The Natya Shastra, as written by Bharata Muni, does not mention the names of any classical dance forms

recognized today, but it lists the four Pravrittis as Dakshinatya, Audramagadhi, Avanti, and Panchali.

Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam evolved from the Pravritti form called Dakshinatya.

Audramagadhi represents the regional dance of Audramagadha, comprising the territories of Anga, Banga, the

northern part of Kalinga and Vatsa. This led to the evolution of Odissi in Odisha, Satriya in Assam and Gaudiya

Nritya in Bengal. Little is known about the two other forms described by Bharata Muni, Avanti and Panchali. .. A

dance style is classical to the extent that it incorporates Natya Shastra techniques.

The term "classical" (Sanskrit: "Shastriya") was introduced by Sangeet Natak Akademi to denote the Natya

Shastra-based performing art styles. Classical dance performances usually feature a story about good and evil.

The entire dance is traditionally presented in a dramatic manner called nritta, which uses "clean" facial

expressions and mudr, or hand gestures, to narrate the story and to demonstrate concepts such as particular

objects, weather, aspects of nature, and emotions. Classical Indian dance is also known as Natya. Even though

the art of Natya includes nritta or dance proper, Natya has never been limited to dancing and also includes

singing and abhinaya (mime acting). These features are common to all Indian classical styles of dance. In the

margi form, Nritta is composed of karanas, while desi nritta consists mainly of adavus.The Sangeet Natak

Akademi has given recognition to eight[1] Indian dance styles

Bharata Natyam

It is a classical Indian dance form that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu. This dance
form denotes various 19th- and 20th-century reconstructions of Sadir, the art of temple
dancers called Devadasis. It was described in the treatise Natya Shastra by Bharata around
the beginning of the common era.

Bharata Natyam is known for its grace, purity, tenderness, and sculpturesque poses. Lord
Shiva is considered the God of this dance form. Today, it is one of the most popular and
widely performed dance styles and is practiced by male and female dancers all over the
world.

Bharata Natyam proper is a solo dance, with two aspects, lasya, the graceful feminine lines and movements,

and tandava Ananda Thandavam (Tamil) (the dance of Shiva), masculine aspect, which is identical to the Yin

and Yang in the Chinese culture.

In most solo performances, Bharata Natyam involves many split characters that are depicted by the dancer. The

dancer will take on numerous characters by switching roles through the swift turn in circle and creates a story line
that can be easily followed by the feat of one individual. The characters will be understood by the narrative of the

song and the expression, or "abhinaya. However, in more modern times, Bharata Natyam performances have

taken stage as group performances involving dramatical performances that require many characters depicted by

various dancers. In addition, these dance performances include numerous transitions and formations that are

creatively choreographed to enhance the movements along with the music.

Kathak

It is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dance. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of

ancient northern India, known as Kathakars or storytellers. Its form today contains traces of temple and ritual

dances, and the influence of the bhakti movement. From the 16th century onwards it absorbed certain features

of Persian dance and central Asian dance which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era.

The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit means he who

tells a story, or to do with stories.

The structure of a conventional Kathak performance tends to follow a progression in tempo from slow to fast,

ending with a dramatic climax. A short dance composition is known as a tukra, a longer one as a toda. There are

also compositions consisting solely of footwork. Often the performer will engage in rhythmic play with the time-

cycle, for example splitting it into triplets or quintuplets which will be marked out on the footwork, so that it is in

counterpoint to the rhythm on the percussion.

There are three major schools or gharana of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage:

the gharanas of Jaipur, Lucknow and Varanasi (born in the courts of the Kachwaha Rajput kings, theNawab of

Oudh, and Varanasi respectively); there is also a less prominent (and later) Raigarh gharana which amalgamated

technique from all three preceding gharanas but became famous for its own distinctive compositions.

Kathakali

It is a stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes,

detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and

complementary percussion. One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. Most

often, the make-up can be classified into five basic sets namely Pachcha, Kathi, Kari, Thaadi, and Minukku. The

differences between these sets lie in the predominant colours that are applied on the face.
It originated in the country's present day state of Kerala during the 17th century and has developed over the
years with improved looks, refined gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise
drumming.
 A Kathakali actor uses immense concentration, skill and physical stamina, gained from regimented training
based on Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art of Kerala, to prepare for his demanding role. In Kathakali, the story
is enacted purely by the movements of the hands (called mudras or hand gestures) and by facial expressions
(rasas) and bodily movements. The expressions are derived from Natyashastra (the tome that deals with the
science of expressions) and are classified into nine as in most Indian classical art forms.

Kuchipudi

It is a Classical Indian dance from Andhra Pradesh, India. . It originated in the seventh century It is also popular

all over South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka of Krishna districtthat borders the Bay of

Bengal and also the surname of the resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the

present name.[1]

Bharata Muni who wrote the Natya Shastra about 3000 years ago had explained various aspects of this dance

form. Later sometime in the 13th century, the impetus to kuchipudi was given by Sidhendra Yogi. Siddhendra

Yogi redefined the dance form.

