10/25/2017 Indian classical dance - Wikipedia

Indian classical dance

Indian classical dance, or Shastriya Nritya, is an umbrella term for various performance arts rooted in religious
Hindu musical theatre styles,[1][2][3] whose theory and practice can be traced to the Sanskrit text Natya Shastra.[4][5][6]

The number of recognized classical dances range from eight to more, depending on the source and scholar.[7] The Sangeet
Natak Akademi recognizes eight Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and
Mohiniyattam.[8] Scholars such as Drid Williams add Chhau, Yakshagana and Bhagavata Mela to the list.[9][3] The Culture
Ministry of the Government of India includes Chhau in its classical list. These dances are traditionally regional, all of them
include music and recitation in local language or Sanskrit, and they represent a unity of core ideas in a diversity of styles,
costumes and expression.

Contents
1 Texts and roots
2 Dance forms
3 Shared aspects
4 See also
5 References
5.1 Bibliography
6 External links

Texts and roots

The Natya Shastra is the foundational treatise for classical dances of India,[4][10] and this text is attributed to the ancient
scholar Bharata Muni.[6][11][12] Its first complete compilation is dated to between 200 BCE and 200 CE,[13][14] but
estimates vary between 500 BCE and 500 CE.[15] The most studied version of the Natya Shastra text consists of about
6000 verses structured into 36 chapters.[13][16] The text, states Natalia Lidova, describes the theory of Tava dance
(Shiva), the theory of rasa, of bhva, expression, gestures, acting techniques, basic steps, standing postures all of which
are part of Indian classical dances.[13][17] Dance and performance arts, states this ancient text, are a form of expression of
spiritual ideas, virtues and the essence of scriptures.[18][19]

While the Natya Shastra is the revered ancient text in the

Hindu tradition, there are numerous other ancient and Performance arts and culture
medieval Sanskrit dance-drama related texts that further Let Ntya (drama and dance) be the fifth vedic scripture.
discuss and expand on the classical repertoire of Combined with an epic story,
performance arts, such as the Abhinaya Darpana, tending to virtue, wealth, joy and spiritual freedom,
Abhinaba Bharati, Natya Darpana, Bhava Prakasa and it must contain the significance of every scripture,
many others.[21][22][23] The term "classical" (Sanskrit: and forward every art.
"Shastriya") denotes the Natya Shastra-based performing
Ntyastra 1.1415[18][20]
arts.

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The text Natya Shastra describes religious arts as a form as margi, or a "spiritual traditional path" that liberates the soul,
while the folk entertainment is called desi, or a "regional popular practice".[24][25][26]

Indian classical dances are traditionally performed as an expressive drama-dance form of religious performance art,[3]
related to Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, pan-Hindu Epics and the Vedic literature, or a folksy entertainment that
includes story-telling from Sanskrit or regional language plays.[27] As a religious art, they are either performed inside the
sanctum of a Hindu temple, or near it.[1][2] Folksy entertainment may also be performed in temple grounds or any
fairground, typically in a rural setting by traveling troupes of artists; alternatively, they have been performed inside the
halls of royal courts or public squares during festivals.[28]

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 (Odisha-Bihar-Bengal, east).[29]

Sources differ in their list of Indian classical dance forms.[30][31] Encyclopdia Britannica mentions six dances.[32] The
Sangeet Natak Akademi has given recognition to eight Indian dances.[33] The Indian government's Ministry of Culture
includes eleven dance forms.[34] Scholars such as Drid Williams and others include Chhau, Yaksagana and Bhagavata Mela
to the eight classical Indian dances in the Sangeet Natak Akademi list.[3][9]

The classical dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Ministry of Culture are:[35][36]

Bharatanatyam, from Tamil Nadu

Kathak, from Northern and Western India
Kathakali, from Kerala
Kuchipudi, from Andhra Pradesh
Odissi, from Odisha
Sattriya, from Assam
Manipuri, from Manipur
Mohiniyattam, from Kerala

Bharatanatyam Kathak Kathakali Kuchipudi

Odissi Sattriya Manipuri Mohiniyattam

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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:[37]

The Nritta performance is abstract, fast and rhythmic aspect of the dance.[38] The viewer is presented with pure
movement, wherein the emphasis is the beauty in motion, form, speed, range and pattern.[37] This part of the
repertoire has no interpretative aspect, no telling of story. It is a technical performance, and aims to engage the
senses (prakriti) of the audience.[39]
The Nritya is slower and expressive aspect of the dance that attempts to communicate feelings, storyline particularly
with spiritual themes in Hindu dance traditions.[38] In a nritya, the dance-acting expands to include silent expression of
words through gestures and body motion set to musical notes. The actor articulates a legend or a spiritual message.
This part of the repertoire is more than sensory enjoyment, it aims to engage the emotions and mind of the
viewer.[37][39]
The Natyam is a play, typically a team performance,[40] 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.[37][41][42]
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.[43] 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.[43] Drama in this ancient Sanskrit text, thus is an art to engage every aspect of life,
in order to glorify and gift a state of joyful consciousness.[44]

