ALARIPU

In Kannada, Alaripu literally means the blossoming of a

flower- “Alar” meaning flower and “ippu” meaning
lowering or bringing down. It suggests the blossoming of
both dance and dancer in the presence of an audience.
Alarippu is the first item in a Bharatnatyam recital. It is
an invocatory dance performed at the beginning of the
recital, like offering obeisance to the Gods and
audience, where through a series of pure nritta
movements of the face and other parts of the body, the
body is dedicated to God.
It is like a warm – up dance for the entire dance
performance. It can be set to any five jaatis using
sollukattu syllables. The movement of all major and
minor limbs is involved in this number. It is performed to
the rhythm of the mridangam. Beginning with a standing
posture (samabhanga), the movements of the neck,
shoulder and arms are introduced with great charm,
followed by the ardhamandali position, with a final
sequence in the complete mandali position. The number
ends with a small adavu or dance unit ending in a
teermanam. The dance commences quietly and
gradually builds up the tempo of bodily movements to
reach a climax. It is a perfect example of a pure (nritta)
abstract dance sequence which involves no abhinaya,
executed through a number of concentrated yet
elemental rhythmic patterns. It is performed in all three
speeds in a cyclical ascending fashion to fit perfectly into
the prescribed talam, be it chatusra, tisra, khanda, misra
or sangeerna. It is a dance ritual accompanied by a
nattuvnar( verbal percussionist) and a drummer. Alaripu
is generally has a duration of 4 to 5 minutes.
The Alarippu has been so consummately planned that it
looks new every time we see it. Though it is one of the
initial items that a dance student starts learning, a
tremendous amount of thinking has been put into the
organization of the Alarippu which looks so simple and
yet so spontaneous.

JATISWARAM
Jatiswaram is an example of a pure dance or nritta
sequence in which the performer weaves several
patterns on a basic musical composition. Just like its
name, it is executed to the tune of a combination of
swara passages in a particular raga and tala. It is so
named on account of the fact that it is consists of jatis
set to the swaras. Unlike alaripu, where the dance is
performed to mnemonic syllables, in jatiswaram another
element of melody is introduced. It is distinguished from
other musical compositions like gita, sabdam or varnam
by having no lines of poetry.

The jatiswaram follows the rules of the swarajati in

musical structure and has three parts – pallavi,
anupallavi and swaras.
Jathiswaram brings out three aspects of dance : Unity of
music, Rhythm and movements. Raagam and thaalam
are the major aspects of jathiswaram. It is a pure Nritta
item, thus anga shuddha (proper postures and
movements) in combination with flow of melody and
rhythm should evoke sense of harmony and joy of dance
in hearts of spectators.

Jathiswaram includes one jathi (tirmanam) and several

korvay-s with mai-adavu in between.
First two-three korvay-s are executed to Pallavi, one
korvey as a rule includes Pallavi in combination with
Anupallavi, next korvays are executed to swaras. The
dance deals with the execution of Adavu (Basic Steps) &
Mudra's (Hand gestures) , combined in definite groups.

PUSHPANJALI
Pushpanjali literally means offering of flowers to hindu
deities in India.
In Bharatanatyam pushpanjali is one of the dance
number, which is performed in the very beginning of a
performance or Arangetram. Pushpa means flower,
where as anjali means salutation by holding the hands
together with palm facing inwards. So Pushpanjali
means offering flowers as a salutation to the Dance
God, Lord Natraja.

In any Bharatanatyam recital, the dancer performs a full

margam which includes a series of items viz.,

Pushpanjali, Alarippu, Jathiswaram, kauthuvam,

shabdham, varnam, Javali, thillana.

Pushpanjali being the first dance piece to commence

the recital, the dancer carries (or pretends ) flowers in
hands and performs korvai(series or combination of
adavus) covering all the four sides and corners of the
stage, then the flowers are offered to the Cosmic God
Lord Natarajar placed in one corner of the stage.
Followed by the offerings to Natarajar the dancer does
the Namaskaram(a traditional way to start the dance)
and pays their gratitude to the Guru, Orchestra, dance
scholars and the audience. This piece mostly invloves
lyrics or sloga in praising Lord Natarajar or most
commonly Lord Ganesha. Finally dancers ends the item
with the sahithya (as a salutation to the deity) or lyrics
followed by theermanam.

