Classic East Indian
Dance
India

Social, economic, and political factors along with
the geography of the subcontinent have played
an important part in history of Indian dance.

Indian subcontinent extends southward from the
Himalayas to the Indian Ocean; it is bounded on
the west by the Arabian Sea and on the east by
the Bay of Bengal. Eastward and northward lie
sea routes to Indochina and to China.
Dance and Cultural History

Aryan people began entering the Indian subcontinent
around the second millennium BCE and came from
Central Asia.

They encountered both city and forest dwellers.

They were nomadic herdsman, priests, and warriors with
a complex literary and ritual culture.

Religion and other major facets of the civilization of the
invaders spread gradually throughout India.
Dance and Cultural History

The Aryan’s succeeded in uniting many ethnic and linguistic groups
under an integrated culture.

The documented dance and theater history of India begins at least
as early as the first centuries of the Christian era.

Indian dance is often claimed to the period of Vedas, the sacred
scriptures of Hinduism.

Historical evidence suggests Indian dance really begins with the
final compilation of Natyasastra of Bharata, a treatise probably
composed between the second and fourth centuries CE.

The Bharata’s Natyashastra is the most important source for
establishing the characteristics of Indian drama. (natya means
drama or theatre, shastra means text)
Classical Dance
 In
India, most all classical dances evolved
as a temple art. Dance was one of the
mediums of worship. The dancer
performed facing the idol of the God. Thus
the reason Indian classical dance is
primarily a solo based art. It is only now
that ballets or group dances are popular.
But still, true classical Indian dance
remains as a solo performing art.
Bharata Natyam

Solo dance tradition of female temple dancers
(devadasis) of the state of Tamil Nadu in South
India.

Was performed mainly in the temples of the god
Siva in Tamil Nadu.

Genre evolved between the 13th and 15th
centuries when Muslim invaders destroyed the
temples of North India.
Bharata Natyam

It attained it’s present form in the first quarter of
the 19th century.

Four famous brothers, authorities on dance and
music who served in the court of King Sarfoji II
gave this style its present format and repertory
and also codified it.

Within the scope of bharata natyam are all three
aspects of Indian dance, nrtta, nrtya, and natya.
Nrtta

Nrtta, or pure dance, is the expression of rhythmic
movement primarily through use of the hands and
feet often in specific poses.

These movements are not designed to convey any
particular meaning, emotion, or theme. Their purpose is
to create a collage of rhythmic lines, forms and shapes
for the sake of their own art - to share the beauty of the
abstract form.

The draw to the dance lies in the exactness of the
interpretation of instruments through the mastery of the
footwork and coordination with that of the hand and
body.
Nrtta

Nrtta helps in improving dancer's stamina and his skill
over rhythm.

Both Indian music and dance are based on the concept
of tala (cyclic rhythm characterized by the number of
beats).

The simplest manner in which to explain this is by way of
time. Time is divided into units (minutes) and then into
sub-units (seconds). Similarly tala can be divided into a
units and sub-units. There are various types of tala and
the total number of units contained usually distinguishes
them from one another.
Nrtta

Rhythmic patterns of the hands and feet are interwoven
with the notes of the musical instruments.

While a dancer executes these movements, he has to
keep a precise balance between the two elements,
vigorous and the gentle.

For example, in most Indian classical dance styles,
stamping of the feet is a common feature. A set of
stamps should consist of both hard and soft ones. An
imbalance in them will result in the movements looking
either too harsh or too lifeless.
Nrtya
Interpretive Dance

This form uses gestures and facial expressions to show
the poetic or emotional meaning while combining
rhythmic gaits and postures.

Here, the systematic gesture language occupies an
important place. It is just like the language used by the
hearing impaired, with the exception that it is more
stylized.

The actor in ancient Indian theatre had to be well versed
in the form of dance, therefore it is quite natural that he
must have a mastery over the gesture language.
Nrtya

One of the most important records of Indian Dance is the 12th
century treatise called the Abhinaya Darpana which refers to the
mirror of gestures.

It lays down single and double-handed gestures used for showing
objects, actions, emotions, standing and sitting postures, leaps,
jumps and gaits.

