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The origin of classical dance in
India goes back to 2BC when the ancient treatise on dance, Natya Shastra, was
compiled. Dance in India is guided by the elaborate codes in the Natya Shastra
and by mythology, legend and classical literature. Classical dance forms have
rigid rules for presentation. Among the leading forms of classical dance are
Bharata Natyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuri, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Mohini Attam.
Bharata Natyam, originating in Tamil Nadu, has movements of pure rhythm,
rendering a story dramatically in different moods. For a long time, Bharata
Natyam was performed only in temples by dancers in service of the temple, the
devadasis. The dancers must learn the language of gestures, mudras - so as to
express feelings, movements and characters in the stories which she narrates
through dance. Kathakali (pictured here), the dance drama from Kerala,
requires the artist to wear elaborate make-up. The colors on the face are
symbolic of the characters the dancer is depicting. The stories for attakathas
(the verse text for a kathakali piece) are selected from epics and mythologies
and are written in a highly sanskritised verse form in Malayalam. The actor does
not speak, but expresses himself through highly complicated and scientifically
ordained mudras and steps, closely following the text being sung from offstage.
The principal classical dance of north India, Kathak, originated as a
religious performance but later developed as a court dance under the Moghuls.
There are three gharanas (styles) of performing kathak; the Banaras gharana, the
Lucknow gharana, and the Jaipur gharana. The Kathak is known for its
intricate compositions, fast spins, complex footwork, and stylized facial
expressions. The Jaipur gharana is also noted for its speed and rhythm. Kathak
dance requires an intimate knowledge of rhythm, and is not uncommon for many
kathak dancers to also be tabla players of great skill.
The lyrical style of dance,
Manipuri, comes from the eastern State of Manipur. It describes the games of
Krishna and the “Gopis”. Odissi was once a temple dance in Orissa.
Kuchipudi, the dance-drama from Andhra Pradesh, is based on themes from the
epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is a folk dance style which was subsequently
stylized and drew near to Bharat Natyam while retaining the imprint of its folk
origin. In addition, there are numerous forms of folk and tribal dance in India.
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