Dance
चतुर्धाभिनयो ह्येषः चतुर्द्वीपवतीं महीम्।।
Chaturdhābhinayo hyeṣhaḥ chaturdvīpavatīṁ mahīm||
What Makes a Dance Movement?
For dancers, the body is a medium through which all movement comes alive. Since dance begins in the body, its alignment, balance, and graceful control shape the strength and clarity of every movement.
In Indian dances, physical awareness is deepened through a conscious harmony between breath and body — similar to yoga. A well-aligned body allows free flow of energy, enhancing endurance, stamina, and emotional expression.
Three Foundations of a Dancer's Body
Rhythm (Tāla) and Tempo (Laya)
Just as your heartbeat follows a repetitive pattern — speeding up when you run, slowing when you sleep — dance too has its own rhythm and tempo working together.
🥁 Tāla (Rhythm)
The repetitive rhythmic pattern in dance. All Indian dances are built on rhythm. Basic patterns use cycles of 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 beats, and combinations of these.
⏱ Laya (Tempo)
The speed or pace of the movement. Three basic tempos: slow (vilambit), medium (madhya), and fast (drut). Some regional dances progressively build tempo to a peak at the end.
Nṛitta and Nṛitya — Pure Dance vs. Expressive Dance
💃 Nṛitta
Non-narrative, pure dance. It is an expression of joy without conveying any story or meaning. Focus is entirely on the beauty of movement, rhythm, and form.
🎭 Nṛitya
Expressive, narrative dance. A blend of nṛitta (pure movement) with abhinaya — expressive communication — making dance both beautiful and meaningful. It narrates or expresses a story.
Abhinaya — The Art of Expression
In Indian dance, abhinaya is the method of expressing and communicating the main idea of a performance in a beautiful and meaningful way. Different emotions are expressed through abhinaya, transferring feelings to the audience and creating aesthetic enjoyment called rasa.
Chaturvidha Abhinaya — The Four Forms
① Āṅgika Abhinaya
- Expression through body gestures, limb movements, postures, and stances
- Includes movements of the head, torso, hands, feet, and eyes
- Example: The rowing stance in Seraikela Chhau (Jharkhand) shows a boatman through body alone
- Odissi portrays the severed head of Goddess Chhinnamastā through two dancers using body coordination
② Vāchika Abhinaya
- Expression through spoken/sung words, poetry, music, and rhythmic syllables
- The Mahārīs of Shree Jagannatha Temple (Odisha) and temple dancers of Somnath Temple (Gujarat) and Brihadeeswara Temple (Tamil Nadu) sang as they danced
- During the annual Sāvan Jhūlā festival in Ayodhya, kathākārs narrate Purāṇic stories through live singing and dancing
③ Āhārya Abhinaya
- Expression through costumes, jewellery, make-up, and props
- Kolī dance (Maharashtra): uses oars and fishing nets as props to mimic rowing and casting nets
- Javārā-nṛitya (Madhya Pradesh): women balance pots with millet shoots on their heads while dancing
- Pulikaḻi (Kerala): body painting and tiger masks coupled with ferocious movements during Onam festival
- Kathakali: elaborate coloured face make-up and headgear; white accessory made of rice mixture
④ Sāttvika Abhinaya
- Derived from 'sattva' meaning purity and harmony
- An immersive enactment where the dancer generates and projects deep, distilled emotions felt by the audience
- The concentrated mind brings forth inner feelings through focus and clarity — making expression genuine and heartfelt
- Dancers draw on real observations and life experiences
- Creates rasa (aesthetic enjoyment) through bhāva (emotions)
Quick Reference — Four Abhinayas
| Abhinaya | Meaning | Tool Used | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Āṅgika | Body expression | Gestures, postures, limb movements, eye movements | Rowing stance in Seraikela Chhau; Odissi depicting Chhinnamastā |
| Vāchika | Verbal/vocal expression | Spoken or sung words, poetry, rhythmic syllables, music | Temple dancers of Brihadeeswara singing while dancing; kathākārs at Sāvan Jhūlā festival |
| Āhārya | Appearance-based expression | Costumes, jewellery, make-up, props | Tiger mask in Pulikaḻi; fishing nets in Kolī dance; pots in Javārā-nṛitya |
| Sāttvika | Inner emotional expression | Deep feelings and emotions projected outward through concentrated focus | Dance maestros of India conveying bhāva to recreate rasa for the entire audience |
Notable Dance Personalities
| Personality | Dance Form | Notable Contribution | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gambhir Singh Mura (1930–2002) | Purulia Chhau (West Bengal) | Organised indigenous and animal movements to develop Chhau's movement vocabulary; UNESCO recognised masked dance-drama | Padma Shri |