Kuchipudi dancers are quicksilver and scintillating, rounded and fleet-footed, they perform with grace and fluid

movements .The performance usually begins with some stage rites, after which each of the characters come on

to the stage and introduces him/herself with a dharavu (a small composition of both song and dance) to introduce

the identity, set the mood, of the character in the drama. The drama then begins. The dance is accompanied by

song which is typically Carnatic music. The singer is accompanied by mridangam (a classical South

Indian percussion instrument), violin, flute and the tambura (a drone instrument with strings which are plucked).

Ornaments worn by the artists are generally made of a lightweight wood calledBoorugu.

. Manipuri dance

It is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It originates from Manipur, a state in north-eastern India on

the border with Burma. In Manipur, surrounded by mountains and geographically isolated at the meeting point of

the orient and mainland India, the form developed its own specific aesthetics, values, conventions and ethics.

The cult of Radha and Krishna, particularly the raslila, is central to its themes but the dances, unusually,

incorporate the characteristic symbols (kartal or manjira) and double-headed drum (pung or Manipuri mrdanga)

of sankirtan into the visual performance.

Manipuri dance is purely religious and its aim is a spiritual experience. [2] Development of music and dance has

through religious festivals and daily activities of the Manipuri people. Manipuri dancers do not wear ankle bells to

accentuate the beats tapped out by the feet, in contrast with other Indian dance forms, and the dancers' feet

never strike the ground hard. Movements of the body and feet and facial expressions in Manipuri dance are
subtle and aim at devotion and grace.The traditional Manipuri dance style embodies delicate, lyrical and graceful

movements.

The musical accompaniment for Manipuri dance comes from a percussion instrument called the Pung, a singer,

small cymbals, a stringed instrument called the pena and wind instrument such as a flute.. This dance is known

as Pung cholom.

The lyrics used in Manipuri are usually from the classical poetry

of Jayadeva, Vidyapati, Chandidas, Govindadas or Gyandas and may be in Sanskrit, Maithili, Brij Bhasha or

others.

Mohiniyattam,

It is a classical dance from Kerala, India. Believed to have originated in 16th century CE,[1] it is one of the

eight Indian classical danceforms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. It is considered a very graceful

form of dance meant to be performed as solo recitals by women. The term Mohiniyattam comes from the words

"Mohini" meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and "aattam" meaning graceful and sensuous body

movements. The word "Mohiniyattam" literally means"dance of the enchantress". Mohiniyattam is a drama in

dance and verse.

The dance involves the swaying of broad hips and the gentle movements of erect posture from side to side. This

is reminiscent of the swinging of the palm leaves and the gently flowing rivers which abound Kerala, the land of

Mohiniyattam.

The vocal music of Mohiniyattam involves variations in rhythmic structure known as chollu. The lyrics are

in Manipravalam, a mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam. The Mohiniyattam dance is performed to this

accompaniment by the subtle gestures and footwork of the danseuse. The performer uses the eyes in a very coy,

sensual manner to enchant the mind without enticing the senses.

Odissi
It is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Odisha, in eastern India. It is
the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences.[1]

It is particularly distinguished from other classical Indian dance forms by the importance it places upon
the Tribhangi (literally: three parts break), the independent movement of head, chest and pelvis [3][4] and upon the
basic square stance known as Chauka or Chouka that symbolises Lord Jagannath. This dance is characterised
by various Bhangas (Stance), which involves stamping of the foot and striking various postures as seen in Indian
sculptures..

Sattriya
It is one among the eight principal classical Indian dance traditions. In the year 2000, the Sattriya dances of

Assam received recognition as one of the eight classical dance forms of India. [1] Where as some of the other

traditions have been revived in the recent past, Sattriya has remained a living tradition since its creation by the

founder of Vaishnavism in Assam, the great saint Srimanta Sankardev, in 15th century Assam.[2]

Srimanta Sankardev and Madhavdev created Sattriya Nritya as an accompaniment to the Ankia Naat (a form

of Assamese one-act plays devised by them), which were usually performed in the sattras, monasteries

associated with the Ekasarana dharma. As the tradition developed and grew within the sattras, the dance form

came to be known as Sattriya Nritya, a name first coined by Maheswar Neog.[3]Today, although Sattriya

Nritya has emerged from within the confines of the sattras to a much wider recognition, the sattras continue to

use the dance form for ritualistic and other purposes for which it was originally created circa 500 years ago.

The core of Sattriya Nritya has usually been mythological stories. This was an artistic way of presenting

mythological teachings to the people in an accessible, immediate, and enjoyable manner.

Traditionally,Sattriya was performed only by bhokots (male monks) in monasteries as a part of their daily rituals

or to mark special festivals. Today, in addition to this practice, Sattriya is also performed on stage by men and

women who are not members of the sattras, on themes not merely mythological.

Sattriya Nritya is accompanied by musical compositions called borgeets (composed by Sankardeva and Shree

Shree madhavdev, among others) which are based on classical ragas. The instruments that accompany a

traditional performance are khols (drums), taals (cymbals) and the flute. Other instruments like the violin and the

harmonium have been recent additions.