VARNAM
Varṇam is a type of composition in the Carnatic
music system consisting of short metric pieces which
encapsulate the main features (patterns of notes) of
a raga.[1] 
Known for their complex structure, varnams are a
fundamental form in Carnatic music.[2] All varnams
consist of lyrics,[2] as well as swara passages, including
a pallavi, an anupallavi, muktaayi swaras, a charanam,
and chittaswaras. There are different types of varnams,
such as taana varnam, pada varnam, daru varnam and
ragamalika varnam. They also come different taalams
(beat cycles). Though the most popular varnams are in
Aadi and Ata taalas, there are a number of varnams in
other talas as well (e.g., jampa tala, triputa tala, matya
talam, roopaka talam, etc).
Considered as probably the most complex form in
Carnatic music, varnams play a significant role in
Carnatic music.[3] A varnam is traditionally performed as
an opening item by musicians in Carnatic music
concerts to act as warm-up for the musicians,[4] or as a
centre main piece in Bharatanatyam dance concerts. As
a foundation to Carnatic music,[5] varnams are also
practised as vocal exercises by performers of Carnatic
music, to help develop voice culture, and maintain
proper pitch and control of rhythm. The melodic patterns
in a varnam are considered to be characteristic patterns
of a particular raga.

Types of varnams[edit]
Named for its tanam-like rhythmic qualities, tana
varnams only have lyrics for
the pallavi, anupallavi and charanam.[6]
With rhythmic elements like a padam, pada varnams are
generally sung to accompany South Indian classical
dance, including bharatanatyam.[7] Unlike the tana
varnam which only has lyrics for
the pallavi, anupallavi and charanam and swaras for the
rest of the sections a pada varnam also have lyrics that
correspond to the muktaayi and chitta swaras of the
varnam, so generally, pada varnams contain more lyrical
content than a tana varnam.[7] The swaras in this type of
varnam are suitable for intricate footwork.[7] Padajathi
varnams are simply pada varnams that also contain jatis
in it, making it again more suitable for South Indian
classical dance.[7]
Contents of a varnam[edit]
The name "varnam" (meaning "letter") was likely given
to this form of song due to the prevalence
of swara letters in this type of composition.[8]
Lyrical content of varnams are commonly either
devotional or amorous.[8]
The varnam is subdivided into several sections:
 Pallavi: The first section of the Varnam, sung
with lyrics or sahitya.
 Anupallavi: A sort of recapitulation, sung with
lyrics or sahitya also.
 Muktaayi: Sung completely with syllables—or
swaras -- (like s (sa) r (Ri) g(ga) m(ma) p (pa)
d(da) n(ni) (sa)(This is the higher version of the
normal one). In Pada Varnas it is known as
Muktaayi Swara-Sahitya.
 Charanam: Sung with lyrics
 Chitta Swara or Ettugadda Swaram: Sung
completely with syllables. In a Pada varnam,
there are lyrics which correspond to the
Charanam swaras. The swaras occur in several
groups or stanzas.
 Anubandham:epilogue to the Varnam. Some
varnams have this additional part that follows the
charanam and chitta(Ettugadda) swaras, that is
sung with lyrics or sahitya thus leading back to
the muktaayi(Chitta) swara or the first pallavi line
itself. It is found more often with very old
Varnams and it is less prevalent in the newer
varnams. In modern times, some old varnams are
even sung partially, by omitting the anubandham
part. The most classical example of this is the
 Viribhoni varnam in Bhairavi, which is sung after
omitting one of its chitta swaras and the
anubandham.
Varnams are traditionally rendered in a format that
consists of Pallavi, Anupallavi and Chitta Swaram
(Mukthayi Swaram) being sung first in a relatively slow
pace and repeated immediately after in double the
speed. The rest of the composition (Charanam onwards)
is sung in a 'madhyama kala' or approximately 1.5 times
the speed used at the start. Each swara passage is
sung, followed by the lyrics of the charanam. Some
performers do not follow this though, preferring to sing
the entire composition in 'madhyama kala' or relatively
fast pace.
Varnams are generally sung in two varieties of talas, or
metric systems, Adi Tala (8 beat cycle) and Ata Tala (14
beat cycle), where Ata Tala varnams are generally more
complicated and advanced. In most of the Adi
Tala Varnams the tala is placed in the 2 kalai version.
So therefore each beat and finger count is placed twice.

