Dance in India
Dance in India has its origins in antiquity and continues in both classical and modern styles into the present. The presentation of Indian dance styles in film, Bollywood has exposed the range of dance in India to a global audience.
Classical Dance
India offers a number of classical Indian 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. The eight main styles are[citation needed] Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Manipuri, Sattriya and Kathakali. Besides, there are several forms of Indian folk dances such as Bhangra, and special dances observed in regional festivals.
Most Indian dance is based on the treatise Natyashastra by the sage Bharata Muni, which explains the Indian art of acting. Acting or natya is a broad concept which encompasses both drama and dance.
BharatnatyamIndian classical dance is a misnomer, and actually refers to Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles. Its theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC). The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight “dance” forms:
1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniaattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya
Folk Dance
Indian folk and tribal dances are simple dances, and are performed to express joy.
Folk and tribal dances are performed for every possible occasion, to celebrate the arrival of seasons, birth of a child, a wedding and festivals. The dances are extremely simple with minimum of steps or movement. The dances burst with verve and vitality. Men and women perform some dances exclusively, while in some performances men and women dance together. On most occasions, the dancers sing themselves, while being accompanied by artists on the instruments.
Each form of dance has a specific costume. Most costumes are flamboyant with extensive jewels.
While there are numerous folk and tribal dances, they are constantly improved. The skill and the imagination of the dances influence the performance.A good example is the Haka.
Bollywood Dance
Dance in early Bollywood films, was primarily modelled on classical Indian dance styles and particularly those of historic northern Indian courtesans (tawaif), or folk dances. Modern films often blend this earlier style with Western dance styles (MTV or in Broadway musicals), though it is not unusual to see Western pop and pure classical dance numbers side by side in the same film. The hero or heroine will often perform with a troupe of supporting dancers. Many song-and-dance routines in Indian films feature unrealistically instantaneous shifts of location and/or changes of costume between verses of a song. If the hero and heroine dance and sing a pas de deux (a French ballet term, meaning “dance of two") often staged in beautiful natural surroundings or architecturally grand settings, referred to as a “picturisation”.
Bollywood films have always used what are now called “item numbers”. A physically attractive female character (the “item girl"), often completely unrelated to the main cast and plot of the film, performs a catchy song and dance number in the film. In older films, the “item number” may be performed by a courtesan (tawaif) dancing for a rich client or as part of a cabaret show. The dancer Helen was famous for her cabaret numbers. In modern films, item numbers may be inserted as discotheque sequences, dancing at celebrations, or as stage shows.
Bollywood producers now release music videos, usually featuring a song from the film. However, some promotional videos feature a song which is not included in the movie.