One
of the ways in which people express happiness, any where in the world is
through celebration with song and dances.
Bharatanatyam,
Chakiarkoothu Kathak, Kathakali, Krishnanattam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri,
Mohiniattam, Odissi, Ottanthullal and Yakshagana .....What
are these?
These
are the names of some of the popular dance styles in India. Besides these
there are many folk dances like the "Dandia" "Garba"
and "Ras" from Gujarat, "Lavani" from Maharashtra,
"Bhangra" from Punjab, "Chhou" and "Gambhira",
folk dances of West Bengal, "Mando" a folk dance from Goa,
"Rouff"is a folk dance of Kashmir and many more.
All
forms of Indian dance essentially involve the graceful movement of hands
and feet according to a particular rhythm, known as taal when
music is played. Facial expressions, known as bhavam are more
pronounced in the case of the traditional forms of
dance.
Indian
dance was first created by Lord Shiva.
One of the forms of Shiva is Nattaraj
who creates and destroys through his cosmic
dance. Later,
his art was passed on to the human world by the yogis, Narad and Bharat
Muni, through the ancient books known as the Rig Vedas and Natya Sastra.
In these books the authors write about the science behind dance and
drama.
All
dance forms are structured around the nine "rasas" or
emotions, sringara(love), roudra(heroic), hasya (humorous), bhibasta,
bhayanak (fear), viram (courage), karuna (compassion), adbhuta
(wonder) and shanta (peace).
Indian
dance is divided into Nritta - pure dance Nritya - the
rhythmic elements of the hand and feet along with the expressions of the
face and Natya - the dramatic element. Most Indian dances
take their themes from India's rich mythology and folk legends.
Thus, Indian dance is both a form of worship and an expression of man's
most profound emotions.
There
are several Indian dance studios in the US. Individual dance maestros
also conduct dance classes. The two most popular dances are Bharat
Natyam and Kathak. Many parents go out of their way to involve their
kids in the classes so that they can enjoy and learn the Indian culture
through dance.
Here
are some of the popular dances explained briefly.
Bharat
Natyam 
This
dance originated in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India.
Traditionally the Bharat Natyam is performed by women. It is mostly
performed by a solo artist. Bharata Natyam has been handed down through
the centuries by dance teachers (or gurus) called nattuwanars
and the temple dancers, called devadasis.
The
complete performance of this dance involves six stages. They are
Alarippu (invocation), Jathi Swaram (note combinations), Shabdam (notes
and lyrics), Varnam (a combination of pure dance and abhinaya), lighter
items like Padams and Javalis (all erotic) and finally the thillana
(again pure dance).
Kathak 
Kathak
originated in the State of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It was
originally performed by communities of people called Kathakaras or story
tellers. Kathak is also known as Braj Raas. Both
men and women perform this dance. Music composition is based on lyrics
such as Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal and Kavitas.
The dance
contains the following comments: Thata, the opening sequence, Amad,
Paran, and finally the Tarana. A notable feature of Kathak is the
intricate footwork and the highlight of the dance is the Tahai, a
spinning movement in one spot at great speed.
More
to come..............