When it comes to improvised choreography, Nrtya occupies an
important place. To illustrate, if the dancer is dancing a love song, he
is expected to explain the literal meaning of those lyrics and therein
lies the real test of imagination i.e. spinning out a story and making
the audience see various shades of emotion through his story.
Nataya
 Pure
story telling, stressing the dramatic
aspect of the dance.
Bharata Natyam

The sequence of performance is harmoniously
balanced among the three aspects.

Invocation (alarippu), rhythmic pattern
(jatisvaram) fall into the category of nrtta.

sabdam intersperses rhythmic sections with
phrases that praise and describe a kind or deity,
and varnam the longest most complex segment,
constitute nrtya. The varnum is a song
addressed to a god or hero.
Bharata Natyam

The second half of the program presents the natya category.

padam: love lyric usually erotic in mood, portraying emotions as
hope, despair, jealousy, anger, and ecstasy.

javali: same genre but lighter in nature and both melody and rhythm
are lighter.

krithis: devotional and glorify a deity, as do slokams.

The concluding number, the tillana, a cascade of pure rhythm,
displays the dancer’s mastery of the rhythmic aspect.
Bharata Natyam Training Methods

A student begins training with the practice of basic dance
units (adavus) which range from eighty to one hundred.

These are steps for the feet combined with hand
gestures (mudras), with the addition of head (shiro
bheda), eye (drishthi bheda) and neck movements
(greeva bheda).

The lines of the body are very important to the dance
and have a noble, geometrical angularity combined with
well balanced symmetry.
Basic Stance

Body is lowered, knees bent and turned out
widely and the heels come close together, with
the feet pointed outward.

The arms are stretched to the side and in certain
movements the body is curved.

The torso can be held erect or slightly inclined.

The footwork is forceful and requires hard and
exact contact with the floor.
Hand Gestures
Hastas or Mudras
 The
symbolic hand gestures are taken
from the second century text The Mirror of
Gestures (Abhinaya-darpana) and are
called hastas or mudras.
 There
are 28 one handed hastas and 23
two handed hastas.
Music

The literary content of the songs is danced from songs in
classical Sanskrit or from modern southern Indian
languages.

Some of the composers are anonymous, but several
songs are compositions of the saint composers of
southern India.

The songs are set to the classical southern Indian
Karnatic mode and are performed by and ensemble of
musicians conducted by a guru (nattuavanar).
Music
 The
guru sets the rhythm with a pair of
cymbals and chants or recites the rhythmic
passages.
 In
addition to a singer and a percussionist
there may be one or more instrumentalists
playing a stringed instrument (vina), flute,
or violin.
Costumes

In the past, the costumes were saris draped over a pair
of pajamas or pantaloons, with one end passed between
the legs and tucked into the waist.

The modern costume is more tailored with close fitting
pantaloons.

A decorative pleated fan in the front is joined to the legs,
and a blouse with a veil draped over it covers the torso.

Costumes are made of silk and jewels and adorn the
dancer from head to toe. Bells are worn around the
ankles and are an essential part of the performance.
Journal Reflection #1
Classical Indian Dance
 What
connection to classical Indian dance
mudras (hand gestures) can you make to
hand gestures in American culture?
 What
are the similarities of classical Indian
dance to other dance forms you have
studied?
Classic East Indian Dance
Day 2
Epic Sources of Indian Dance
 The
legends that form the basis of many
dances of India are found in two great
epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Mahabharata (Dance Drama)

Longest epic poem in any language consisting of 90,000 verses
arranged in 18 sections (parvans).

Credited to sage Vyasa

Story: Elephant-headed diety, Ganapati wrote it down as Vyasa
dictated.

Main story takes place in North India and concerns the great war
between Pandavas and their cousins (the Kauravas).

