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Indian Dances illuminate & express India's culture in a direct manner, playing on the sensibilities of the onlooker. India offers a number of classical dance forms, each of which can be traced to different parts of the country. Each form represents the culture and ethos of a particular region or a group of people. There are many types of dance in India, from those which are deeply religious in content to those which are danced on more trivial happy occasions.
Classical Indian Dances are usually always spiritual in content, although this is often true also of Folk dances.. The most popular classical styles seen on the Indian dance stage are Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam of Kerala, Odissi of Orissa, Kathak of Uttar Pradesh, Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh and Manipuri of Manipur. Indian mythology, legends and classical literature provide the themes of the Indian dance, both of the classical and folk variety. The classical dance is based on rigid rules and dance discipline. Its forms include Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi, Oddissi and Kathak as also a tradition of dance-dramas - Kathakali, Kutiyattam, Mohiniattam, etc.
Indian dance is divided into nritta - the rhythmic elements, nritya - the combination of rhythm with expression and natya - the dramatic element. Nritya is usually expressed through the eyes, hands and facial movements. Nritya combined with nritta makes up the usual dance programmes.
