Indian dance

India has a very rich tradition of classical and non-classical dance.  The Natya Shastra, which is the oldest surviving text on stagecraft in the world, spends a considerable time discussing it.  In the old days of the theatre, the dancers would mime the story while the singers would sing the dialogue.  The instrumentalists would accompany them all.  The nature of the old theatre was such that the dancers occupied a central position.

For many centuries the dancers were attached to the temples.  This maintained a strong religious flavour to dance.  Even today many of the traditional themes are mythological in nature.

Over the centuries different areas have given their own colour to the ancient classical tradition.  Today the acknowledged classical styles are: Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kathakali of Kerala, Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, Manipuri of Northeast India, Orissi from Orissa, and Kathak from north India and Pakistan.  Each of these styles has a strong regional connection and none can claim to be representative of the entire Indian subcontinent. 

http://iccr.tripod.com/artlinks.htm       - Links to various Indian art forms and artists

http://www.kathakdance.com/       - Kathak - north Indian classical dance

http://www.rajaradhareddy.com/       - Indian classical dance style - Kuchipudi

http://chandrakantha.com/       - All Indian styles of music

http://www.angelfire.com/ma2/bharatanatyam/bn.html       - Many types of dance from India

http://www.cyberkerala.com/kathakali/       - Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of Kerala

http://www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/nritya.html       - Nritya - Indian classical dance

http://www.indiadances.com/       - Specialises in Indian Classical dance

http://bharatanatyam.co.uk/       - Bharatanatyam dance and other styles

http://dances.indobase.com/classical-dances/index.html       - Classical Dances of India

http://classicalindiandancer.com/       - Clasical dances of India

http://sridevinrithyalaya.com/       - Bharatanatyam dances fro Chenai

http://rangashree.com/       - Experience the Dances of India

http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-dance/classical/index.html       - Indian Classical Dances