BharatNotes
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Classical Dance Forms of India
All 8 dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi — state origins, distinguishing features, key exponents, and UNESCO intangible heritage status.
🎭 Sangeet Natak Akademi — Overview
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Established | 31 May 1952 (set up); inaugurated by President Rajendra Prasad on 28 January 1953 |
| Under | Ministry of Culture, Government of India (autonomous body) |
| Classical dances recognised | 8 — Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Manipuri, Sattriya |
| Foundational text | Natya Shastra — attributed to sage Bharata Muni; composed ~200 BCE–200 CE; ~6,000 verses; covers drama, dance, music, rasa theory |
| "Mother of classical dances" | Bharatanatyam |
| Newest classical dance | Sattriya — granted classical status November 2000 |
💃 The 8 Classical Dance Forms
| # | Dance | State | Style / Character | Origin Tradition | Key Exponents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Tandava + Lasya; geometric postures, intricate footwork; "ekaharya" (solo performer, multiple characters) | Devadasi/Sadir tradition (temple dancers); also called Sadir, Dasi Attam | Rukmini Devi Arundale (founded Kalakshetra 1936), Balasaraswati, Yamini Krishnamurthy |
| 2 | Kathak | North India (UP, Rajasthan) | Spins (chakkar), intricate tatkar (footwork), abhinaya; Lucknow & Jaipur gharanas | Kathakas (temple storytellers); later shaped by Mughal court patronage | Birju Maharaj (Lucknow), Lacchu Maharaj, Sitara Devi |
| 3 | Odissi | Odisha | Tribhangi (three body bends — head, torso, hips); fluid, lyrical | Mahari tradition (devadasis of Jagannath Temple, Puri); also Gotipua (male dancers) | Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh, Madhavi Mudgal |
| 4 | Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Dance-drama; combines dance, music, acting, dialogue; features tarangam (dancer on brass plate) | Male Brahmin community (Bhagavatula); originally all-male dance-drama; systematised by Siddhendra Yogi (17th c.) | Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Raja-Radha Reddy |
| 5 | Kathakali | Kerala | Most elaborate makeup/costume; colour-coded characters (Pacha = green = noble hero; Kathi = villain); traditionally all-male | Synthesis of Ramanattam + Krishnanattam + Kutiyattam (17th century); episodes from Ramayana, Mahabharata | Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair; Kerala Kalamandalam (est. 1930) |
| 6 | Mohiniyattam | Kerala | Lasya-dominant; feminine, graceful, swaying; white and gold Kerala kasavu saree | "Dance of the enchantress" — Mohini (female avatar of Vishnu) + Aattam (graceful movement) | Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma (revival), Bharati Shivaji, Shobana |
| 7 | Manipuri | Manipur | Circular, soft, fluid; no stamping of feet; cosmic character; Ras Lila is most prominent form | Vaishnavite Meitei tradition; Ras Lila (5 types: Maharas, Vasantaras, Kunja Ras, Nitya Ras, Diba Ras) | Guru Bipin Singh, Darshana Jhaveri, Jhaveri Sisters; Rabindranath Tagore promoted national revival |
| 8 | Sattriya | Assam | Ankiya Nat (one-act devotional plays); combines devotion, drama, music; Bhagavata Purana themes | Vaishnavite Sattras (monasteries); founded by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev (15th–16th c.); classical status: November 2000 | Indira PP Bora (Padma Shri 2020), Anita Sharma; originally male monks (Bhokots), now open to women |
🔍 Dance-Specific Highlights
| Dance | Unique Feature / High-Yield Fact |
|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Called "Mother of all classical dances"; revival credited to Rukmini Devi Arundale who adapted it for proscenium stage and cleaned it from devadasi stigma |
| Kathak | Only North Indian classical dance; two main gharanas: Lucknow (lyrical, Wajid Ali Shah court) and Jaipur (vigorous, rhythmic); unique fusion of Hindu temple + Mughal court elements |
| Odissi | Tribhangi = defining posture (three simultaneous bends); Natya Shastra references "Odra-Magadhi" style considered early Odissi; revival by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra |
| Kuchipudi | Village name in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district (NOT Telangana); tarangam = dancing on brass plate while balancing a pot of water on head |
| Kathakali | Kerala Kalamandalam founded 1930 by poet Vallathol Narayana Menon; training takes 6–8 years; green face = noble hero (Pacha), red/black = villain (Kathi) |
