| Indian dance has a very rich tradition. The tradition of | | | | Carnatic music. The specialty of Kuchipudi is |
| Indian classical and folk dance has been thoroughly | | | | Tarangam, where the dancers perform upon a brass |
| discussed in Natya Shastra, the oldest surviving text | | | | plate, placing their feet upon its raised edges. |
| of the world on stagecraft. In the earlier days of the | | | | Bharatnatyam: This dance form is accompanied by |
| theatre, dancers mimed the story and the singers | | | | classical Tamil music and is inspired by the ancient |
| sang the dialogue with the instrumentalists | | | | sculptures of the temple of Chidambaram. The |
| accompanying them. Though the singers and the | | | | techniques of this Indian dance include abhinaya or |
| instrumentalists played significant roles, it was the | | | | natya, which is the dramatic art of story-telling; nritta, |
| dancers who occupied a central position. Traditionally, | | | | the pure dance movements; and nritya, which is a |
| most of these dancers were attached to the Indian | | | | combination of nritta and abhinaya. |
| temples. Even today, a number of the themes of | | | | Odissi: This classical dance form existed from the |
| Indian classical dance are mythological in nature. | | | | traditions of Nartaki, a dance that took place in royal |
| Being a vast country, the different areas of India | | | | courts; Mahari, who were Orissan devadasis at the |
| have given their own color to this ancient classical | | | | temple of Jagganath, Puri; and Gotipua, where young |
| tradition. Some of the acknowledged classical styles | | | | boys were dressed as girls. This dance consists of |
| include Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, Bharatnatyam of | | | | Mangalacharan, Battu Nrutya, Moksha, Pallavi, |
| Tamil Nadu, Odissi from Orissa, Kathakali of Kerala, | | | | Abhinaya, and Dashavataar. |
| Kathak from Pakistan and north India, and Manipuri of | | | | Kathakali: It originated from a style of dance-drama |
| Northeast India. There are some other styles like | | | | called Ramanattam. This dance also follows some of |
| Mohiniaattam from Kerala and Sattriya from Assam. | | | | the techniques of Krishnanattam. Kathakali derived its |
| All these classical dancing styles have a strong | | | | name from two Malayalam words meaning story and |
| regional connection. However, none of them can be | | | | performance. |
| called the representative of the entire subcontinent. | | | | Kathak: This dance form originated from northern |
| Kuchipudi: This Indian dance form is from the state of | | | | India and traces its history to the nomadic bards |
| Andhra Pradesh. It has derived its name from a small | | | | called kathakas. It has derived its name from the |
| village of Krishna district, where the resident Brahmins | | | | Sanskrit word katha that means "story". The styles |
| practice this traditional dance form. The movements | | | | and techniques of this dance vary depending upon |
| of this form are rounded, scintillating and quicksilver, | | | | the major gharanas or schools. |
| and fleet-footed. It is performed with classical | | | | |