Classical Dances of India

1
Classical Dances of India

• Radha Prasad Varadan

2
Types of Classical Dances

• Bharatanatyam
• Kathak
• Kathakali
• Odissi
• Kuchipudi
• Manipuri
• Mohiniattam
• Sattriya

3
Bharatanatyam

• Comes from the words
• Bhava (expression), Raga (music), Tala (rhythm)
  and Natya (classical theater)
• Originates in South India
• Performance
• Consists of multiple items
• Nritta pure dance movements
• Abhinaya dramatic art of storytelling
• Nritya combination of nritta abhinaya
• Music- Carnatic music

4
Bharatanatyam

• Costume
• Made of silk saris with gold embroidery
• Costume has a lot of pleats
• Jewelry
• Necklace, Bangles and head ornaments
• Bells mounted on woven pads are worn on the feet

5
Bharatanatyam Famous Exponents

Yamini Krishnamurthy
Rukmini Devi
6
Kathak

• Derived from Katha (story) and Katthaka (who
  tells stories)
• Originates from North India.
• 3 main gharanas or schools
• Lucknow, Jaipur Benares
• Performance
• Progresses from slow to fast pieces
• Footwork spins
• Abhinaya-expression
• Music Hindusthani music
• Provided by Tabla, Sitar, Santoor

7
Kathak

• Costume
• Ghungroos or bells on the ankles
• Female- lehenga choli or chudidaar kameez
• Male- bare chest and dhoti or kurta churidar

8
KathakFamous Exponents

Birju Maharaj
Kumudini Lakhia
9
Kathakali
Yamini Krishnamurthy

• Originates from Kerala state
• Attractive make-up of characters and elaborate
  costumes
• Performance
• Combination of 5 elements-
• Natyam (expression), Nritham (dance), Nrithyam
  (enactment), Geetham (vocal) and Vadyam
  (instruments)
• Music- Carnatic music
• language of songs -Manipravalam

10
Kathakali

• Elaborate makeup
• Green face color- noble characters (Pacha)
• Green with red streaks- characters with evil
  streaks
• Red face color- excessively evil characters
• Women have yellow face color
• Costume
• Elaborate and differ according to character

Pacha
11
KathakaliFamous Exponents
Kalamandalam Sivadas
Pariyanampatta Divakaran
12
Odissi

• Originates from Orissa
• Schools of Odissi
• Mahari, Nartaki Gotipua
• Main Emphasis-
• Tribhangi- independent movement of head, chest
  and pelvis
• Chauka- basic square stance
• Music Odissi music

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Odissi

• Costume-
• Sari- beautiful cloth wrapped around body in
  traditional style
• Bright shades of orange, purple, red or green
• Jewelry
• Tikka (forehead ornament)
• Allaka (headpiece where tikka hangs)
• Ear covers in intricate shapes with jumkis (bell
  shaped earrings) hanging from them
• Chains
• Two sets of bangles (thin bracelets) worn on
  upper arm wrist.

14
Odissi Famous Exponents
Sanjukta Panigrahi
Kelucharan Mohapatra
15
Kuchipudi

• Originates from Andhra Pradesh state in South
  India
• Shares many common elements with Bharatanatyam
• Unique Kuchipudi dance-
• Tarangam- dancer dances on plate with diyas in
  the hands and vessel of water on the head
• Music- Carnatic music

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Kuchipudi

• Costume
• Similar to Bharatanatyam
• Katcham (long fold) at the back of the costume
• Jewelry
• Female characters wear ornaments and jewelry

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Kuchipudi (Famous Exponents)

Raja and Radha Reddy
Dr. Vempatti Chinnasatyam
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Manipuri

• Originates from Manipur state
• Performance
• Movements are subtle and aim at devotion and
  grace
• Rounded movements without jerks and sharp lines
• Dancers feet never strike the ground hard
• Music provided by singer, Pung (drum), cymbals
  and flute

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Manipuri

• Costume
• Female- dress called patloi and lehenga
  called kumin.
• Transparent odni is worn on the head and covers
  the face
• Male- usually saffron dress depicting Lord
  Krishna
• Dancers do not wear ankle bells

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Manipuri(Famous Exponents)

Darshana Jhaveri
Kalavati Devi
21
Mohiniattam

• Comes from the words-
• Mohini- temptress and
• Attam- dance
• Graceful dance performed only by women
• Influences from Bharatanatyam and Kathakali
• Music
• Vocal (called chollu), Veena, flute, Maddalam
  Idakka

22
Mohiniattam

• Characterized by realistic makeup and simple
  dressing
• Costume
• White or cream sari with gold border
• Costume is profusely pleated
• Jewelry
• Mainly gold ornaments

23
Mohiniattam (Famous Exponents)
Gopika Varma
Neena Prasad
24
Sattriya

• Originates in Assam state
• Performance
• Based on mythological stories
• Performed by men and women
• Recognized as one of the classical dance forms of
  India in 2000

25
Sattriya

• Music
• Devotional songs called borgeets
• Instruments- khols (drums), taals (cymbals) and
  flute
• Costume
• Made of pat (type of silk)
• Ornaments are based on traditional Assamese
  designs