| Mohiniyattam | Both Kathakali and Mohiniyattam belong to Kerala — common confusion; Kathakali = vigorous + dramatic + male; Mohiniyattam = lyrical + graceful + female |
| Manipuri | Rabindranath Tagore saw a performance in Sylhet (1919) and invited Guru Budhimantra Singh to Shantiniketan, launching national awareness of Manipuri dance |
| Sattriya | Origin: 15th–16th century (Sankardev); SNA classical status: November 2000. Performance was exclusively by male monks inside sattras for centuries before being opened to women. |
🥊 Chhau — Status Clarified
Chhau is NOT one of the SNA's 8 classical dances. It is classified as semi-classical / tribal martial dance. Some sources say "9 classical dances" by including Chhau — the SNA's official count is 8.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Classification | Tribal martial dance (semi-classical); NOT in SNA's 8 |
| UNESCO recognition | 2010 — UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Seraikella Chhau | Jharkhand — uses masks |
| Purulia Chhau | West Bengal — uses masks |
| Mayurbhanj Chhau | Odisha — no masks |
🌐 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — Indian Dances
The SNA's 8 classical dances are not individually inscribed on UNESCO's ICH list. Three Indian dance/music traditions have UNESCO ICH recognition:
| Tradition | Year Inscribed | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chhau dance | 2010 | Three styles: Seraikella (JH), Purulia (WB), Mayurbhanj (OD) |
| Kalbelia folk songs & dances (Rajasthan) | 2010 | Snake-charmer community; Rajasthan; inscribed same year as Chhau |
| Garba of Gujarat | 2023 | Most recently inscribed — Navratri festival dance; high-yield exam question |
🪘 Major Folk Dances — Quick Reference
| State | Dance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Assam | Bihu | Celebrates Assamese New Year/spring; three types: Rongali (spring), Kongali (autumn), Bhogali (winter) |
| Gujarat | Garba / Dandiya Raas | Navratri festival; Garba UNESCO ICH 2023 |
| Punjab | Bhangra (men) / Giddha (women) | Harvest festival (Baisakhi) |
| Rajasthan | Ghoomar | State dance of Rajasthan; performed by women; swirling skirts |
| Rajasthan | Kalbelia | Snake-charmer community; UNESCO ICH 2010 |
| Maharashtra | Lavani | Energetic; combines song and dance; Tamasha tradition |
| Karnataka | Yakshagana | Dance-drama combining dance, music, dialogue; winter harvest tradition |
| Jharkhand / WB / Odisha | Chhau | Tribal martial dance; three regional styles; UNESCO ICH 2010 |
| Kerala | Theyyam | Ritual art form; performers embody deities; performed in North Kerala |
| Andhra Pradesh / Telangana | Perini Sivatandavam | Ancient warrior dance revived by Nataraja Ramakrishna; performed before battles |
⚠️ Exam Traps & High-Yield Points
| # | Wrong belief | Correct fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "There are 9 classical dances (including Chhau)" | SNA recognises 8; Chhau is NOT in SNA's list — it is semi-classical/tribal |
| 2 | "Sattriya was one of the original classical dances" | Sattriya was added in November 2000 — the most recent addition; SNA was founded in 1952 |
| 3 | "Kathakali is from Karnataka" | Kathakali is from Kerala |
| 4 | "Kuchipudi is from Telangana" | Kuchipudi village is in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district — despite Hyderabad now being in Telangana |
| 5 | "Mohiniyattam and Kathakali are the same style" | Both from Kerala but opposite: Kathakali = vigorous, dramatic, male, elaborate costume; Mohiniyattam = lyrical, graceful, female, simple white-gold costume |
| 6 | "Manipuri dance involves vigorous foot stamping" | Manipuri is distinctly non-stamping — soft, circular, fluid movements; foot stamps are characteristic of Bharatanatyam and Kathak |
| 7 | "Garba was inscribed in UNESCO ICH 2010" | Garba was inscribed in 2023 (most recent); 2010 inscriptions were Chhau and Kalbelia |
| 8 | "Bharatanatyam was always a recognised art form" | It was associated with devadasis and was suppressed; revival by Rukmini Devi Arundale in the 1930s (Kalakshetra, Chennai, 1936) brought it mainstream acceptance |
| 9 | "Natyashastra was written by Bharata Muni in the modern era" | Natyashastra is an ancient text, composed ~200 BCE–200 CE — it is not a modern work |
| 10 | "Kathak has no Mughal influence" | Kathak uniquely blends Hindu temple tradition with Mughal court culture — this is what makes its Lucknow gharana distinctively lyrical and emotive |