Bharatnatyam

• Bharatnatyam dance is known to be ekaharya, where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance.
• The dance involves transitional movements of leg, hip and arm. Expressive eye movements and hand gestures are used to convey emotions.
• The accompanying orchestra consists of a vocalist, a mridangam player, violinist or veena player, a flautist and a cymbal player.
• The person who conducts the dance recitation is the Nattuvanar.
• In its usual form the dance is generally broken into seven main parts – Alarippu, Jatiswaran, Shabda, Varna, Pada, Thillana and Sloka.
• The Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikesvara is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance.

Kathak

• Kathak began evolving into a distinct mode of dance in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with the spread of the bhakti movement.
• The legends of Radha-Krishna were enacted in folk plays called rasa lila, which combined folk dance with the basic gestures of the kathak story-tellers.

• Under the Mughal emperors and their nobles, Kathak was performed in the court, where it acquired its present features and developed into a form of dance with a distinctive style.
• Under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, it grew into a major art form.
• Usually a solo performance, the dancer often pauses to recite verses followed by their execution through movement.
• The focus is more on footwork; the movements are skillfully controlled and performed straight legged by dancers wearing ankle-bells.
• Kathak is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani or the North Indian music.

Sattriya

• The Sattriya dance form was introduced in the 15th century A.D by the Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Sankaradeva as a medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith.
• Because of its religious character and association with the Sattras (Vaishnava maths or monasteries), this dance style has been named
• Sattriya dance tradition is governed by strictly laid down principles in respect of hastamudras, footworks, aharyas, music etc.
• This tradition, has two distinctly separate streams - the Bhaona-related repertoire starting from the Gayan-Bhayanar Nach to the Kharmanar Nach, secondly the dance numbers which are independent, such as Chali, Rajagharia Chali, Jhumura, Nadu Bhangi etc.
• Among them the Chali is characterized by gracefulness and elegance, while the Jhumura is marked by vigor and majestic beauty.

Manipuri

• Lai Haraoba is the earliest form of dance which forms the basis of all stylised dances in Manipur.
• The principal performers are the maibas and maibis (priests and priestesses) who re-enact the theme of the creation of the world..
• The Kirtan form of congregational singing accompanies the dance which is known as Sankirtana in Manipur.
• The male dancers play the Pung and Kartal while dancing.
• The dancers do not wear ankle bells to stamp out the rhythms in a theatrical display, as this interferes with the delicate body movements.

Mohiniyattam

• Mohiniyattam or dance of Mohini (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) is the classical solo dance form of Kerala.
• References of Mohiniyattam can be found in the texts Vyavaharamala written in 1709 by Mazhamagalam Narayanan Namputiri and in Ghoshayatra, written later by poet Kunjan Nambiar.
• Mostly a solo performance by girls with circular movements, delicate footsteps and subtle expressions.
• Movements have been borrowed from Nangiar Koothu and female folk dances Kaikottikali and the Tiruvatirakali.
• It has elements of Bharatanatyam (grace & elegance) and Kathakali (vigour) but is more erotic, lyrical and delicate.
• The lyrics are in Manipravala (a medieval south Indian language combining Tamil-Malayalam and Sanskrit).