Famed as one of the six classical dance styles, Manipuri has a distinct aura of its own. With its origin deeply rooted in the Northeastern states of India, Manipuri is also called "sankirtan". Loomed with grace and laced with charm, in the recent era Manipuri Dance has become a ruling passion and an aesthetic obsession for initiated artists and the spectators. The vibrant adornment, lightness of dancing foot, delicacy of abhinaya, swinging music and poetic charm further makes Manipuri a true classical Nrityam. .

Origin of Manipuri Dance
Manipuri has many different aspects and the origins of this dance form are found in myth and legend, which reveal the Manipuris passionate love for arts, particularly for dance, music and mime. These are woven into the very fabric of their life like a beautiful pattern.

Type And Theme of the Manipuri Dance
Grace, divinity and a seamless majesty enlaces Manipuri dance since the remote past of the ancient rimes. The religious themes and the devotional aspects of Indian philosophy and religion hence silhouette the dance pattern. The Radha Krishna Rasa Leela braided with the throbbing beat of the Manipuri Dholak hence enriches the devotional attribute of the dance style. Themes from Vishnu purans, and Geeta Givindam are also enacted amidst the gracious footwork and intricate movements of Manipuri dance. The Vaishnav cult of Hinduism and the Bagavata Purana gains an articulate dimension amidst vigorous masculinity and in the midst of the tender feminine touches of the Manipuri dance.

Style And Technique of Manipuri Dance
The style of Manipuri dancing is based on an interesting principle of conditional movement with the objective of achieving rounded movements and avoiding any jerks, sharp edges or straight lines.

Performance of the Manipuri Dancers
The traditional Manipuri style of dancing pre-eminently embodies delicate, lyrical and graceful movements, which enhance the audience in its beautiful and colourful costumes and presentation. The Manipuri dances whether folk, classical or modern, are devotional in nature.

Music of the Manipuri Dance
There is a very characteristic style of music for Manipuri dance. The music is generally similar to the larger body of North Indian (Hindustani) music. However there are differences in designation of raags, Talas, and the style of presentation is somewhat different. Manipuri Dances are very much based upon the cymbals (kartal or manjira) and the cylindrical drum known as Manipuri mridang or pung. Unlike other classical, dances where the instrument is merely used as an accompaniment, the pung and the kartal (manjira) are actually used in the dance. Other common instruments are the harmonium, pena, bansuri, shankh (conch), and esraj.

The songs used in Manipuri are usually from the great poets of old such as Jaydev, Vidyapati, Chandidas, Govindadas or Gyandas. Any of a number of languages may be used such as Sanskrit, Maithili, Brijbhasha or others. The musical accompaniment to Manipuri dances is played on an instrument rather like a guitar called the khol, and the mridangam. But sometimes a group whose members do not join in the dance does the singing. When the drummer and the dancer together execute certain quick talas, each in his own medium, the tempo of the dance increases and the quick rhythmic pattern are enchanting to watch. Often, the use of Baashis and Harmoniums are also found in Manipuri Dance.

Dance Costumes in Manipuri Dance
Rich and vibrant colors with attractive jewelries are used as Manipuri dance costumes. "Patloi" , the typical costume of the female dancers echoes the splendor of the dance. The stunning colors of the ghagras and the intricate sequin designs of the flounced skirts offer that feel of the "long lost " historical brilliance in the dance pattern.

The lehenga is called "Kumin" with mirrors and zari work intricately woven into beautiful designs. It is layered with a transparent silk or "Pasuan". The choli or tight fitting bodice is usually of velvet with tight sleeves trimmed embellished with zari, silk or gold embroidery. On the head, covering the face, they wear a transparent odhni. The transparency of the Odhni ensures the visibility of the facial expressions. . The women also wear a tight-fitting cone-shaped cap, garnished with a border of synthetic pearls, under a thin white veil.

In Rasa Leela the Gopis usually wear a red dress while Radha stands out in green apparel. Krishna is seen wearing a dhoti with embroidered bands across his chest. In the Ras-Leela, Krishna is strikingly dressed in a pleated dhoti of gold or saffron silk.

Forms of Manipuri Dance:The term Manipuri actually covers a number of dance forms from the region. These are Rakhual, Khubak Ishei, Khubak Ishei , Pala Kirtana, Thabol Chongba, etc.

Manipuri Dancers
In Bombay the famous performers and teachers are the Jhaveri sisters - Nayana, Suverna, Darshana and Ranjana Jhaveri. They continue this tradition at their institution Manipuri Nartanalaya. These artists have spread the beauty of Manipuri dance all over the world and have been honored both nationally and internationally on this subject. The most well known performers are Sohini Ray and Poushali Chatterjee.