The communication through symbols is in the form of expressive gestures (mudras or hastas) and pantomime set to
music. The gestures and facial expressions convey the ras (sentiment, emotional taste) and bhava (mood) of the
underlying story.[45] 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), and Sattvika (artist's mental disposition and emotional connection
with the story and audience, wherein the artist's inner and outer state resonates).[45] Abhinaya draws out the bhava
(mood, psychological states).[45]

See also
Culture of India
Hindu texts
Languages of India
Puranas
Vedas
Yajna

References
1. Julius Lipner (2012). Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (https://books.google.com/books?id=qv3fCgAAQB
AJ&pg=PA206). Routledge. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-135-24061-5., Quote: "It would be appropriate here to comment on
Hindu classical dance. This developed in a religious context and was given high profile as part of temple worship.
There are a number of regional and other styles as well as source texts, but the point we wish to stress is the
participative nature of such dance. In form and content, the heart of dance as worship in Hinduism has always been
'expression' (abhinaya), i.e. the enacting of various themes".

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2. Jean Holm; John Bowker (1994). Worship (https://books.google.com/books?id=s_nUAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA85).

Bloomsbury Academic. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-85567-111-9., Quote: Hindu classical dance-forms, like Hindu music, are
associated with worship. References to dance and music are found in the vedic literature, (...)".
3. Frank Burch Brown (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Religion and the Arts (https://books.google.com/books?id=X8g8
BAAAQBAJ). Oxford University Press. pp. 195196. ISBN 978-0-19-972103-0., Quote: All of the dances considered
to be part of the Indian classical canon (Bharata Natyam, Chhau, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri,
Mohiniattam, Odissi, Sattriya and Yakshagana) trace their roots to religious practices (...) the Indian diaspora has led
to the translocation of Hindu dances to Europe, North America and the world."
4. James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z (https://books.google.com/books?id=g6Fs
B3psOTIC&pg=PA467). The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 467. ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4., Quote: "the Natyashastra
remains the ultimate authority for any dance form that claims to be 'classical' dance, rather than 'folk' dance".
5. Ragini Devi 1990, pp. 60-68.
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Chronicle. 38 (3): 305335. doi:10.1080/01472526.2015.1088286 (https://doi.org/10.1080%2F01472526.2015.10882
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an Identity (https://books.google.com/books?id=uNaGAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA216). SAGE Publications. p. 216.
ISBN 978-81-321-0612-8.
9. Williams 2004, pp. 83-84, the other major classical Indian dances are: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kathakali,
Kuchipudi, Sattriya, Cchau, Manipuri, Yaksagana and Bhagavata Mela.
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oks?id=2MRcCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA6). Routledge. pp. 67. ISBN 978-1-317-32572-7.
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14. Tarla Mehta 1995, pp. xxiv, 1920.
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16. Emmie Te Nijenhuis 1974, pp. 125.
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e/n5/mode/2up). Harvard University Press. p. 4.; Also see chapter 36
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AAQBAJ). University of South Carolina Press. pp. 138139. ISBN 978-1-61117-108-2. "Quote: "A summation of the
signal importance of the Natyasastra for Hindu religion and culture has been provided by Susan Schwartz, "In short,
the Natyasastra is an exhaustive encyclopedic dissertation of the arts, with an emphasis on performing arts as its
central feature. It is also full of invocations to deities, acknowledging the divine origins of the arts and the central role
of performance arts in achieving divine goals (...)"."
20. "Natyashastra" (http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/natya01.pdf) (PDF). Sanskrit Documents.
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e.com/books?id=JS_pCAAAQBAJ). Springer. pp. 1332, 108112. ISBN 978-94-011-3594-8.
23. Ragini Devi 1990, pp. 18-37.
24. Reginald Massey 2004, p. 32.
25. Ragini Devi 1990, pp. 67, context: 60-68.

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oks?id=2MRcCgAAQBAJ). Routledge. pp. 8284. ISBN 978-1-317-32572-7.

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External links
Classical Indian dance (https://dmoztools.net/Arts/Performing_Arts/Dance/Classical_Indian/) at DMOZ

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