Classical dance questions are usually simple: dance → state, or dancer → dance. The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises 8 classical dances; the Ministry of Culture also counts Chhau, making 9. Learn the table below and you can answer almost every question.
Basics
- All classical dances trace their roots to Bharata’s Natya Shastra.
- Two elements: Nritta (pure dance) and Nritya (expressive dance); Natya adds drama.
- Abhinaya = expression; mudras = hand gestures.
The 8 classical dances
| Dance | State | Key features | Famous dancers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Temple dance (earlier Sadir/Dasiattam); fixed upper torso, bent legs | Rukmini Devi Arundale, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma Subrahmanyam |
| Kathak | Uttar Pradesh (North India) | Storytelling; fast footwork (tatkar), spins (chakkars); Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras gharanas | Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Shovana Narayan |
| Kathakali | Kerala | Dance-drama; heavy make-up and costumes; green face (pacha) for heroes | Kalamandalam Gopi, Guru Kunchu Kurup |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Named after a village; dancing on the rim of a brass plate (Tarangam) | Vempati Chinna Satyam, Raja and Radha Reddy |
| Odissi | Odisha | Tribhanga posture; temple sculpture inspired | Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh, Protima Bedi |
| Manipuri | Manipur | Graceful; Ras Lila; Pung Cholom (drum dance) | Guru Bipin Singh, Jhaveri sisters |
| Mohiniyattam | Kerala | “Dance of the enchantress”; swaying movements; white and gold costume | Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Bharati Shivaji |
| Sattriya | Assam | Started by Srimanta Sankardev in the satras (monasteries); recognised in 2000 | Jatin Goswami, Guru Ghanakanta Bora |
Chhau (Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal) is a martial, masked dance; it is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list (2010).
Memory tricks
- Kerala has two: Kathakali (drama, men traditionally) and Mohiniyattam (graceful, women).
- The newest classical dance: Sattriya (2000).
- Tribhanga = Odissi (body bent in three places).
- Plate dance = Kuchipudi.
Famous dancer awards
- Birju Maharaj (Kathak) received the Padma Vibhushan (1986).
- Rukmini Devi Arundale founded Kalakshetra in Chennai (1936).
- Sonal Mansingh (Odissi) was nominated to the Rajya Sabha (2018).
Exam-ready one-liners
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises 8 classical dances.
- Sattriya of Assam was recognised in 2000.
- Kathakali and Mohiniyattam both come from Kerala.
- Kuchipudi is named after a village in Andhra Pradesh.
- Chhau is on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list.
Related reading
Quiz: test yourself
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Based on Sangeet Natak Akademi and Ministry of Culture sources.
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