The art of natya, or dance drama, was so important in ancient India that it was referred to as the fifth Veda. Today there are six major classical dance forms in India, along with numerous dance drama and regional folk dance forms.
With ancient roots more than 2,000 years old, Bharatanatyam evolved over the centuries to take its present form about 200 years ago. Bharatanatyam is firmly rooted in Hindu mythology. This form is native to South India, in particular to the state of Tamil Nadu.
It exhibits the three main components of dance: nritta, or pure dance, featuring rhythmic footwork patterns and beautiful abstract movements of the body; nritya, or interpretive dance; and natya or abhinaya, which is expressional dance, featuring a vocabulary of hand gestures and facial expressions that mime the words of the song.
The pure dance technique of Bharatanatyam is characterized by clean, deliberate, movements, exuberant leaps and bends, subtle neck and eye movements, and crisp, intricate footwork. The lyrical content of the songs is primarily devotional or mythological, and is sung in the Carnatic classical style.
The art of natya, or dance drama, was so important in ancient India that it was referred to as the fifth Veda. Today there are six major classical dance forms in India, along with numerous dance drama and regional folk dance forms.