VARNAM
Varnam is the central and most elaborate number in a
Bharatnatyam Margam. It is a demanding number
testing not only the stamina of a dancer but the training,
the skill, the imaginative faculty of a dancer to improvise
and to successfully alternate between pure dance and
abhinaya. If all these come together this engrossing
number is a visual delight.

In the first half of the varnam, the dancer usually begins

with a trikaala jati (a jati rendered in three speeds)
followed by a line of sahityam (prose). The entire
varnam is an intertwining of pure dance and abhinaya
followed alternately. Each line of sahityam corresponds
to one avartanam and is repeated four to six times. The
sahityam is preceded by a jati. Varnam is a term
borrowed from Carnatic music. In technical parlance,
this dance composition commences with usually four
and rarely six feet of sahitya, each corresponding to one
avartan of the talam.

The song of the varnam is usually in shringara rasa and

dwells upon the longing of the nayika, to meet the
nayaka, who maybe a God or a king or a patron. A
series of pure dance sequences alternate with abhinaya
for almost every line of the song and reach a climax in
which raga, bhava and talam, find synchronisation, with
the feet showing jatis in varied and roundabout gaits, the
hastas depicting the meaning of the song and the
mukhajabhinaya, the facial expressions bringing out the
various hues of emotions.
In the second half of the varnam, the swara sequences
intertwine in the song. They are danced like short jatis,
followed by abhinaya on the sahityam corresponding to
the notes of these swaras. When the abhinaya is
performed in tattu mettu, the toe-heel foot pattern,
ending with aradi, a phrase repeated three times, the
entire combination gives varnam a complex character.
The abhinaya weaves in sanchari bhava with the sthayi
bhava, finally ending in a tattu mettu sequence and an
araddi.

The structure of varnam has many leveled layers. The

sahitya deals with the description of the nayaka, the
pallavi and anupallavi describe the many virtues of the
nayak, the charanam describes the yearning of the
nayika for her love.

The varnam gives full scope to the dancer to improvise

on the rasa. She weaves the sanchari bhavas (the
transitory states) to enhance the sthayi bhava (the
dominant state) to evoke the rasa. Pada Varnams or
chauka varnams are used by dancers for expositions.
Tana varnams are usually intended for musical practice
as they have little scope for abhinaya because of limited
sahityam in it. However, in the pada varnam there is a
judicious balance between abhinaya and rhythmic
nuances. Since a varnam is comparatively an elaborate
number, many exponents abbreviate it and compress it
to a duration of say thirty to forty minutes.
ABHINAYA
Abhinaya is one of the most important aspects in
Bharatnatyam. A Sanskrit term, Abhinaya means to
educate, or lead the way towards the audience.
The Shloka of the Abhinaya Bhedas according to
the Abhinaya Darpanam are described as under:
Aangiko Vaachikah tatwadaahaaryah saatwiko aparah
Chaturdhabhinaya tatra changiko- angaih nidarsitah
Vaachavirachitah kaavya naatakaadishu vaachikah
Aaharyo haarakeyura veshaadibhiralamkrtah
Saatwikah saattwikaih bhavaih bhavajnena vibhaavitah
The above shloka says that Abhinaya is four folds :-
1. Aangikam includes the bodily movements,
gestures, postures and actions.
 2. Vaachikam includes voice and speech which
constitutes the kavyas and plays.
3. Saatwikam includes emotional responses or the
saatwika bhavas.
4. Aaharyam includes decoration of the body with
use of makeup, costumes, garlands etc.
Let us now discuss each of these in detail:-
1. Aangikam Abhinaya: It is expressed by the
bodily movements where the body becomes the
sole medium of expression. It is classified into
three major parts:
o Anga: The six body parts included under it
are head, hands, chest, sides (flanks),
waist (hips) and feet. Some scholars
include the neck too.
o Upanga: The shoulders, eyes, eye brows,
eye balls, chin, jaw, teeth, nose, lips and
tongue constitute the Upangas.
o Pratyanga: The six body parts namely the
shoulder blades, arms, back, belly, thigh
(calves too) and shanks are called as
pratyangas. Some scholars have also
added the wrists, elbows and knees to it.

