Dances of India

The bearer of culture and age-old tradition, India has been an eyewitness to countless forms of dancing, each characterized by a distinct period, geographical location, and environment. The Indian sub-continent is a vast land with diversities in many aspects. The multiplicity of states, religions, languages, sects, culture, beliefs, and norms set this magnificent and spectacular country apart from the rest of the world. The dance forms of India are just another aspect of India which distinguishes it from the dances practiced and performed in different parts of the globe. Home to people belonging to and practicing several faiths, the dance forms are likely to be numerable, each one creating its own individual image in the crowd.

Indian dances are spread across the entire country, ranging from the ancient classical or temple dance to folk and modern styles. Each dance is a pristine form and a living heritage, preserved through centuries and as such has been deemed as a part of our present culture. The origin of classical dances can be related to worshipping Hindu deities in the temples, while the folk dances are synonymous with providing meaning to the colorful festivals celebrated across India. The abundant benevolence of Indian dance styles in Indian cinema has contributed largely to its global recognition and admiration. It is these dance forms, combined with the appropriate music and costumes, which enlarge the melting-pot of culture enriching the present Indian life. Dance your way to the various styles practiced at extensive levels in a fascinating and captivating country, like India, with this section.