Shrouded in legends, myths, history and folklores Manipuri has a varied aspects which unfolds the Manipuris ardent love for arts, colors , dance and music. Mime, which indeed plays a great role in Manipuri culture, gains diction in Manipuri dance. The elements of natya, mime, lasya and style thus weave the magic pattern of Manipuri dance.

Myth again laces in regard to the history of the origin of this dance form. Popular belief says that Krishna and his consort Radha was the creator of Manipuri dance style. Again it was Uma and Shiva who actually repeated this rasa dance style in Manipur. Whatever the myth is the history states that the original form of Manipuri dance is known as the "Lai Harouba".

The colors of Manipur, the inexplicable verve of the state has a direct relation in the origination of Manipuri dance. Color therefore plays a predominant role in the dance style. The Indian epic Mahabharata further supports the fact that the autochthonic people of this valley were actually the "Gandharvas" (who were the dance experts). Quite ideally therefore the archetypal style of Manipuri dance has a relation with the dance patterns of the gandharva style. Drama, expression and above all devosion therefore are ideally emoted through the pattern of Manipuri dance.

The typical ritual based culture of Manipur also played a rather vital role in the initiation of Manipuri dance. The folk culture blended ideally with the rhythm of the state, further added to the grandeur of the Manipuri dance form whilst making it a classical dance style of sheer excellence.

The theatrical approach, the class refinement that typically classifies Manipuri dance further was hued in the steep color of maturity and style by the eminent poet "Rabindra Nath Tagore" who was known as the " pioneer of Manipuri dance and culture".