NCERT Textbook: Pan Indian Dance Forms - Class 8 PDF Download

 Page 1


11
PAN INDIAN 
DANCE FORMS
Dances are a beautiful part of India’s 
cultural heritage and history! 
There are eight major dance  
forms of India —
Dancers depicting di??erent styles of major dance forms
1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak 
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi 
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniyattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya 
bharatanatyam is a dance from Tamil Nadu, 
in South India. It is known for its geometric 
and graceful movements, strong footwork, and 
beautiful hand gestures and facial expressions. 
The dancers tell stories using emotions, music 
and rhythm.  Among the many traditions (ba?is) 
of Bharatanatyam, the Thanjavur, Pandanallur, 
Vazhuvoor, and Mysuru styles are especially 
well-known, though numerous other ba?is also 
contribute richly to the form. The dancers stand 
in a special half-sitting position called aramandi 
or ayatamandala, shaped like a diamond. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   122 ch11_DANCE.indd   122 19-06-2025   16:30:26 19-06-2025   16:30:26
Page 2


11
PAN INDIAN 
DANCE FORMS
Dances are a beautiful part of India’s 
cultural heritage and history! 
There are eight major dance  
forms of India —
Dancers depicting di??erent styles of major dance forms
1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak 
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi 
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniyattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya 
bharatanatyam is a dance from Tamil Nadu, 
in South India. It is known for its geometric 
and graceful movements, strong footwork, and 
beautiful hand gestures and facial expressions. 
The dancers tell stories using emotions, music 
and rhythm.  Among the many traditions (ba?is) 
of Bharatanatyam, the Thanjavur, Pandanallur, 
Vazhuvoor, and Mysuru styles are especially 
well-known, though numerous other ba?is also 
contribute richly to the form. The dancers stand 
in a special half-sitting position called aramandi 
or ayatamandala, shaped like a diamond. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   122 ch11_DANCE.indd   122 19-06-2025   16:30:26 19-06-2025   16:30:26
123  | PAN INDIAN DANCE FORMS
They wear colourful silk sarees with pleats in front 
that spread out beautifully as they dance, along with 
traditional temple jewellery.
Kathak, which means storytelling, is a dance  
form from northern India, particularly rooted in 
the regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Kathak 
evolved as a form of storytelling through expressive 
gestures, intricate footwork and graceful movements. 
Dancers captivate audiences with swift spins, 
rhythmic foot stamping, delicate hand gestures, and 
nuanced facial expressions to bring stories to life. 
Among the many gharanas of kathak the Lucknow, 
Jaipur, Banaras, Raigarh styles are particularly 
renowned though several other gharanas have also 
shaped and enriched the form. They stand tall in a 
posture called sama sthana, with feet together or in a 
slight v-shape. The costumes are usually long, ??owing 
dresses like anarkalis or lehengas, with dupattas 
made from fabrics typical to northern India.
ch11_DANCE.indd   123 ch11_DANCE.indd   123 19-06-2025   16:30:32 19-06-2025   16:30:32
Page 3


11
PAN INDIAN 
DANCE FORMS
Dances are a beautiful part of India’s 
cultural heritage and history! 
There are eight major dance  
forms of India —
Dancers depicting di??erent styles of major dance forms
1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak 
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi 
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniyattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya 
bharatanatyam is a dance from Tamil Nadu, 
in South India. It is known for its geometric 
and graceful movements, strong footwork, and 
beautiful hand gestures and facial expressions. 
The dancers tell stories using emotions, music 
and rhythm.  Among the many traditions (ba?is) 
of Bharatanatyam, the Thanjavur, Pandanallur, 
Vazhuvoor, and Mysuru styles are especially 
well-known, though numerous other ba?is also 
contribute richly to the form. The dancers stand 
in a special half-sitting position called aramandi 
or ayatamandala, shaped like a diamond. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   122 ch11_DANCE.indd   122 19-06-2025   16:30:26 19-06-2025   16:30:26
123  | PAN INDIAN DANCE FORMS
They wear colourful silk sarees with pleats in front 
that spread out beautifully as they dance, along with 
traditional temple jewellery.
Kathak, which means storytelling, is a dance  
form from northern India, particularly rooted in 
the regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Kathak 
evolved as a form of storytelling through expressive 
gestures, intricate footwork and graceful movements. 
Dancers captivate audiences with swift spins, 
rhythmic foot stamping, delicate hand gestures, and 
nuanced facial expressions to bring stories to life. 
