Eternal India Encyclopedia

D A N C E

Eternal India

encyclopedia

There is a three-fold division in Indian dance. The first is

nritta

or pure dance which is an expression of body movement.

Nritya

combines pure dance with the expression of emotion using the

body, face and eyes.

Natya

is the art of drama, through which a

dancer develops a theme or. tells a story.

Abhinaya

means literally

"to carry forward", that is, present a theme to the audience,

natya

its fullest development. There is again a two-fold division of

Nritta

and

Nritya

into

Lasya

and

Tandava,

the graceful and virile aspects.

Most of the texts give the course of a dance programme thus:

Having made the invocation, the dance may begin. The song

should be sustained in the throat; its meaning must be shown by the

hands, the moods must be shown by the glances, time is marked by

the feet.

The fourfold division of

Abhinaya

Through the four modes of

Abhinaya,

the ideas and emotions of

a dancer are reflected. The modes of expression are purely physical

(

Angika

), song and speech (

Vachika

), ornamental (

Aharya

) in-

volving the use of costumes, make-up or stage sets and emotional

(Satvika).

Abhinaya is conveyed through

Natyadharmi

(stylised)

lokadharmi

(realistic) representation.

While referring to Angika Abhinaya, the Natya Shastra

analyses the human form, dividing it into two principal parts as

major and minor limbs. The six major limbs (anga) are head, hands,

breast, sides, waist and feet. The six minor limbs (upanga) are

eyes, eye brows, nose, lower lip and chin. The Natya Shastra

further analyses the movements thus : the movement mainly with a

single foot is called a

Chari.

The movement which combines both

the feet and hands is called a

Karana.

The combination of three

Karana-s is called a

Khanda.

The combination of three or four Khandas make up a

mandala.

Sthanaka

is a posture taken before the movement starts.

As per Natya Shastra there are 24 sirigle-hand gestures

(Asamyuta Hasta)

and 13 double-hand gestures (

Samyuta Hasta

)

and 30

Nritta hastas.

The

hastas

or hand gestures facilitate the expression of the

chosen composition or

sahitya.

Each hasta carries a different shade

of meaning.

Abhinaya Darpana lists 28 single-hand gestures and 24

double-hand gestures.

Rasa

and

Bhava

are represented through the skilful and

sensitive handling of facial expressions supplemented by the body

movement.

Bhava

means an emotion and its external expression. If

the audience absorbs the

bhava

it produces

rasa

or an enjoyment of

the

bhava.

rasa

is a result of

Sthayi Bhava

(permanent state)

producing a pleasurable sensation through the operation of transi-

tory (

Vyabhichari

) states. The

rasa

is a response to

bhava.

Rasa-s

Static emotions

Sringaara

(amorous)

Love

Haasya

(humorous)

mirth

Karuna

(pathetic)

grief

Rudra

(furious)

anger

Vira

(valorous)

enthusiasm

Bhayaanaka

(horrific)

fear

Bibhatsa

(repugnant)

disgust

Adbhuta

(wondrous)

- -

surprise

Shaanta

(blissfdl-rpeaceful)

placidity

(Shaanta rasa was added later by scholars.)

STYLES OF CLASSICAL DANCE

Indian dance developed as a form of theatre presentation for

public entertainment only in the early decades of the 20th century.

Indian classical dance forms are both solo-oriented and group-ori-

ented. There were four dance forms, namely, Bharatanatyam,

Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuri. Odissi, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam

have been added in recent years. Though each style has evolved a

distinct technique, owing to historical and social changes, they have

certain common aesthetic principles, technical features and a

mythological unity.

BHARATANATYAM

: Bharatanatyam is the art form of South

India, which was popularly known as

Sadir Nautch, Attam, Dasi-

attam

Koothu.

In music and dance circles it was termed

chinna

melam

and

Bharatam.

After undergoing a period of disrepute, this

form was rescued and revived by E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi.

In its revived form the term

Bharatanatyam

was applied to this art

form and it was presented on the professional stage.

As seen today,

Bharatanatyam

has a beautiful repertoire of

nrita, nritya

and

abhinaya.

It was introduced in the nineteenth

century by the versatile artistes — Ponniah, Chinniah, Shivanan-

dan and Vadivelu — four brothers attached to the court of King

Sarfoji of Tanjore. Being musicians and composers of exceptional

skill, they set up a tradition for solo dance, ‘Sadir’ comprising a

scheme of items with a rich content of

Bhava, Raga

and

Tala.