasya, in which the heroic aspect
is displayed.
● There is limited use of postures in this dance and the emphasis is on slow
and graceful movements of the hands and knees.
● The Nagabhanda mudra is used in Manipuri dance in which the body is
represented through curves made in the shape of 8.

Major Artists related to Manipuri Dance:

● Guru Bipin Singh, Akham Lakshmi, Jhaveri sisters (Naina, Suvarna,
Ranjana and Darshana), Kalavati Devi, Charu Mathur, Jamuna Devi, Ojha
Babu Singh, Kalavati Devi, Bimbavati.
 ● Guru Bipin Singh, a Nrityacharya awardee, Sangeet Natak Akademi
awardee and Kalidas Samman awardee, was renowned for promoting
Manipuri Dance.
● Bipin Singh was given the title of 'Hanjaba' by the Maharaja of Manipur for
reviving the Manipuri dance.

Sattriya Dance
● Sattriya dance is prevalent in the state of Assam.
● In the 15th century, Sankardeva, a famous Vaishnava saint and social
reformer from Assam, presented Satriya dance as a powerful medium for the
propagation of Vaishnavism.
● Sattriya dance is prevalent in the Vaishnava monasteries of Assam, these
mathas are known as 'Satras'.
● The Sattriya dance is basically based on the mythological stories of Lord
Vishnu.
● 'Mati-Akhora' is associated with this classical dance.
● Borgeet is a musical composition used in Sattriya dance.

Features of Sattriya dance

● Before the Vaishnava movement, two types of dance forms were prevalent in
Assam – Devadasi and Ojapalli.
● Sattriya dance is a mixed form of 'Devadasi' and 'Ojapalli' dance.
● The dancers of the 'Devdasi' dance display the harmony of the hand gestures
with the rhythmic beat.
● 'The dance 'Ojapalli' has two parts - Suknani Ojapalli, which belongs to the
Shakta sect and the other Vyah Goa Ojapalli, which belongs to the Vaishnava
sect.
● Ojapalli also explains the various postures along with the dance and singing
that the group performs.
● This dance was given the status of classical dance by the Sangeet Natak
Akademi in the year 2000.

Prominent Artists related to Satriyan Dance:

● Rameshwar Saikia, Haricharan Saikia, Jeebeshwar Goswami, Gahan
Chandra Goswami, Gopiram Barbayan, Manik Barbayan, Krishnakshi
Kashyap and Sunil Kothari.
Mohiniyattam
● Mohiniyattam is a famous classical dance form of Kerala. Its beginning is
considered to be in the 16th century.
● Mohiniyattam is associated with Hindu God, Vishnu.
● This dance forms is mentioned in the ancient text of Vyavahar Mala.
● It is generally a solo dance performed by women, which was patronized by
the rulers of Travancore (Swathi Thirunal).
● Mohiniattam is a combination of two words 'Mohini' and 'Attam', in which
'Mohini' means a 'beautiful woman' and 'Attam' means 'dance'.
● V A Menon and Kalyani Amma are credited for reviving Mohiniyattam on
the world stage.
● Kalyanikutty Amma, who has explained the mythological mysteries behind
this dance, is called the 'mother of Mohiniyattam'.

Features of Mohiniyattam Dance

● It is a drama in the form of dance and poetry, which was performed by the
devadasis of the temple, which is why it is also called 'Dasiyattam'.
● More than 40 basic expressions are performed in this dance, which are called
'Atavukal'.
● In this dance more emphasis is placed on the costumes and embroidered
white saree is used.
● Edakka is the main percussion instrument used in the performance of
Mohiniyattam dance.
● This dance is followed by a treatise called 'Hastlakshanadeepika', in which
the postures of hands, palms and fingers are explained in detail.

Major Artists related to Mohiniyattam Dance:

● Hema Malini, Sridevi, Kalyani Amma, Ragini Devi, Bharathi Shivaji,
Shantha Rao, Kanaka Relay, Sunanda Nair.
Manipuri Dance
● Manipuri dance is an Indian classical dance practiced in Northeast India.
● Raas, sankirtana and thang-ta (war dance) are the popular forms of Manipuri
dance.
● This dance is related to Vaishnavism of Meitei people.
● Jagoi and Cholom are the two main parts of this classical dance.

Features of Manipuri Dance

● A major festival 'Lai Haroba' is staged during these festivals, which
originated in the pre-Vaishnava period.
● The literal meaning of 'Lai Haroba' is - the amusement of the gods.
● Radha, Krishna and Gopis are the main characters in Manipuri dance.
● 'Pung' or 'Dhol' is used as the main instrument in Manipuri dance.
● Manipuri dance includes both Tandava and Lasya, in which the heroic aspect
is displayed.
● There is limited use of postures in this dance and the emphasis is on slow
and graceful movements of the hands and knees.
● The Nagabhanda mudra is used in Manipuri dance in which the body is
represented through curves made in the shape of 8.