Relates strife of Dhrtarastra (Kaurvas family). Dhrtarastra was
supposed to be crowned king, but because he was blind this was
deemed unacceptable, so his brother Pandu was crowned.
Mahabharata (Dance Drama)

Pandu renounced the crown and retired to the forest.
Dhrtarastra took over because Pandu’s sons (Pandavas
family) were children. Pandu’s sons were taken to the
capital and educated along side Dhrtarastra’s 100 sons.
When Pandu’s eldest son reached majority he was
legally entitled to the thrown. Dhrtarstra’s eldest son
(Duryondhana) coveted the thrown for himself. The sons
of Dhrtarastra formulated plots against the lives of their
cousins. The plots failed and the Pandavas left the
capital and wandered from court to court where they met
Krishna; who was their uncle and loyal friend.
Mahabharata (Dance Drama)
 Dhrtarstra
eventually gave up the thrown
and divided the kingdom between the
cousins. This angered his eldest son
(Duryondhana) and he invited his cousin
(Yudhisthira) to a gambling match where
he won all of his possessions (including
their joint wife Draupadi).
Mahabharata (Dance Drama)
 As
a compromise the Pandavas were to
go into exile for 13 years. When the deal
was not kept, the Pandava’s prepared for
war. After 18 days of battle only the
Pandavas and Krishna remained alive
leaving Yudhisthira the undisputed ruler.
He ruled for many peaceful years, then
passing the thrown to his grandson.
Ramayana

Consists of seven books (first and last thought to be later additions)

Author thought to be the poet Valmiki.

Story centers around the figure of Rama (son of King Dasaratha of
Kosala). An archery contest was held in the court of King Janaka
and Rama won the hand of the King’s daughter, Sita. When King
Dasarath gave up the thrown he named his son Rama as heir. One
of the King’s wives (whom was promised a *boon years earlier by
the king) *(A benefit bestowed, especially one bestowed in response
to a request.) demanded her son (Bharata) be named king instead
of Rama and requested Rama to be exiled from the kingdom. Rama
went into exile to fulfill his father’s promise.
Ramayana

Rama’s brother (Laksmana) and his wife (Sita)
followed him into exile. Rama’s brother
destroyed many demons who were trying to
disrupt holy sacrifices in the forest. One day a
demon appeared before them as a beautiful
woman named Surpanakha (sister of Ravana,
ruler of the demon kingdom). She attacked
them and Laksmana severely wounded her.
She left vowing vengeance. Ravana’s brother
retaliated by kidnapping Sita.
Ramayana
 Rama
was despondent until he met
Sugriva (chieftain belonging to the monkey
tribe) and Hanuman (a warrior). Sugriva
agreed to help search for Sita and sent his
monkey army to find her. Hanuman found
Sita in Ravana’s kingdom and was
rescued.
Ramayana

Because Sita dwelt in another man’s kingdom,
people started to doubt her purity. To prove her
purity, Sita voluntarily entered the fire as test.
Agni, the god of fire, delivered her unharmed,
proving her innocence. They all returned back
to the capital and Bharata returned the kingdom
to Rama.

Rama and Sita are seen as embodiments of
virtue and Sita as the perfect Hindu wife (loyal
and remains cheerful under all circumstances,
wants nothing more to serve her lord).
Ramayana

The story has great popularity in India as well as
parts of Southeast Asia.

It has provided the theme for numerous Sanskrit
dramas, with variations. Other forms of dance
and drama also draw on the story for thematic
material.

Today more modern vernacular versions of the
story also appear in various regions of India and
Indonesia.
Puranas (belonging to ancient
times or ancient tale/legend)

There are 18 Puranas, the ones considered
most important are as follows: Visnu Purana,
Bhagavata Purana, Agni Purana, Bhavisya
Purana, and Vayu Purana.

Mythological material, instruction in ritual
observances and details of the legal code are
contained in the Puranas.

Dance and dance drama use the myths and
legends of Puranas as thematic material.
Puranas

Myths involving the god Visnu and Krishna are popular
figures used in dance and dance dramas.

The principal sources for these myths are the Visnu
Purana and the Bhagavata Purana.

The Visnu Purana appeared around the sixth century;
stories of the Krishna are contained in its fifth book.

The Bhagavata Purana is believed to of been written in
southern India around the ninth century. The story of
Krishna’s life is told in great detail in its tenth book.
Puranas

The stories of Krishna provide an endless source of
material for interpretation and elaboration.

Relationship of Krishna with the gopis (followers of
Krishna) has lent itself to mystical interpretation. The
longing of the gopis to be united with Krishna is symbolic
of the yearning of the human soul for union with the
divine.