Aangikam abhinayam can also be classified

under the Desika Bhedam Aangikam in which it
has four parts:-
 o Soochikam: Doing abhinayam using
hands, legs and through words about the
trees, plants, flowers etc. is soochikam.
o Bhavaabhinayam: Bhava means to show
expressions with the use of the head and
eyes. Thus, showing any expression
through the head and eyes is called
bhavaabhinayam.
o Thondam: Thondam is shown through the
head, eyes, feet and hands.
o Latchnikam
2. Vaachikam Abhinaya: It constitutes the Kavyas
(poems) and natakas (dramas) which are made
up of speech. Therefore, vachika pertains to
speeches and songs. The song is sung by the
vocalist or the nattuvanaar, to which the dancer
enacts mime. Earlier, the practice was to sing the
padams while enacting it. But that order of talent
is fast disappearing, as all dancers do not
possess melodious voices. The vaachika is now
transferred to the vocalist who sings the sahitya,
or literary composition. The dancer interprets the
songs, through gestures and bodily movements,
to convey its essence. A perfect union is
established between the song, the instrumental
music and the mime performed by the dancer.
Speech is eliminated in solo dance renderings,
and the body is put to use, to express ideas,
thoughts, feelings, and emotions, through mime
and dance.
3. Saatwikam Abhinayam: Sattwika Abhinaya is
performed with the sattvika emotions by those
who can represent then proficiently. It deals with
the expression of psychic states, intimately
associated with emotional conditions. A dancer
registers on her face the appropriate expressions
in keeping with the translation of the song, and
creates the right mood. The eight
sattvika conditions are as follows:
o Motionless
o Perspiration
o Horrification
o Change of voice
o Change of colours
o Trembling
o Tears
o Fainting
In bharatnatyam, a range of emotions is
expressed. It also uses the navarasa and
expresses emotions
through sthaayi and sanchaari bhava. While
depicting the dominant emotion (sthayibhava),
the dancer employs the technique of sancharis
(spontaneous improvisations) to delineate the
main mood. For example, while addressing her
Great and beautiful Lord, she can weave stories
of his greatness and a description of his beauty in
many different ways. While depicting the shringara rasa,
she can intensify it by showing transitory feelings of
weakness, anxiety, shame, impatience, inconstancy and
distress, longing, insanity, sickness, stupor etc. These
methods make the item richer in terms of feelings and
present to the audience an array of sentiments that
challenge the dancer in terms of delivery and enrich the
audience in terms of the visual appeal.
4. Aharyam Abhinayam: Aharyam Abhinayam
relates to costumes, jewellery and facial make
up. A dancer wears a readymade stitched
costume. The lower dhoti is stitched artistically.
With a beautiful front cloth that opens like a fan.
The upper garment is a choli with a davani. The
traditional jewellery used is the head ornaments
known as “tal saman”, the sun and moon
diadems. There are necklaces, long and short,
belt, bangles, rakudi, kunjalam and flowers on the
head, namely orange and white. In Aharya
Abhinayam, (other than make up, costume and
jewellery), flags, riding equipment, accessories,
sets and artificial decoration of scenes with
creepers etc are also included. The three aspects
of the decoration of scenes according to Bharat
Muni is as follows:
o Sandima: Includes cloth, skin, leather,
mat or anything that can be threaded like
garlands, beads etc.
o Viyajima: Includes the use of machines.
 o Seshtima: Includes moveable furniture
with wheels like a throne or simhaasana.
Abhinaya also embraces two
modes- Lokadharmi, the
realistic and Natyadharmi, the conventional
and stylised.
In the lokadharmi mode, abhinaya has an instant
appeal because of its closeness to ordinary life. It
employs gestures that are natural and instinctive,
ornaments that are in common use, and
costumes familiar to everyday life. On the other
hand, stylised hand gestures, movements of the
eyes, conventional movements of the limbs,
peculiar costumes, simulation of emotions and
state of mind, fall into the category
of natyadharmi. If the tears are to be shown, the
dancer uses hand gestures to suggest the flow of
tears, with appropriate expressions on the face.
Representative gesticulation is used as a potent
means of interpretation and expression. The
principal of Natydharmi is strictly followed during
the portrayal: the dancer impersonates the
character and roles, without change of dress or
costumes. As a matter of fact, Bharatnatyam
employs the natyadharmi mode of abhinaya. In it
lies the challenge to transcend the technique,
conceal its operation, and explore the art of
suggestion by investing the performance with a
rare quality of subtle nuances, grace and beauty.
The art of abhinaya flowers in varnams, padams,
javalis and the compositions of Kshetrayya,
Ghanam Sinayya, Subbarama Iyer, Swati
 Tirunaal, and Jayadev’s ashtapadis from the
Geet Govind, the mystic-erotic poem are a
favourite with the dancers.
While saatwika abhinayam predominates in the
natya, Aangikam abhinayam is main feature in
nritta. Both sattwika and aangika abhinayam are
equal in nritya. Aharyam means external or not
own. From the point of view of the dancer, all the
above four are not his own, they pertain to the
character he is portraying. However, while the
three abhinayas, ie, angika, vachika and sattwika
are expressed through the body and the mind of
the dancer, the makeup and costume are purely
external and her efforts in this are minimal. That
is why it alone is called ‘Aharya’- external. It can
thus be concluded that all four kinds of
abhinayam are essential for nrtya as well as
natya and form the entire structure upon which
dance exists.

