Indian Classical Dance

Let's talk about Indian dance. This is just a general overview since I don't know much myself but who doesn't love learning new things. 'Classical' is a sort of new term to define Indian dance and there are also traditional, tribal, folk, contemporary, and of course Bollywood dances.

Kuchipudi-the form I'm studying now. It originated in Andhra Pradesh, the state Hyderabad is in. Traditionally it was danced by males but now is predominately female. Like most Indian dance, it has theatrical elements and often tells a story though there are secular parts and pure dance. There are sharp foot stamps that go along with fluid upper body which accentuate the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVuB-EQJbZc

Bharatnatyam is from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, also southern states, therefore have some similarities. If you've seen Indian dance before, it may have been this one as it is a very old tradition and widely popular. There's an old tradition of temple dancers called Devadasis and they often danced Bharatnatyam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ToRU47nq-g&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVXGl59pg2E&feature=related

Speaking of Devadasis....Odissi, from Orissa (northeast of Andhra) is also similar in style. It often revolves around Krishna and uses the foot stamping like Kuchipudi. "Odissi is considered a dance of love, joy and intense passion, pure, divine and human."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwPtrEDSDnQ

Kathak is from northern India and means "the art of storytelling." Kathak is more about the feet than the hands and has a little more freedom for personal style in performance. Kathak is for both men and women and is another very popular style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQzzQSMhSMo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcqpEWm-cG4

Manipuri is from Manipur in the northeast. So far things have been pretty normal, but now we're into what we would find a bit odd. Manipuri is a deeply traditional, folk-based danced that is still a part of their cultural identity. The movement itself is light and soft. I would love to wear one of these costumes sometime...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQI0T5Kjw9E&feature=related
In contrast to that is the male form which I think is absolutely amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hOWDVpUWqY

not to be confused with Kathak, Kathakali comes from Kerala in the south. There will be no confusion between the two when you watch it but it means "story-play" which is close to "the art of storytelling." Kathakali is most recognizable for its costume and makeup which is even more distinct than Manipuri. It is mostly performed by men and shows epic tales from works like the Ramayana. The performances begin at dusk and go well into the night. Each character can be easily recognized based off the makeup and there are very articulate and small gestures, like the movements in the face. While it obviously takes a lot of skill to isolate these muscles, Kathakali kind of freaks me out a little bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl3UKV1z9lM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMquphTYM3w

and that leaves us with my favorite, Mohiniattam, which, if you can believe it, also comes from Kerala. It also began as a Devadasi form but the word itself means "beautiful women dance." It is usually a solo dance and the costume is white/off-white sari with gold and gold jewlery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7tRx4ulhpQ

Ok, well I don't really have a favorite style but I am pretty partial to Kuchipudi as I know the most about it. Hopefully you found this slightly entertaining and educational. Dance is a huge part of Indian culture and history. Even though dance here doesn't pay much (story of my life) it comes with prestige and reverence.
My theory class is very interested in ballet and modern (mostly ballet) so I'm teaching class next week. I didn't think to even bring ballet shoes or tights with me, but I'll make do. I was excited to learn today that the masters students take Laban. In my practical Kuchipudi class we have a huge range of levels and we've just been drilling the movements and hopefully next week we will start choreography. It's strange to not dance as much as I do at home but Kuchipudi is a workout and some of the girls ask me for help outside class so I get a tiny bit of 'rehearsal' time.
I'll post a real blog some time in the future, but let's face it, dance is better than political strife or water buffalo.