KATHAK

Kathak: is a classical dance form from North India and is the national dance of Pakistan. It is a partially narrative dance form characterized by fast footwork (tatkar), spins (chakkar) and innovative use of bhav in abhinaya.

KATHAKALI

Kathakali is a form of highly stylised classical Indian dance-drama that is noted for its attractive make-up of characters, their elaborate costumes, detailed hand gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion.

SATTRIYA

Sattriya, or Sattriya Nritya, is one among eight principal classical Indian dance traditions. Whereas some of the other traditions were revived in the recent pasts, Sattriya dance has been a living tradition since its creation by the Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th century in Assam.

MOHINIATTAM

Mohiniyattam is a traditional South Indian dance form from Kerala, India. It is a very graceful dance meant to be performed as a solo recital by women. The term Mohiniyattam comes from the words "Mohini" meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and "aattam" meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word "Mohiniyattam" literally means "dance of the enchantress". There are two stories of the Lord Vishnu disguised as a Mohini. In one, he appears as Mohini to lure the asuras (demons) away from the amrita (nectar of immortality) obtained during the churning of the palazhi or Ocean of Milk.

BHARATANATYAM

Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India.

This popular South Indian dance form called Bharatanatyam is a 20th century reconstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers. Cathir in turn, is derived from ancient dance forms. The word Bharata, some believe, signifies the author of the famous Sanskrit treatise on stagecraft, called NatyaShastra, and the word Bharatanatyam is sometimes given a folk etymology as follows:Bha for Bhava or abhinaya and expression, Ra for raga or melody, and Ta for tala or rhythm.

KUCHIPUDI

Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance form from Andhra Pradesh, a state of South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a small village in the Divi Taluq of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practising this traditional dance form, it acquired the present name..

With the dance form attaining perfection by the time of Golconda king Abdul Hassan Tanesha, Kuchipudi brahmins are said to have received 600 acres (2.4 km2) of land as an endowment from Tanesha for the great presentation before him.

MANIPURI

Manipuri dance is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It originates from Manipur, a state in north-eastern India on the border with Myanmar (also known as Burma).

ODISSI

Odissi may claim to be the earliest classical dance style of India on the basis of archeological evidence - the most outstanding being the Rani Gumpha caves (Udaygiri, Orissa) of the second century BC. These are the very first specimens of a dance scene with full orchestration found in sculptures of that historical period. Some scholars have dated these caves to be earlier than the writings of Bharata's Natyashastra, in which Odissi is mentioned as the peculiar style from north eastern India called Odra Magadhi.