Unveiling the Essence of Indian Classical Dance: A Cultural Tapestry

According to the Sangeet Natak Akademi, there are 8 traditional classical dance forms in India. These dance forms have deep cultural significance. Additionally, another classical dance form recognized by the Ministry of Culture in India is Chhau, a tribal martial art dance performed mostly in the states of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Thus now the total number of classical dancers has increased to 9. These dances hold a special place in Indian heritage and are cherished for their artistic and historical value.

Background of Classical Dance in India:

• In ancient times, a person named Bharata Muni wrote a book called ‘Natya Shastra’. This book was one of the first to talk about dance. In India, there are many different types of dance, such as classical dance (the kind you see on stage) and folk dance (dances from different regions).
• As time went on, around 1100 to 1900, people started doing a type of performance that mixed singing and acting, like a musical drama. From these performances began the development of modern classical dances.
• When it comes to Indian classical dances, they have two main parts. One part is about movement and rhythm, called Tandava. The second part is about being gracious and expressing feelings, called lasya.

Components of Classical Dance in India:

Important parts:

There are three important parts of Indian classical dances:

• Natya: Under Natya, dancers act like characters in a play. They pretend to be different people and tell a story through their actions.
• Nritta: This is the basic part of dance, it is about moving the body in different ways, like taking steps and doing asanas.
• Nritya: Under this, the dancers use their hands and fingers to make special signs (called mudras) that represent different emotions.

Rasanubhuti: 

• According to Natya Shastra, there are eight rasas (sensations) in the dance form of India.
• The latest Rasa is Shanta which means peace which is added by Abhinav Gupta.

• Shringar: Love
• Hasya: Humorous
• Karuna: Sorrow
• Raudra: Anger
• Veer: Heroism
• Bhayanak: Fear
• Bibhats: Disgust
• Adbhoot: Wonder

List of eight classical dances:

The table below mentions the eight classical dances of India: