Dance is the earliest art and the most eternal form of communication, which directly appeals to the eyes; human nature with its joy and sorrow is depicted by means of representation through dance. Dance is such an intricate art, that it brings out the innermost feelings and at the same time depicts the cultural aspects of a civilization. There are many different types of dances in India, which are mostly traditionally constrained and unique in its own way. Some are religiously bound and some just a form of expressing emotions. Indian dance takes human figure as its basic instrument of expression, since it has a message for its audience that advises strongly to live life in the path of righteousness, prosperity and fame. Indian Dance is believed to have the oldest history and tradition among all dances in the world. It reflects deeply philosophical and the religious moods of the people. The spiritual trend in both dance and music is present since time immemorial.

I. Indian Classical Dances
The dance heritage of India is at least 5000 years old. Dance in India has seeped into several other spheres like poetry, sculpture, architecture, literature, music and theatre and most of the Indian dances have taken their themes from India`s rich mythology and folk legends. Hence, in order to appreciate and understand Indian dance, one has to understand and appreciate Indian legends. Hindu gods and goddesses like Vishnu and Lakshmi, Rama and Sita, Krishna and Radha are all depicted in classical Indian dances. Each dance form also draws inspiration from stories depicting the life, ethics and beliefs of the Indian people. In ancient India, fine arts of dance, painting and sculpture were developed and inspired by religion.

India offers a number of classical dance forms, each of which can be traced to different parts of the country. Each form represents the culture and ethics of a particular region or a group of people. Indian classical dances were born in the temples, and then reached the royal courts and then it reached the public platforms. All Indian classical dances have their roots deep in the religious aspects as they have come from ancient temples. But thematically they depend almost completely on the rich mythological tales of India. All the Indian classical dance styles are derived from the Natyashastra and the origin of the classical dances can be traced to the period between 1300-1400 A.D. A mythological legend explains the existence of the Natya Shastra.

It is said that Brahma created the Natya Shastra in the beginning of Treta Yug, as a diversion that would be a great form of entertainment and pleasure to watch. After, he devised the Natya Shastra; Bharata Muni was the first man to present two stories through Natya. This form of Natya is also the present day Theatre or Drama. After the presentation, Lord Shiva expressed his view of incorporating Tandava, in order to make the contribution of damsels really effective in a Natya. It was due to this, that Brahma then incorporated dance in Natya. Brahma then wrote a thesis on Natya Veda known as Natya Shastra. It is detailed and covers all its aspects, viz: stage-design, music, dance, and makeup, implicitly every aspect of stagecraft. It also contains deliberations on the different kind of postures, the mudras or hand formations and their meanings, the kind of emotions and their classifications. Thus, all the forms of Indian classical dances owe faithfulness to Natya Shastra, which is regarded as the fifth Veda.

Apart from this folklore, we can find many historical evidences, to prove the existence of classical dances in India. The dances have been used as a vehicle of worship and expression of emotions in India through centuries. The ruins of Mohanjodaro are dated approximately of 2nd Century B.C. and a dummy of a dancing girl was found here. Many group-dancing sequences are also depicted in delicate rock paintings of Bhimbetaka caves of Madhya Pradesh. The Apsaras (Celestials) dancers are carved at the gateways of Sanchi. The wall paintings of Ajanta and Ellora, the sculptures of Khajuraho, the temple walls of Hoysala dynasty, stand ample evidence for popularity of Indian dances from ancient times.

The next well-documented period of dance history is far more recent, of the 19th century. The dance tradition was revitalized and defined through the contributions of four talented brothers (Tanjore Quartet). By coordinating their diverse talents, the four managed to organize all the basic dance movements of pure dance into a progressive series of lessons, which were taught in systematic order and then combined with others to produce choreographed sequences based upon the rhythmic contour of a musical composition. In addition the brothers composed new music specifically for the dance, and introduced a different sequence of items, which integrated the various aspects of dance and music into a carefully coordinated, aesthetically sound progression. This infusion of creative energy marks the early 19th century as one of the most innovative periods in the history of Indian dance.