| Ranjana Jhaveri (1930–2017) | Manipuri | First dancer from outside Manipur to learn Manipuri and disseminate it worldwide; known for beautiful expressive quality | — |
| Saroja Vaidyanathan (1937–2023) | Bharatanatyam | Known for many innovative choreographies and prolific teaching; depicted "anger" through Bharatanatyam | Padma Bhushan |
| Jatin Goswami (1933–present) | Sattriya (Assam) | Pivotal role in bringing Sattriya out of Vaishnavite monasteries (sattrās) of Assam onto national and international stage | Padma Bhushan |
| Kanak Rele (1937–2023) | Mohiniyattam | Pioneer of Mohiniyattam; dancer, academician, scholar, educator, and lawyer | Padma Bhushan |
| Kelucharan Mohapatra (1926–2004) | Odissi (Odisha) | Credited with revival and popularisation of Odissi; first individual from Odisha to receive Padma Vibhushan | Padma Vibhushan |
| Bipin Singh (1918–2000) | Manipuri | Distinguished choreographer, teacher, and scholar; played pivotal role in popularising Manipuri nationally and internationally | — |
| Chathunni Asan (1941–2019) | Pulikaḻi (Kerala) | Pioneer of Pulikaḻi; participated in the famous Pulikaḻi during Onam festival in Thrissur for 60 years | — |
| Astad Deboo (1947–2020) | Contemporary Dance | Pioneer of contemporary dance in India; creative use of masks and stilts as props | Padma Shri |
| Kumari Kamala / Kamala Lakshman (1934–2025) | Bharatanatyam / Cinema | Starred in nearly 100 Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada films; starred in first Technicolour Tamil film Konjum Salangai (1962) with Bharatanatyam as central theme | Padma Bhushan (1970); Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1968) |
Dance in Indian Cinema
Indian cinema has drawn from dance traditions since its earliest days. Classical and folk dance forms have been beautifully portrayed in films across many languages.
| Film | Language | Dance Form Featured |
|---|---|---|
| Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje | Hindi | Classical Indian dance |
| Mughal-e-Azam | Hindi | Classical traditions |
| Pakeezah | Hindi | Kathak / Mujra style |
| Thillana Mohanambal | Tamil | Bharatanatyam |
| Sankarabharanam | Telugu | Classical Carnatic + dance |
| Swarnakamalam | Telugu | Bharatanatyam |
| Sangte Aika | Marathi | Lāvaṇī |
| Konjum Salangai (1962) | Tamil (Technicolour) | Bharatanatyam – Kumari Kamala |
| Pardesi / Khozhdenie za tri morya (1957) | Indo-Soviet | Temple dancer resembling Bharatanatyam |
| Jab We Met | Hindi | Bhangra |
| Devdas | Hindi | Kathak |
| Padmavat | Hindi | Ghoomar |
| Hellaro | Gujarati | Garba |
| Manichitrathazhu | Malayalam | Bharatanatyam |
| Bahubali: The Beginning | Telugu/Tamil | Gussādi dance of the Lambadi community |
| Natarang | Marathi | Lāvaṇī |
| Kalpana (1948) | Hindi | First dance film ever — by Uday Shankar |
📝 Exercises — Questions & Answers
The options are: (i) Sauṣhṭhava (ii) Vāchika (iii) Rūpa (iv) Rekhā
Answer: ii. Vāchika
Explanation: Vāchika is one of the four types of abhinaya (expressive communication using verbal/vocal elements). It is not related to body alignment. The three elements essential for proper body alignment in dance are:
- Sauṣhṭhava — the aligned, poised stance of a dancer
- Rekhā — clear lines and shapes formed by the body
- Rūpa — the facial disposition and expression
Nṛitta
Pure, non-narrative dance movements. It is an expression of joy and beauty without conveying any specific meaning or story. The focus is entirely on form, rhythm, and the beauty of movement itself.
Nṛitya
Dance that narrates or expresses a story or meaning. It is a blend of nṛitta (pure dance) along with expressive communication called abhinaya. This combination makes dance both beautiful and meaningful. In some dances, these two are fully merged.
Source: Abhinaya-darpaṇam
Tāla (Rhythm): The repetitive rhythmic pattern on which dance is built. All Indian dances are based on rhythm. The basic rhythmic patterns used in many Indian dance forms come in cycles of 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 beats (and their permutations and combinations).
Laya (Tempo): The speed or pace of the dance movement. There are three basic tempos — slow (vilambit), medium (madhya), and fast (drut). Rhythm and tempo always go hand in hand in dance — different dance forms have their own rhythmic patterns and tempos. Some regional dances progressively increase tempo to reach a peak at the end.
Sauṣhṭhava is the poised, well-aligned stance of a dancer — a state where the body is balanced, erect yet relaxed, and ready to move with control and grace.