Among the many gharanas of kathak the Lucknow, 
Jaipur, Banaras, Raigarh styles are particularly 
renowned though several other gharanas have also 
shaped and enriched the form. They stand tall in a 
posture called sama sthana, with feet together or in a 
slight v-shape. The costumes are usually long, ??owing 
dresses like anarkalis or lehengas, with dupattas 
made from fabrics typical to northern India.
ch11_DANCE.indd   123 ch11_DANCE.indd   123 19-06-2025   16:30:32 19-06-2025   16:30:32
124  | KRITI
Kathakali is a traditional dance from Kerala,  
primarily performed by men. It is like a colourful 
play, where dancers act out stories from Indian epics 
using stylised facial expressions, hand gestures and 
body movements. There are two styles the northern 
style known as vadakkan and the southern style 
known as thekkan. The basic stance in kathakali is 
atimandala?— a deep, grounded posture with knees 
bent outward and feet placed on the side-foot ??rmly 
planted apart. The dancers wear bright costumes, big 
crowns, and heavy makeup. Their faces are painted 
in colours that match their characters, like green for 
heroes, red for villains, etc. Every part of the face is 
used to convey emotion, while the dance is full of 
powerful poses and eye movements. 
Kuchipudi, from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 
derives its name from the village of Kuchipudi, 
which remains home to several traditional dance 
families even today, such as the Vempati, Vedantam, 
Bhagavatula of Pasumarthy, among others, who have 
preserved and passed down this rich legacy through 
generations. It follows a rich dance-drama tradition 
and is distinctive for its integration of vachika 
abhinaya (spoken word) along with an expressive 
dance. Often theatrical in nature, it includes elements 
of acting; and at times, dancers perform intricate 
sequences on a brass plate, showcasing remarkable 
balance and skill. 
Traditionally, it was performed exclusively by 
men, who often portrayed both male and female 
roles in the dance-dramas. 
The basic stance is similar to 
Bharatanatyam’s aramandi, 
but is less deep. The dance 
is distinctive for its quick-
footedness, hip movements, 
leaps, sculpturesque poses 
and speed. The dancers wear 
silk fabrics stitched for easy 
movement, with a special 
drape called gochi kattu. 
They also wear traditional 
temple jewellery.
ch11_DANCE.indd   124 ch11_DANCE.indd   124 19-06-2025   16:30:34 19-06-2025   16:30:34
Page 4


11
PAN INDIAN 
DANCE FORMS
Dances are a beautiful part of India’s 
cultural heritage and history! 
There are eight major dance  
forms of India —
Dancers depicting di??erent styles of major dance forms
1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak 
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi 
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniyattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya 
bharatanatyam is a dance from Tamil Nadu, 
in South India. It is known for its geometric 
and graceful movements, strong footwork, and 
beautiful hand gestures and facial expressions. 
The dancers tell stories using emotions, music 
and rhythm.  Among the many traditions (ba?is) 
of Bharatanatyam, the Thanjavur, Pandanallur, 
Vazhuvoor, and Mysuru styles are especially 
well-known, though numerous other ba?is also 
contribute richly to the form. The dancers stand 
in a special half-sitting position called aramandi 
or ayatamandala, shaped like a diamond. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   122 ch11_DANCE.indd   122 19-06-2025   16:30:26 19-06-2025   16:30:26
123  | PAN INDIAN DANCE FORMS
They wear colourful silk sarees with pleats in front 
that spread out beautifully as they dance, along with 
traditional temple jewellery.
Kathak, which means storytelling, is a dance  
form from northern India, particularly rooted in 
the regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Kathak 
evolved as a form of storytelling through expressive 
gestures, intricate footwork and graceful movements. 
Dancers captivate audiences with swift spins, 
rhythmic foot stamping, delicate hand gestures, and 
nuanced facial expressions to bring stories to life. 
Among the many gharanas of kathak the Lucknow, 
Jaipur, Banaras, Raigarh styles are particularly 
renowned though several other gharanas have also 
shaped and enriched the form. They stand tall in a 
posture called sama sthana, with feet together or in a 
slight v-shape. The costumes are usually long, ??owing 
dresses like anarkalis or lehengas, with dupattas 
made from fabrics typical to northern India.
ch11_DANCE.indd   123 ch11_DANCE.indd   123 19-06-2025   16:30:32 19-06-2025   16:30:32
124  | KRITI
Kathakali is a traditional dance from Kerala,  
primarily performed by men. It is like a colourful 
play, where dancers act out stories from Indian epics 
using stylised facial expressions, hand gestures and 
body movements. There are two styles the northern 
style known as vadakkan and the southern style 
known as thekkan. The basic stance in kathakali is 
atimandala?— a deep, grounded posture with knees 
bent outward and feet placed on the side-foot ??rmly 
planted apart. The dancers wear bright costumes, big 
crowns, and heavy makeup. Their faces are painted 
in colours that match their characters, like green for 
heroes, red for villains, etc. Every part of the face is 
used to convey emotion, while the dance is full of 
powerful poses and eye movements. 
