Dance in India
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Dance in India covers a wide range of dances, from the ancient classical to modern styles. The presentation of Indian dance styles in film, Bollywood has exposed the range of dance in India to a global audience.
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[edit] Classical Indian 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 criteria for being considered as classical is the style's adherence to the guidelines laid down in 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.
Indian classical dance is a misnomer, as actually dance 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:[citation needed]
[edit] Shaivite tradition
The Shaivites are those who worship the Lord Shiva, the lord of dance. In him revealed both faces of dance - 'lasya' and 'tandava', of which all subsequent dance forms were offshoots. 'Lasya', the dance of aesthetic delight revealed beauty, grace, love and all tender aspects of existence. 'Lasya' is the mode that defined many of Shiva's iconographic forms - Kalyana-Sundara, Vrashavahana, Yogeshvara, Katyavalambita, Sukhasanamurti, Vyakhyanamurti, Chinamudra, Anugrahamurti, and Chandrashekhara.
Devi, Shiva's variously named consort, is alluded to have performed dance in her manifestations as Kali - Mahakali or Shamshana-Kali, and Bhairavi. Devi had many other forms, each representing a particular 'bhava'. So did ten Mahavidyas and 'Saptamatrikas'. Each of such forms was modeled using the dance-mode in which its characteristic 'bhava' transpired. Thus, in modeling Devi's other forms, too, a similar dance-iconography was used.
[edit] Vaishnavite tradition
The dance style performed by Sri Krishna and 108 gopi's in Vrindavan is called rasa-lila, and is considered as a form of devotional dance.
[edit] Indian folk dances
There are hundreds of Indian folk dances such as Bhangra, and special dances observed in regional festivals.
[edit] Bollywood
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This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007) |
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.
[edit] See also
[edit] Related articles
[edit] References
- Dance: The Living Spirit of Indian Arts by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet
- Indian Dance in Australia at Australia Dancing
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