Dances

The age-old culture of India has given birth to various forms of folk dances, coming from the unique diversity that the nation has. The diversity in culture and tradition is well reflected in the folk dances. All the popular dances in India forms from different states portray some expression of life and almost every dance posture has a specific meaning.

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Top 10 Popular Dance Forms of India

Source (Images, Text) : Wikipedia

Kathak

Kathak (Hindi: कथक, Urdu: کتھک) is one of the eight Indian classical dance forms, originated from northern India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks or storytellers. These bards, performing in village squares and temple courtyards, mostly specialized in the story of mythological and moral tales of the scriptures, and embellished their recitals with hand gestures and facial expressions.

It was par excellence the theater, the use of instrumental and vocal music along with stylized gestures that give life to stories. Its current form contains the remains of temple and ritual dances, and the influence of bhakti movement. Since the 16th century onwards absorbs certain characteristics of dance and dance Persian Central Asia that were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era.

Kathakali

Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama is notable for the attractive composition of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and body movements produced clear-cut in line with the anchor of music playback and additional percussion.

It originated in the state of current country of Kerala in the 17th century and has been developed over the years with improved appearance, smooth movements and sing song plus added more ornate and precise drums. One sees the combination of music, painting, acting, dancing in this dance..

Bharatnatyam

Bharatanatyam comes from the words Bhava (expression), Raga (Music), Tala (rhythm) and Natya (Indian classical Musical Theatre). Today is one of the most popular and widely performed dance styles and is practiced by many dancers from around the world.

Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating in Tamil Nadu, India. One of the oldest forms of classical dance in India, is also known as the fifth Veda. Bharatanatyam is usually accompanied by classical music. It has its inspiration from the sculptures of the ancient temple of Chidambaram.

Odissi

The oldest dance forms of India, is done in respect of Lord Jagganath. Odissi is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates in the state of Orissa, east India. It is the oldest surviving form of Indian dance based on archaeological evidence. The treaty classical Indian dance, Natya Shastra, refers to it as Odra-Magadhi. In the first century BC bas-reliefs Udaygiri Hills (near Bhubaneshwar) attest to its antiquity.

Was suppressed under the British raj, but has been rebuilt since India became independent. It is particularly distinguished from other Indian classical dance forms by the importance it attaches to the tribhangi (literally: three parts of rupture), the independent movement of the head, chest and pelvis and on the square known basic position as chauk.

Manipuri

Manipuri dance is one of the main forms of classical Indian dance. It originates from Manipur, a state in northeast India bordering Myanmar (also known as Burma). In Manipur, surrounded by mountains and isolated geographically in the meeting point of East and the Indian mainland, form developed its own specific aesthetics, values, conventions and ethics. The worship of Radha and Krishna, in particular raslila is essential for their subjects, but the dances, unusually, to incorporate the signature dishes (or Kartal Manjira) and two-headed drum (or mridanga Manipuri pung) of sankirtan in visual performance.

Manipuri dancers do not wear ankle bells to accentuate the beats tapped their feet, in contrast to other forms of Indian dance and the dancers’ feet never touch the hard ground. The movements of the body and feet and facial expressions of the Manipuri dance are subtle and are designed to devotion and grace.

Kuchipudi

Kuchipudi (pronounced "Koochipoodi’) is a classical Indian dance form of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular throughout southern India. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka District Krishna bordering the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practice this form of traditional dance, which acquired its present name.

The performance usually begins with some stage rites, after which each of the characters arrive on stage and introduces himself with a daru (a small composition of song and dance) to introduce identity, establish the rule of spirit, the character in the drama. The drama then begins. The dance is accompanied by the song which is typically Carnatic music.

Garba

Garba is an Indian form of dance that originated in the Gujarat region. It is more similar to Western folk dance style presentation of classical Indian dances such as Bharatanatyam and Odissi. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garba ("belly") and deep ("a small earthen lamp). Many traditional sheaves are performed around a central lighted lamp.

The circular and spiral figures Garba dances have similarities with the spiritual. Traditionally held during the festival of nine days of Navaratri Hindu (Gujarati નવરાત્રી Nava = 9, Ratri = nights). Or the lamp (the Garba Deep), or an image of the goddess Amba is placed in the middle of concentric rings as an object of veneration. People dance around the center, leaning to one side every step, his arms gesturing radicals, each movement ending in applause.

Bhangra

Bhangra (Punjabi: ਭੰਗੜਾ (Gurmukhi) بھنگڑا (Shahmukhi) भांगड़ा (Devanagari),) is a form of dance and music that originated in Punjab region. Dance Bhangra began as a folk dance performed by Punjabi farmers to celebrate the arrival of the harvest season. Bhangra specific movements reflect the way people from their farmland. This art became more synthesized dance after the partition of India, when refugees from different parts of Punjab folk dances shared with persons residing in regions settled in.

This dance became Bhangra hybrid. The folk dance has become popular in the West by the South Asian communities and is seen in the West as an expression of Indian and the disco culture in india as a whole. Today, Bhangra dance survives in different forms and styles from around the world – including pop music, movie soundtracks, collegiate competitions, discotheques and even talent shows.

Bihu

Dance Bihu (Assamese: বিহু নৃত্য, Hindi: बिहू नृत्य) is carried out in conjunction with Bihu folk traditional music, played with: the "Dhol", similar to a drum, the pit Singora Mohor, an instrument made of a buffalo horn pipe, timber, cymbal, the gogona, cane and bamboo instrument, and the toka, a bamboo clapper. The songs (bihu geet) that accompany the dance have been passed down for generations.

The theme of the songs ranges from welcoming the Assamese new year to describe the daily life of a farmer, from historical references to the invasions of Assam to contemporary socio-political commentary of a satirical manner. The dance takes several forms, including various northeastern Indian tribes, for example, "Garo Bihu dance" and "Khasi Bihu dance." However, the fundamental objective of the dance remains the same: to express the desire to feel the pain and happiness.

Lavani

Lavani (Marathi: लावणी) is a popular music genre in South Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, India. Lavani The word comes from the word Lavanya which means beauty. The Lavani Nirguni (philosophical) and the Lavani Shringari (sensual) are the two types. The devotional music of the cult is popular throughout Nirguni Malwa.