Rhythm and Beats Keep Culture Alive

Classical Indian Dance is a unique style of dance with its own specific charm, combining the flowing movements of expressive Indian dance with the vibrant and beautiful costumes, which make the dance scenes come to life.On the basic Indian dance model, various gurus incorporate their own imaginative innovations, leading to various schools within a particular dance form. Apart from the movements of the hands & legs, the dancers have to acquire the skill of portraying emotions in every facial and body expression. Every body part conveys a different meaning, in accordance with its posture, and it is only when all these aspects come together fluidly that it can truly be called Classical Indian Dance.

Group Dancing

India offers a number of classical 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 most famous classical forms are BHARATANATYAM of Tamilnadu, KATHAKALI and MOHINIYATTAM of Kerala, ODISSIof Orissa, KATHAK of Uttarpradesh, KUCHIPUDI of Andhra Pradesh and MANIPURI of Manipur. Apart from these classical dance forms, India is particularly rich in folk idioms. Each area has its own special varieties, be they martial, seasonal, ritual, sacrificial or celebratory. It can vary from village to village but they all share a common heritage of myths and symbols.

Gaurav, a 19 year old is keeping in touch with his cultural roots through dance. He says that “We have a group of 12 boys; we are getting trained at Nora dance school situated in Dubai.“When we are getting ready for a competition, the members of our group spend up to 8 hours a day rehearsing. We are learning Bharatanatyam dance and now it’s been 8 months we are in this school. The Bharatanatyam dance course is for 2 years”.

Gaurav’s group members come from diverse backgrounds. Some were born in the UAE while others came from India or moved with their families when they were children. He also says dancing gives them a way to keep in touch with their roots. "These competitions and these shows around the country have really been a means to unite the young South Asian community at all these different colleges to come together and really show off their culture, come together and have pride in the fact that they're South Asian”.

Gaurav

Indian classical dance are the combination of rhythm and expression. To appreciate dance drama, one has to understand and appreciate Indian legends. Most Indian dances take their themes from India's rich mythology and folk legends. Each dance form also draws inspiration from stories depicting the life and beliefs of the Indians.

Gaurav hopes to continue dancing after he graduates. While Indian dance groups are popping up on college campuses across the country, there aren't that many opportunities for young adults to join groups. But that may be changing. “Several former Nora Dance School members have created a dance troupe for working professionals in UAE. They practice a few nights a week after work, and have even performed in some college-level competitions”, says gaurav.

Classical Indian dance is an attempt to embody the divine beauty, charm, rhythms and symbols that exist in heaven. It is also means of spiritual elevation both for the dancer and the audience.