Major Artists related to Manipuri Dance:

● Guru Bipin Singh, Akham Lakshmi, Jhaveri sisters (Naina, Suvarna,
Ranjana and Darshana), Kalavati Devi, Charu Mathur, Jamuna Devi, Ojha
Babu Singh, Kalavati Devi, Bimbavati.
● Guru Bipin Singh, a Nrityacharya awardee, Sangeet Natak Akademi
awardee and Kalidas Samman awardee, was renowned for promoting
Manipuri Dance.
● Bipin Singh was given the title of 'Hanjaba' by the Maharaja of Manipur for
reviving the Manipuri dance.

Sattriya Dance
● Sattriya dance is prevalent in the state of Assam.
 ● In the 15th century, Sankardeva, a famous Vaishnava saint and social
reformer from Assam, presented Satriya dance as a powerful medium for the
propagation of Vaishnavism.
● Sattriya dance is prevalent in the Vaishnava monasteries of Assam, these
mathas are known as 'Satras'.
● The Sattriya dance is basically based on the mythological stories of Lord
Vishnu.
● 'Mati-Akhora' is associated with this classical dance.
In the context of Sattriya dance, Mati-Akhora refers to a traditional offering
or a ritualistic practice where clay lamps are used.
➔ Mati: Mati in Assamese refers to clay or earth.
➔ Akhora: Akhora refers to a lamp or diya.
During Sattriya dance performances, Mati-Akhora is used as a prop and
symbolizes the connection between the earthly and the divine. The clay
lamps are typically placed on a wooden stand, and they are lit as a form of
offering to the deities and as an expression of devotion.

● Borgeet is a musical composition used in Sattriya dance.

Borgeet is a form of devotional song that is integral to Sattriya culture and is
closely related to Sattriya dance. Borgeets are lyrical compositions that are
usually dedicated to Lord Krishna and are characterized by their devotional
and philosophical themes. These songs are an essential part of the religious
rituals and cultural expressions within the Sattras.

Features of Sattriya dance

● Before the Vaishnava movement, two types of dance forms were prevalent in
Assam – Devadasi and Ojapalli.
● Sattriya dance is a mixed form of 'Devadasi' and 'Ojapalli' dance.
● The dancers of the 'Devdasi' dance display the harmony of the hand gestures
with the rhythmic beat.
● 'The dance 'Ojapalli' has two parts - Suknani Ojapalli, which belongs to the
Shakta sect and the other Vyah Goa Ojapalli, which belongs to the Vaishnava
sect.
● Ojapalli also explains the various postures along with the dance and singing
that the group performs.
 ● This dance was given the status of classical dance by the Sangeet Natak
Akademi in the year 2000.

Prominent Artists related to Satriyan Dance:

● Rameshwar Saikia, Haricharan Saikia, Jeebeshwar Goswami, Gahan
Chandra Goswami, Gopiram Barbayan, Manik Barbayan, Krishnakshi
Kashyap and Sunil Kothari.

Classical
Dance State Notable Dancers
Alarmel Worli, Yamini Krishnamurthy, T Bala
Saraswati, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Sonal Mansingh,
Tamil
Bharatanatyam Rukmini Devi Arundel, Priyadarshini Govind, Leela
Nadu
Samson, Saroj Vaidyanath, Kamla Laxman and Chitra
Vishweshwari
Birju Maharaj, Lachchu Maharaj, Sukhdev Maharaj
Uttar Bindadin Maharaj, Achchan Maharaj, Sitara Devi,
Kathak
Pradesh Shobhana Narayan, Pandit Gauri Shankar Shashwati
Sen, Urmila Nagar
Mohan Mahapatra, Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sanjukta
Odissi Odisha Panigrahi, Sonal Maan Singh, Pankaj Charan Das,
Priyambada Mohanty, Kumkum Mohanty
Guru Vempati Chinna, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Radha
Andhra
Kuchipudi Reddy, Raja Reddy, Vedantam Satyanarayana, Indrani
Pradesh
Rahman
Mrinalini Sarabhai, Uday Shankar, Shanta Rao,
Krishna Nair, Anand Sivaraman, Vallathol Narayan
Kathakali Kerala
Menon, Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, Guru
Gopinath and Anand Sivaraman.
Hema Malini, Sridevi, Kalyani Amma, Ragini Devi,
Mohiniyattam Kerala Bharathi Shivaji, Shantha Rao, Kanaka Relay, Sunanda
Nair
 Guru Bipin Singh, Akham Lakshmi, Jhaveri sisters
(Naina, Suvarna, Ranjana and Darshana), Kalavati
Manipuri Manipur
Devi, Charu Mathur, Jamuna Devi, Ojha Babu Singh,
Kalavati Devi, Bimbavati
Rameshwar Saikia, Haricharan Saikia, Jeebeshwar
Goswami, Gahan Chandra Goswami, Gopiram
Sattriya Assam
Barbayan, Manik Barbayan, Krishnakshi Kashyap and
Sunil Kothari