To achieve sauṣhṭhava:
- Stand upright with feet joined together and body weight evenly distributed on both feet
- Imagine a central meridian (vertical) line passing through your body
- Align your ears, shoulders, and waist along this line
- Keep the torso upright and lifted; stand alert but relaxed
Proper body posture (sauṣhṭhava) forms the foundation of all dance technique and helps prevent injuries from incorrect alignment. A well-aligned body also allows the free flow of energy, enhancing endurance, stamina, and emotional expression.
| Figure | Dance Shown | Abhinaya Identified | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fig. 10.29 | Purulia Chhau costume | Āhārya Abhinaya | The vibrant costume, elaborate headgear, and colourful mask represent expression through appearance (costume and props) |
| Fig. 10.30 | Yakṣhagāna | Āhārya Abhinaya | Yakṣhagāna is renowned for its bold, elaborate costumes, make-up, and headgear that define the characters — a hallmark of āhārya |
| Fig. 10.31 | Expression in Mohiniyattam | Sāttvika Abhinaya | The facial expression showing deep inner emotion (here pain/fear as depicted by Kanak Rele) represents expression through inner emotional state |
| Fig. 10.32 | Krishna in Sattriya dance | Āṅgika Abhinaya | The body posture, hand gestures, and limb movements used to portray the character of Krishna represent expression through the body |
| # | Dance Form | Notable Legend (from chapter) |
|---|---|---|
| i. | Kathak | Birju Maharaj (well-known Kathak legend, widely studied in dance history) / Refer to your textbooks for the name discussed in your class |
| ii. | Sattriya | Jatin Goswami (Padma Bhushan) — brought Sattriya out of Assam's monasteries onto the national and international stage |
| iii. | Purulia Chhau | Gambhir Singh Mura (Padma Shri) — developed the movement vocabulary of Chhau through indigenous and animal movements |
| iv. | Pulikaḻi | Chathunni Asan (1941–2019) — participated in Pulikaḻi during Onam festival in Thrissur for 60 years |
| v. | Kathakali | Refer to your textbook/class notes — Kathakali is presented in the chapter through its elaborate make-up described in āhārya abhinaya |
| vi. | Mohiniyattam | Kanak Rele (1937–2023, Padma Bhushan) — pioneer of Mohiniyattam; dancer, scholar, and lawyer |
| vii. | Bharatanatyam | Saroja Vaidyanathan (1937–2023, Padma Bhushan) — known for innovative choreographies and prolific teaching |
| viii. | Odissi | Kelucharan Mohapatra (1926–2004) — credited with revival and popularisation of Odissi; first to receive Padma Vibhushan from Odisha |
| ix. | Manipuri | Bipin Singh (1918–2000) / Ranjana Jhaveri (1930–2017) — Bipin Singh popularised Manipuri nationally and internationally; Ranjana Jhaveri was the first dancer from outside Manipur to learn and spread the form |
Your journal entry for this chapter has two parts. Here is a guide on what to write for each:
Part (i) — The Performance Watched
- Describe the dance form — What was it called? Where does it come from?
- Rhythm and tempo — Was the music fast or slow? What rhythmic cycle did it seem to use? Did it build up speed?
- Āṅgika elements — What body movements did you notice? Were there specific hand gestures (mudras), footwork, or eye movements?
- Emotional impact — Which part did you enjoy most? What emotion did it bring out in you — joy, wonder, excitement?
- Āhārya elements — Describe the costume, jewellery, make-up, props, and stage decoration. Could you connect it to a region of India?
- Vāchika and Sāttvika — Was there singing or spoken poetry? Did the dancer's inner emotion reach you through facial expression?
Part (ii) — Cinema Dance Sequence
- Name of film and dance sequence — Which film and which scene did you choose?
- Identify the Indian dance form — Is it Bhangra, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Garba, Lāvaṇī, or another form? What are the signs?
- Body movements (Āṅgika) — Describe the footwork, hand gestures, body posture, and spins.
- Language/songs (Vāchika) — Are there lyrics that go with the dance? How does the music support the movement?
- Costume and props (Āhārya) — What does the dancer wear? Are there props like sticks, pots, or garments that help tell the story?
- Emotional context (Sāttvika) — What feeling does the scene create? Celebration? Longing? Devotion?
- Rhythm and tempo (Tāla & Laya) — Is the sequence slow and graceful, or energetic and fast?
Dance Elements — Concept Flowchart
- Purulia Chhau (West Bengal) — Uses impressive masks; UNESCO recognised
- Seraikella Chhau (Jharkhand) — Uses impressive masks
- Mayurbhanj Chhau (Odisha) — Does NOT use masks; uses stylised body movements to express meaning