REPERTOIRE
BHARATNATYAM
The repertoire of Bharatanatyam, like all major classical
Indian dance forms, follows the three categories of
performance in the Natya Shastra. These
are Nritta (Nirutham), Nritya (Niruthiyam)
and Natya (Natyam).[56]
 The Nritta performance is abstract, fast and
rhythmic aspect of the dance.[61] The viewer is
 presented with pure movement in
Bharatanatyam, wherein the emphasis is the
beauty in motion, form, speed, range and pattern.
[56]
 This part of the repertoire has no interpretative
aspect, no telling of story
 The Nritya performance is a mixture of both
physical movements and expressions. In nritya
performance is a story telling or a part of sahitya
along with jaatis and swaras.
 The Natya performance is sort of dance drama or
in other words a type of story telling. It does not
have any specific swar jaatis or any korvais.
The traditional bharatnatyam performance follows
a seven part of presentation. This set is called as
margam.

KATHAK
A modern Kathak, in all three major sub-traditions called
Lucknow, Benares and Jaipur styles (gharana), states
Bruno Nettl, consist of three main sections - the
invocation, one pure (abstract) dance recital and one
expressive dance.[15]
VANDANA:

The invocation (vandana) consists of the dancer coming

to stage and offering respect to his or her guru and the
musicians on the stage. If the team is from the Hindu
tradition, the dancer(s) combine facial expressions and
hand gestures (mudra) to invoke Hindu gods and
goddesses; while a Muslim performance replace the
devotional expressions with a salami (salutation).[15]
Pure dance (Nritta)[edit]
The nritta performance starts off with a thàth sequence,
which is a slower graceful movement of wrists, neck and
eyebrows.[15][51] Thereafter, the dancer gradually
increases speed and energy, while completing a
sequence of bol (mnemonic syllables in Indian tradition).
[15]
 Each bol has short sections, similar to technical
exercises in western dance traditions, wherein the
dancer engages the audience
with tora, tukra, parhant, paran and others stressing
footwork, gestures and turns.[15][53] Each section when
completed has a punctuation mark, usually a sharp turn
of the head.[15] Each ankle is adorned with small bells
(ghungroo), which may have just one bell or hundreds.
The dancer's rapid movements and footwork in
a nritta is perfectly timed to the musical beats (tala) and
tempos, and the footwork sequences are called tatkars.
[15][53]

Most of the Nritta performance is abstract, fast and

rhythmic aspect of Kathak.[17] In a Kathak nritta, as with
all classical Indian dance forms, the viewer is presented
with pure movement, wherein the emphasis is the
beauty in motion, form, speed, range and pattern. It
aims to engage the senses (prakriti) of the audience.[54]
Expressive dance (Nritya)[edit]

