TOUR OF INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE FORMS

Sakshi Nagar 16-06-2022 07:05 PM My India

India is one ethnically affluent nation, where approximately every state has its personal language, cuisine, music, and dance forms. During the prehistoric era in India, art has been described as essential for man. Indian art and culture have an approximately miraculous value as it conveys you to a bygone period and creates every prospect to come lively.

India has millennium-aged customs of conventional dance forms. It has been an affluent and antique ritual in India ever since its primeval days. Long-established dance is executed by amalgamating expressions and premises from communal survival and awareness. Lord Shiva is called 'Nataraja' i.e. sovereign of all dances who balance existence and bereavement and all this happens in harmonious cycles in the universe. So let's share some knowledge about classical Indian dances.

1. BHARATANATYAM DANCE

Bharatanatyam is an extremely wide variety of Indian classical dance. Originated and urbanized from the temples in and around Tamil Nadu. By tradition, Bharatanatyam is an exceptional dance form, performed mostly by a woman. It is well-known for its unique poses. A steady upper torso and bent legs with stable knees give an idiosyncratic look to its posture. Its extraordinary pointed language grammar gives it a special look. This dance form is India's foremost classic dance to be modified as a theatre skill and also be showcased extensively all over the globe.

2. KATHAK DANCE

The chief classical dance form of North India - Kathak is largely practiced in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in India. This dance form is set up in three assortments. Derived from the Sanskrit word Katha, which factually means to narrate a story and story readers in the Sanskrit language, is known as "Kathak". It is assumed to be associated with the Kathakars (storytellers) who from the prehistoric era recited tales from sacred epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and legendary writings to the ordinary public and danced to give an inventive look to their story. Kathak is performed through the gesticulations of feet, hands, and eyes. In this dance, particular concentration is paid to the twitching and rotation of the feet and also to the rhythm. 

3. KUCHIPUDI DANCE

Originated in the Krishna region of Andhra Pradesh, India, Kuchipudi is a renowned form of classical dance. In traditional Kuchipudi dance, all the artists were Brahmin men adapting the form of women during the performance. The area of proficiency of Kuchipudi dance is that the performers dance it by placing their feet on a brass plate and placing an urn filled with water on their heads. Each performer in the Kuchipudi dance has a song for the entrance, through which he/she introduces him/her.

4. MANIPURI DANCE

It is known as Manipuri Dance for the reason that its origin is from Manipur. Manipuri dance has sixty-four types of rasas and is more reclusive than other dance forms of India. It is performed by a dance group, in which all are fully clad in a distinctive kind of outfit Kumil. The postures of the dancers in Manipuri dance are generally based on the hands and upper parts of the body. There is minor mouth poses in it. 

5. ODISSI DANCE

Odissi dance originated in the state of Orissa in eastern India from the devadasis who performed in temples. This dance form was mostly performed by the women on the basis of spiritual values. In this dance, special attention is given to organ, eye, cervical, hand, and foot operation. In this, the organ operation is very gentle and beautiful. 

6. KATHAKALI DANCE

The introduction of this classical dance is seen in Kerala around the seventeenth century under the patronage of a prince of Karnataka. Kathak means tale and Kali means presentation therefore, it is an art form of narrating stories in an exacting way like Kathak. The act of the actor in Kathakali drama is entirely speechless; the tale is told using facial expressions and hand gestures. In this, the song is sung on the stage by the choral group who keep track of the time, rhythm on the bell, and majire while pair of drummers is present on the stage.

7. MOHINIYATTAM DANCE

Mohiniyattam dance is invented and developed in Kerala. It was performed in the temples of Kerala. This dance incorporates basics from both Bharatanatyam and Kathakali. In this dance form Lasya technique is used, which is explained in Natya-shastra. In the Lasya style, exceptionally restrained expressions are characterized by diverse postures. It is principally a solo dance form, which women have to work hard to learn. The dancers have to wear an off-white plain saree, embroidered with gold lace or brocade stitched on the borders. The frontage of the saree has a pleated cloth, having saffron or golden colored bands, starting from the waist.

8. SATTRIYA DANCE

Sattriya dance form was born amid the Vaishnavas in the Sattras of Assam around the 15th century. It was primarily based on the leisure times of Lord Krishna. This Indian classical dance is based on the urbanized language of hand gestures, the use of steps, movement, expression, and performances. Prior it was performed only by men, but in the present, it is also carried out by women. This dance is performed with musical instruments. In this performance, the pilot singer sings and narrates the stories whereas a tiny set of dancers dance while playing cymbals.

9. CHHAU DANCE

Chhau is the foremost dance tradition of Eastern India. It is extensive in the tribal area adjacent to the territories of Orissa, Jharkhand, and West Bengal in eastern India. It was made up of home-grown styles of dance and warfare practices. Khelas (shown fighting techniques), chalis and topkas (movements in the style of birds and animals), and uplis (gestures based on the daily chores of a village housewife) constitute the fundamental vocabulary of Chhau dance.  Its attire consists of pyjamas in yellow or deep green or red shade worn by the dancers playing the role of gods. Those playing the role of demons wear loose trousers of a deep black shade.

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