Top 10 most popular Dance forms in India from different states

In India there are many dance forms coming from every state, however, only six classical dance forms are recognized at the national level. They are Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, and Odissi. The folk dances of India are much more than merely body movements, from ancient times the classical dance forms of India are considered as a discipline and a way to devote yourself to God through your art.

 

Bharatnatyam

Bharatnatyam originates from the state of Tamil Nadu in south India. The origins of Bharatnatyam can be discovered in 1000 BC, and it originates from the ancient temples of Tamil Nadu presented by the women of the classical period. This dance form is mainly known for its beautiful body movement and gestures which are called Mudras in the traditional language. It focuses on the hand motion, leg movement, and the facial expressions of the dancer. Today this dance form is recognised as one of the most respectable art forms in India, especially in the southern region of the country.

 

 

Kathak

Kathak comes from the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and the word 'Katha' means "story" in Hindi. Which doesn’t mean that Kathak is performed in the form of storytelling through the body movements of the dancer. Kathak is often referred to as a love dance and can be danced by both male and female dancers together. This dance form is highly dependent on ankle movements and the dancer has to catch the beats of the song with his ankle movements. Therefore the dancer wears a ghungro around his ankle and it's an important part of the discipline of this dance form. Various differences can be observed in this dance form as it is performed in various places in the country which including Jaipur, Benaras, and Lucknow.

 

Kathakali

Kathakali is another traditional dance form of India which depicts the storytelling through its dance form. This dance is one of the most famous and religious dance forms of India, originating from Kerala, the southern region of India. It arises from the tales of Shiva and Ramayana stories. Kathakali includes attractive face movements and heavy costumes which involve traditional face masks and body paints. In this dance form, the storytelling of epic Hindu mythology tales depicting both evil and good is shown through the conversation between the dancers only through their body gestures and facial expressions. 

 

Manipuri 

Manipuri this dance form originated from Manipur, the North-East state of India, which is full of rich traditions and unique culture. This dance form comes as an important symbol to represent the state of Manipur. And this dance form is performed to narrate the romantic relationship between the Hindu gods Radha and Krishna, which is known as Rasleela.This art form is done in a team with the traditional Manipuri outfits and makeup to narrate the tale of the two gods. The dance is performed on the story chanting and the music made by the Indian classical instruments.

 

 

Kuchipudi 

Kuchipudi This dance form comes from the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. And this dance form is probably the most difficult form of classical dance in India. This dance is not only considered as a dance, but it is a complete religious process of dedicating one's devotion to God. This includes some rituals such as sprinkling holy water, lighting incense sticks, offering flowers, and praying to God. Kuchipudi involves both singing and dancing by the actor, that's why it requires both skill and much more dedication than any other art form in India. In the earlier period, Kuchipudi was only performed by the male dancers in the temples, mainly the Brahmins (Upper caste of the society) but with the passing of time, it became famous among the women, and nowadays it is mostly done by the female dancers.

 

Odissi

The Odissi dance form comes from the state of Odisha, the eastern part of India. This traditional dance form is taken from the Hindu temples of Odisha. Most of the signs and movements (Mudras) are inspired by the artists and idols belonging to the ancient temples of India. The dance is performed as a way to express the mythic tales of Hindu gods, including that Shiva and Surya. The dance is conducted by a mythological story, a Hindi poem in the form of music by the musicians. Odissi is considered as the oldest dance forms of India which are sustained till today. Odissi dance is performed mostly by women dancers, and it includes more than 50 attractive mudras. 

Garba

Garba comes from the Gujarat state of India, which is a traditional dance form dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is performed in a couple of typical Gujarati music, and the sticks are used to perform this art form.

 

Bhangra  

Bhangra this dance form comes from Punjab, the state of India. It is a heart-pumping dance adorned with the loud beats of dhol (traditional Indian instrument). It is very famous in traditional Punjabi festivals.

Ghoomar

Ghoomar This dance form comes from the Indian state of Rajasthan, in which the dancer performs in heavy jewellery and beautiful costumes which reflect the traditional dance form. Ghoomar includes the attractive circular movements set off by the hand gestures.

Lavani

Lavani dance form originated from the Maratha Empire, which is one of the popular dance forms of Maharashtra state today. Lavani this dance is performed by women, which is a mixture of traditional music and stories of deities. The origin of Lavani comes from the word Lavanya which means beauty. This dance performs with the powerful and quick foot-tapping beat, along with the beats of the Dholak. And dancers are dressed in nine-yard of saree with golden jewellery. The dance was firstly present at local temples in the form of worship, but now it's this dance performed to the pulsating beats rendering a socio-political satire.

 

 

These are the top 10 dance forms in India from different states and if you are really interested in dance then you can learn this dance according to your state and make your career in it as a dance teacher, choreographer, and also you can open your own dance academy. And if you really want to open your dance academy than you should have knowledge of everything like management, accounting, marketing, costume knowledge, etc. If you want to learn all this fields there are many institutes in the market. Eduvogue is one of the best instituted to pursue all this courses to enhance your skill sets.