As a devotional exercise, for centuries, dances were performed on a regular basis at temples before the deity. This gave rise to the Devadasis, the temple-dancing girls who were held in great respect and admiration in those early days. These girls were complete artists as they could sing, dance, play many instruments and even read and interpret religious texts to perfection. To sing and dance before the temple deity was first and foremost duty for them. They offered their dances and songs as prayer and offering at Gods feet. Unfortunately, their position deteriorated as time changed. But they still follow the rules set down by Bharatha Muni in his Natyashastra many years ago. They present a spectacular and impressive aspect of the gorgeous and continuous Indian dance tradition. The different Indian Classical Dances of India are given below:

Bharatnatyam: Bharatnatyam is an artistic yoga that involves the movement of the body parts in a very artistic and elegant manner. This is the oldest of all classical dance forms in India and is extremely traditional and known for its grace, purity, kindness, position & sculpturesque poses. It is the most widely practiced of Indian classical dances in south India, and has its origin in Tamil Nadu. The term Bharatnatyam was introduced in the mid thirties by S. Krishna Iyer and later spread by Rukminidevi Arundale. It comprises of Bhava, Raga, Tala, and Natya put together as Bharatnatyam.

Kathak: Being one of the most dynamic dance forms, the movement of hands and body as well as facial expressions used by the Kathakars to enrich the narrative has given birth to Kathak. Expressive motion, rhythmic accuracy, graceful turning, poised stances; technical clarity, hand gestures (mudras) and subtle expression (bhava-abhinaya) are important components of modern Kathak. Today, Kathak has gained its popularity not only in India, but also all over the world, and it is also recognized as one of the seven classical dance forms of India.

Kathakali: Kathakali, literally meaning `story-play, is a dance-drama originated in the 17th century in Kerala. It is a beautiful mix of dance, drama and music that the critics of art world qualified as a total art form of immense sophistication and power. This is a form of dance formerly confined only to the festival stages in temples. Kathakali is the result of a fusion between all Indian theater tradition represented by Koodiyattom and the indigenous tradition of folk dance forms. Thus, different elements from martial, ritualistic, socio-religious arts have influenced in the making of Kathakali.

Kuchipudi: Kuchipudi is the classical dance form initiated from the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is known for its graceful movements and its strong narrative or dramatic character. Kuchipudi dance drama centers on the life of Siva and other Hindu gods and it had been performed and was known as nattuva mela in the ancient times. Kuchipudi dance can be best understood as located between the classical dance styles of Odissi, the classical style of Orissa, and Bharatnatyam, the dance of Tamil Nadu. Kuchipudi dance in these recent years has undergone a revival as both a solo and dance drama tradition and is now performed on the modern stage around the world by both man and women.

Manipuri: Manipuri is often referred to as "sankirtan", but Manipuri dance is a generic name and covers all the dance-forms of the land, Manipur. Manipuri has many different aspects and the origins of this dance form are found in myth and legend. This dance style never fails to impress with its lyrical movements. It takes the mind on a peaceful and quiet journey, which is almost necessary for happy human existence. Today, Manipuri Dance has become a ruling passion and an aesthetic obsession for initiated artists and the spectators alike because of its colourful adornment, lightness of dancing foot, delicacy of abhinaya, lilting music and poetic charm.

Odissi: Odissi dance is a typical classical dance form in Orissa and has its origin in the temples of Orissa. Odissi is an ancient, breathtakingly beautiful form of sacred dance, which was originally developed as a form of worship and meditation and was first encountered in the early part of the 16th century. The present day Odissi dance style combines the devadasi and the gotipua traditions and is also inspired by the sculptural legacy at the temples like the sun temple at Konarak.

Mohiniattam: Mohiniattam is the feminine dance form of Kerala, but it has only been in recent decades that Mohiniattam has risen in popularity and acceptability. Mohiniattam though born out of the fusion of Kathakali and Bharatnatyam, has developed its own identity. Mohiniattam`s literal meaning is persuasive woman, but it is thought that Vaishnava devotees gave the name of Mohiniattam to this dance form. Due to the hard work of great researchers, scholars and performers, Mohiniattam has achieved its present classical standing.

II. Indian Folk Dances
Dance is an expression of human emotion as much as music and it is found in almost limitless variations in all forms of folk dances in India. Folk dance is a primitive, tribal, or ethnic form of the dance, sometimes important for the survival of some ancient ceremony or festival. Folk dancing can be defined as a style of dancing that originated among the ordinary people and it is viewed as more of a social concern activity rather than competitive one.