Kuchipudi, from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 
derives its name from the village of Kuchipudi, 
which remains home to several traditional dance 
families even today, such as the Vempati, Vedantam, 
Bhagavatula of Pasumarthy, among others, who have 
preserved and passed down this rich legacy through 
generations. It follows a rich dance-drama tradition 
and is distinctive for its integration of vachika 
abhinaya (spoken word) along with an expressive 
dance. Often theatrical in nature, it includes elements 
of acting; and at times, dancers perform intricate 
sequences on a brass plate, showcasing remarkable 
balance and skill. 
Traditionally, it was performed exclusively by 
men, who often portrayed both male and female 
roles in the dance-dramas. 
The basic stance is similar to 
Bharatanatyam’s aramandi, 
but is less deep. The dance 
is distinctive for its quick-
footedness, hip movements, 
leaps, sculpturesque poses 
and speed. The dancers wear 
silk fabrics stitched for easy 
movement, with a special 
drape called gochi kattu. 
They also wear traditional 
temple jewellery.
ch11_DANCE.indd   124 ch11_DANCE.indd   124 19-06-2025   16:30:34 19-06-2025   16:30:34
125  | PAN INDIAN DANCE FORMS
Mohiniyattam is a graceful dance from 
Kerala that was originally performed only by 
women. It is soft, ??owing, and full of expression 
and devotion. The dance uses gentle movements 
of the upper body, and delicate steps to create 
a graceful and lyrical style. There are two 
major dance traditions, kalamandalam and 
kalyanikutty amma. Dancers change levels 
between the low and medium positions like 
aramandala, chaturmandala and atimandala. 
They wear beautiful white or cream sarees with 
golden borders called kasavu, and traditional 
jewellery. 
Manipuri is a classical dance from Manipur in North-
East India. This dance form is soft, gentle and ??owing. The 
movements are smooth and round, almost like gliding. The 
dancers always look calm and peaceful. The dance includes 
raas leela (stories of Krishna) and traditional movements 
from Lai Haraoba. Manipuri dance also includes Sankirtan, 
a devotional music and dance form performed with cymbals 
and drums, often as part of temple rituals. A special dance 
called pung cholom involves playing a drum while dancing, 
showing excellent skill and coordination. Dancers usually 
keep their feet together and move circularly with no hard 
stamping. The famous costume is the poloi dress — a sti??, 
colourful skirt with a veil and elegant jewellery. The men 
wear white dhotis and turbans, especially during pung 
cholom or raas performances. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   125 ch11_DANCE.indd   125 19-06-2025   16:30:35 19-06-2025   16:30:35
Page 5


11
PAN INDIAN 
DANCE FORMS
Dances are a beautiful part of India’s 
cultural heritage and history! 
There are eight major dance  
forms of India —
Dancers depicting di??erent styles of major dance forms
1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak 
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi 
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniyattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya 
bharatanatyam is a dance from Tamil Nadu, 
in South India. It is known for its geometric 
and graceful movements, strong footwork, and 
beautiful hand gestures and facial expressions. 
The dancers tell stories using emotions, music 
and rhythm.  Among the many traditions (ba?is) 
of Bharatanatyam, the Thanjavur, Pandanallur, 
Vazhuvoor, and Mysuru styles are especially 
well-known, though numerous other ba?is also 
contribute richly to the form. The dancers stand 
in a special half-sitting position called aramandi 
or ayatamandala, shaped like a diamond. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   122 ch11_DANCE.indd   122 19-06-2025   16:30:26 19-06-2025   16:30:26
123  | PAN INDIAN DANCE FORMS
They wear colourful silk sarees with pleats in front 
that spread out beautifully as they dance, along with 
traditional temple jewellery.
Kathak, which means storytelling, is a dance  
form from northern India, particularly rooted in 
the regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Kathak 
evolved as a form of storytelling through expressive 
gestures, intricate footwork and graceful movements. 
Dancers captivate audiences with swift spins, 
rhythmic foot stamping, delicate hand gestures, and 
nuanced facial expressions to bring stories to life. 
Among the many gharanas of kathak the Lucknow, 
Jaipur, Banaras, Raigarh styles are particularly 
renowned though several other gharanas have also 
shaped and enriched the form. They stand tall in a 
posture called sama sthana, with feet together or in a 
slight v-shape. The costumes are usually long, ??owing 
dresses like anarkalis or lehengas, with dupattas 
made from fabrics typical to northern India.
ch11_DANCE.indd   123 ch11_DANCE.indd   123 19-06-2025   16:30:32 19-06-2025   16:30:32
124  | KRITI
Kathakali is a traditional dance from Kerala,  
primarily performed by men. It is like a colourful 
play, where dancers act out stories from Indian epics 
using stylised facial expressions, hand gestures and 
body movements. There are two styles the northern 
style known as vadakkan and the southern style 
known as thekkan. The basic stance in kathakali is 
atimandala?— a deep, grounded posture with knees 
bent outward and feet placed on the side-foot ??rmly 
planted apart. The dancers wear bright costumes, big 
crowns, and heavy makeup. Their faces are painted 
in colours that match their characters, like green for 
heroes, red for villains, etc. Every part of the face is 
used to convey emotion, while the dance is full of 
powerful poses and eye movements. 