Stories of Krishna are most prevalent in Dance Dramas
Philosophy of Indian Dance

All matter is composed of 5 elements: fire,
water, earth, space and sky

Humans are a part of nature and do not
dominate it, but instead exist with it

Continuity of life: no beginning or end

Being human lies in the inner consciousness
(body, mind, and spirit) and is reflected in the
cosmos
Vedas (1500 BC)

Early Indian text/scriptures

Form oldest layers of Sanskrit literature and Hinduism

Different sects developed in Indian subcontinent

Religions that use the Vedas as their leading scripture are called
orthodox

Religions such as Sikhisim, Buddihism and Janism don’t accept the
Vedas and are referred to as heterodox

Vedas include hymns, incantations, and rituals of ancient India
Upanisads (800-400 BCE)

Philosophic texts, give concepts their theoretical
foundation

Elaborates on how the soul (Atman) can be united with
the ultimate truth (Brahaman) through contemplation,
meditation, and doctrine of Karma (cumulative effect of
person’s actions)

Describes cosmos as hub and spokes of a wheel

Concept of yoga explained (gathering inward of all
energy, mental & physical) so revelation can take place
Brahamanas (900-500 BCE)

Commentaries of the Vedas, explains Vedic rituals

Very detailed explanation of how rituals are supposed to
be performed and why

Each Brahamanas is associated with a Vedas

In Brahamanas cosmos is symbolized physically by
every sound, word, gesture, and object of ritual

Ritual performance involved the whole community
Brahamanas (900-500 BCE)

Example of ritual act: Yajana, explains how to design a
consecrated space by establishing a center with in an enclosure and
lighting fires within each of the 3 alters.

Alters in the shape of a circle, semi-circle, and square.

Ritual acts symbolize sacrifice of the body which takes place over a
prescribed amount of hours or days.

Purpose of yoga and yajana: achieve harmony, equilibrium, and
tranquility. Recognize human capacity of introspection and growth.

Life and death are part of the same continuum
Indian Theory of Aesthetics
 First
referred to in Bharata’s Natyasastra
 Purpose:
to establish rules for artistic
performance through which the audience
might achieve supreme joy or release from
the world of illusion.
Indian Theory of Aesthetics
 First
referred to in Bharata’s Natyasastra
 Purpose:
to establish rules for artistic
performance through which the audience
might achieve supreme joy or release from
the world of illusion.
Indian Theory of Aesthetics

Theory know as Rasa (religious or artistic
essence) 3 part process

Vision of artist

Content, form, and technique of artistic
expression

Audience experiences joy
Indian Theory of Aesthetics
 Artist’s
inner vision must resemble state of
mystical bliss (brahmananda)
 Artist’s
state of concentration described as
yoga (release from pain and pressure of
life)
 Believed
eye
artist sees white light with inner
Indian Theory of Aesthetics

Artist’s responsibility to convey this experience
to the audience through sound, gesture, word,
movement, mass, line, color, and symbols.

Every part of the work relates to the whole

Characters in art become archetypes (An
original model or type after which other similar
things are patterned; a prototype )
9 Dominant moods (rasas) and
emotions (bhavas) of archtypes









eroticism (srngara)
pathos or compassion (karuna)
heroism (vira)
fierceness (raundra)
laughter (hasya)
fear (bhaya)
disgust (vibhatsa)
wonder (adbhuta)
tranquility (santa)
Dominant moods

In addition there are transient emotions

Two kinds of emotions presented through archetypal
characters of gods and humans in dance, drama, music,
poetry, sculpture and, and painting

Three step process: experience, expression, evocation

“How can we know the dancer from the dance?” – Yeats
Themes

Highly literary in character

Draws upon sources of Indian mythology, legend, and
epic poetry

Poses of Indian dance based on Indian sculptures

Gestures are symbolic and derived from ancient rituals
specified in Brahmanas

Music and rhythmic patterns of dance are the classical
ragas and talas
Reflect in your journal on the
following question
 How
are the demands made upon the
spectators and dancers of Indian dance
(Eastern Dance) different from those of
Modern, Jazz, or Ballet (Western Dance)?