The expressive (nritya) stage of the Kathak dance,

dressed in Hindu costumes.
Nritya is slower and expressive aspect of Kathak that
attempts to communicate feelings, storyline particularly
with spiritual themes in Hindu dance traditions.[17] In
a nritya, the dance expands to include words, musical
notes and gestures to articulate a legend or message, it
is more than sensory enjoyment, it aims to engage the
emotions and mind of the viewer.[54]

KATHAKALI
A Kathakalī repertoire is an operatic performance where
an ancient story is playfully dramatized.[28] Traditionally,
a Kathakali performance is long, starting at dusk and
continuing through dawn, with interludes and breaks for
the performers and audience.[3] Some plays continued
over several nights, starting at dusk everyday. Modern
performances are shorter. The stage with seating
typically in open grounds outside a temple, but in some
places, special theatres called Kuttampalam built inside
the temple compounds have been in use.[33]
The stage is mostly bare, or with a few drama-related
items.[28] One item, called a Kalivilakku (kali meaning
dance; vilakku meaning lamp), can be traced back to
Kutiyattam. In both traditions, the performance happens
in the front of a huge Kalivilakku with its thick wick sunk
in coconut oil, burning with a yellow light.[33] Traditionally,
before the advent of electricity, this special large lamp
provided light during the night. As the play progressed,
the actor-dancers would gather around this lamp so that
the audience could see what they are expressing.[33]
The performance involves actor-dancers in the front,
supported by musicians in the background stage on right
(audience's left) and with vocalists in the front of the
stage (historically so they could be heard by the
audience before the age of microphone and speakers).
[28][33][note 2]
 Typically, all roles are played by male actor-
dancers, though in modern performances, women have
been welcomed into the Kathakali tradition.[4][28]

KUCHIPUDI
The repertoire of Kuchipudi, like all major classical
Indian dance forms, follows the three categories of
performance in the ancient Hindu text Natya Shastra.
These are Nritta, Nritya and Natya.[71][76]
 The Nritta performance is abstract, fast and
rhythmic aspect of the dance.[77][78] The viewer is
presented with pure movement in Nritta, wherein
the emphasis is the beauty in motion, form,
speed, range and pattern. This part of the
repertoire has no interpretative aspect, no telling
of story. It is a technical performance, and aims
to engage the senses (prakriti) of the audience.[79]
 The Nritya is slower and expressive aspect of the
dance that attempts to communicate feelings,
storyline particularly with spiritual themes in
Hindu dance traditions.[77][78] In a nritya, the
dance-acting expands to include silent
expression of words through gestures and body
motion set to musical notes. The Kuchipudi actor
articulates a story (particularly of Krishna) or a
spiritual message. This part of a repertoire is
more than sensory enjoyment, it aims to engage
the emotions and mind of the viewer.[79]
  The Natyam is a play, typically a team
performance, but can be acted out by a solo
performer where the dancer uses certain
standardized body movements to indicate a new
character in the underlying story.
A Natya incorporates the elements of a Nritya.
[78]
 Kuchipudi, in its history relied on a team of
dance-actors, while in modern times Kuchipudi
productions include solo or duo performances.[15]

MANIPURI
The traditional Manipuri dance style embodies delicate,
lyrical and graceful movements. The dance features
rounded soft sensuous movements of women, and
occasional fast movements by male characters.[13]
[14]
 Unlike other classical Indian dances with religious
themes, the Manipuri dance artists do not wear anklet
bells and the footwork is subdued and gentle in the
Manipuri style. The stage movements is part of a
composite movement of the whole body.[13][14]
Chali or Chari is the basic dance movement in
Manipuri Ras dances.[31] The repertoire and underlying
play depends on the season. The dances are celebrated
on full moon nights, three times in autumn (August
through November) and once again in spring (March or
April). [31]The Vasant Ras is timed with the Hindu festival
of colors called Holi, while others are timed with post-
harvest festivals of Diwali and others. The plays and
songs recited during the dance performance center
around the love and frolics between Radha and Krishna,
in the presence of Gopis named Lalita, Vishakha, Chitra,
Champaklata, Tungavidya, Indurekha, Rangadevi and
Sudevi.[32] There is a composition and dance sequence
for each Gopi, and the words have two layers of
meanings, one literal and other spiritual. The longest
piece of the play focuses on Radha and Krishna.[31] The
dancer playing Krishna expresses emotions, while the
body language and hand gestures of the Gopi display
their feelings such as longing, dejection or cheer.[33]
In other plays, the Manipuri dancers are more forceful,
acrobatic and their costumes adjust to the need of the
dance. Dozens of boys synchronously dance the Gopa
Ras, where they enact the chores of daily life such as
feeding the cows. In Uddhata Akanba, states Ragini
Devi, the dance is full of vigor (jumps, squats, spins),
energy and elegance.[31]