Kuchipudi, from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 
derives its name from the village of Kuchipudi, 
which remains home to several traditional dance 
families even today, such as the Vempati, Vedantam, 
Bhagavatula of Pasumarthy, among others, who have 
preserved and passed down this rich legacy through 
generations. It follows a rich dance-drama tradition 
and is distinctive for its integration of vachika 
abhinaya (spoken word) along with an expressive 
dance. Often theatrical in nature, it includes elements 
of acting; and at times, dancers perform intricate 
sequences on a brass plate, showcasing remarkable 
balance and skill. 
Traditionally, it was performed exclusively by 
men, who often portrayed both male and female 
roles in the dance-dramas. 
The basic stance is similar to 
Bharatanatyam’s aramandi, 
but is less deep. The dance 
is distinctive for its quick-
footedness, hip movements, 
leaps, sculpturesque poses 
and speed. The dancers wear 
silk fabrics stitched for easy 
movement, with a special 
drape called gochi kattu. 
They also wear traditional 
temple jewellery.
ch11_DANCE.indd   124 ch11_DANCE.indd   124 19-06-2025   16:30:34 19-06-2025   16:30:34
125  | PAN INDIAN DANCE FORMS
Mohiniyattam is a graceful dance from 
Kerala that was originally performed only by 
women. It is soft, ??owing, and full of expression 
and devotion. The dance uses gentle movements 
of the upper body, and delicate steps to create 
a graceful and lyrical style. There are two 
major dance traditions, kalamandalam and 
kalyanikutty amma. Dancers change levels 
between the low and medium positions like 
aramandala, chaturmandala and atimandala. 
They wear beautiful white or cream sarees with 
golden borders called kasavu, and traditional 
jewellery. 
Manipuri is a classical dance from Manipur in North-
East India. This dance form is soft, gentle and ??owing. The 
movements are smooth and round, almost like gliding. The 
dancers always look calm and peaceful. The dance includes 
raas leela (stories of Krishna) and traditional movements 
from Lai Haraoba. Manipuri dance also includes Sankirtan, 
a devotional music and dance form performed with cymbals 
and drums, often as part of temple rituals. A special dance 
called pung cholom involves playing a drum while dancing, 
showing excellent skill and coordination. Dancers usually 
keep their feet together and move circularly with no hard 
stamping. The famous costume is the poloi dress — a sti??, 
colourful skirt with a veil and elegant jewellery. The men 
wear white dhotis and turbans, especially during pung 
cholom or raas performances. 
ch11_DANCE.indd   125 ch11_DANCE.indd   125 19-06-2025   16:30:35 19-06-2025   16:30:35
126  | KRITI
Odissi, dance form originates from 
Odisha in eastern India. Various sculptural 
postures from the temples of Odisha are 
depicted in this dance form. The dance is 
smooth and ??owing, with slow turns and 
graceful steps. This form has been derived 
from Maharis ? Devadasis of Odisha and 
Gotipua?? group of boy dancers, dressed 
as girls who dance for 
Lord Vishnu. A special 
feature is the tribhanga 
pose, where the body 
bends in three places 
the head, torso, and hip. 
Dancers often stand in 
a square-shaped and 
half-sitting pose called 
chauka. Costumes are 
made from traditional 
fabrics called pattasari 
(silk) with step fan-
shaped pleats and 
beautiful silver ??ligree 
jewellery and a ??ower-
like headpiece called 
tahiya. 
Sattriya comes from Assam and was ??rst performed in 
monasteries called sattras. It combines strong and gentle 
movements, and tells stories through realistic actions, like 
eating, ??ghting or showing love. Dancers use their upper 
body for expression and the lower body for rhythm. It was 
originally performed by male monks called bhokots, but was 
later opened to women and the general public. The dance 
includes group patterns like sarpa and performances, such 
as the sutradhari dance and gopir nach. Dancers train in  
sixty-four basic exercises called mati-akhora. Costumes are 
made from Assamese silk called pat, with traditional local 
designs and ornaments often with a dhoti or skirt, similar to what 
monks used to wear. There are two main postures — purusha 
(male) and prakriti (female). 
ch11_DANCE.indd   126 ch11_DANCE.indd   126 19-06-2025   16:30:36 19-06-2025   16:30:36