MOHINIATTAM
Mohiniyattam is a lasya subgenre of dance, performed
in the Kaisiki vritti (graceful style), as discussed in
ancient Indian performance arts texts such as the Natya
Shastra.[36] More specifically, it is a dance that excels
in Ekaharya Abhinaya form, that is a solo expressive
dance performance aided by singing and music.[8] The
dance includes nritta (pure dance,
solo), nritya (expressive dance, solo) and modern
productions sometimes include natya (play, group
dance):[37]
 The Nritta performance is abstract, rhythmic
aspect of the dance that appears early and at the
 end of the dance repertoire.[38][39] The viewer is
presented with pure movement, wherein the
emphasis is the beauty in motion, form, speed,
range and pattern. This part of the repertoire has
no interpretative aspect, no telling of story.[40]

An expressive gesture in Mohiniyattam.

 The Nritya is the expressive aspect of the dance
that attempts to communicate a storyline, with
emotions and feelings, with spiritual themes.[38]
[39]
 In a nritya, the dance-acting
(Abhinaya, Vaittari) expands to include silent
expression of words through hand and facial
gestures and body motion set to musical notes.
The dancer articulates a legend or a spiritual
message, aiming to engage the emotions and
mind of the viewer.[40][41]
The basic posture of Mohiniyattam is parted feet, knees
bent outwards, an erect upper torso, gentle 8-shape side
to side swaying of body along with hips (Ati Bhanga).
[42]
 The footwork is soft, sliding and synchronous with the
musical beat and acting.[42] The body movement is
sometimes described in terms of calming images of
nature as the swinging of the palm leaves,[43] and the
gentle undulating of ocean waves.[44]
The basic dance units in Mohiniattam are known
as atavus or atavukal, and these are grouped into
four: Taganam, Jaganam, Dhaganam and Sammisram.
[45]
 The hand and facial gestures of the dance follow the
classical text of Hastha Lakshanadeepika, which has
elaborate description of mudras.
ODISSI
The traditional Odissi repertoire, like all classical Indian
dances, includes Nritta (pure dance, solo), Nritya (dance
with emotions, solo) and Natya (dramatic dance, group).
[61][62]
 These three performance aspects of Odissi are
described and illustrated in the foundational Hindu texts,
particularly the Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Darpana and
the 16th-century Abhinaya Chandrika by Maheshwara
Mahapatra of Odisha.[61][62]
 The Nritta performance is abstract, fast and
rhythmic aspect of the dance.[63][62] The viewer is
presented with pure movement in Nritta, wherein
the emphasis is the beauty in motion, form,
speed, range and pattern. This part of the
repertoire has no interpretative aspect, no telling
of story. It is a technical performance, and aims
to engage the senses (prakriti) of the audience.[64]
 The Nritya is slower and expressive aspect of the
dance that attempts to communicate feelings,
storyline particularly with spiritual themes in
Hindu dance traditions.[63][62] In a nritya, the
dance-acting expands to include silent
expression of words through the sign language of
gestures and body motion set to musical notes.
This part of a repertoire is more than sensory
enjoyment, it aims to engage the emotions and
mind of the viewer.[64]
 The Natyam is a play, typically a team
performance, but can be acted out by a solo
 performer where the dancer uses certain
standardized body movements to indicate a new
character in the underlying story.
A Natya incorporates the elements of a Nritya.[61]
[62]

 The Mokshya is a climatic pure dance of Odissi,

aiming to highlight the liberation of soul and
serenity in the spiritual.[17]
Odissi dance can be accompanied by both northern
Indian (Hindustani) and southern Indian (Carnatic)
music, though mainly, recitals are in Odia and Sanskrit
language in the Odissi Music tradition.[61]