Dance as a performing art has been enthralling the audience since centuries. This art form has experienced a long journey from the devadasi system to the modern times. Though Dance in Contemporary India relatively has a short history, yet it is quite extensive and rich. The beginning of the modern era in India experienced various European invasions. During these invasions and foreign rule, every form of culture, art and craft of India deteriorated. Moreover, the status of women in the Indian society also degenerated. However, gradually after the social reforms the position of women in the society was regained and music, dance and other performing arts began to be explored with newer depths. Modern dance developed with a synthesis of tradition and various creative forms. Thus contemporary dance became the involvement of body movement and originality.

Dance in Contemporary India continued to develop on the basis of three distinct types that define Indian dance. The three distinct types consist of "Nritta" which is a pure and simple dance and involves movements of body and limbs. The second type is the "Nritya" which is linked with facial expressions, hand gestures and symbolic body poses. The third form is the "Natya" that has the elements of a drama which is introduced through the use of spoken world. Furthermore, modern Indian dance also absorbs the use of various "mudras". All these have contributed to the expansion of dance with gestures and participation of the body to communicate with the audience.

Dance in modern India started to experience multi-dimensional performances. The classical dances mentioned in the Natyashastra were augmented by various exponents searching for newer idioms. The creative niche of the dancers allowed them to explore the heights of dancing keeping the spiritual element intact. Indian Classical Dances such as Bhartanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Manipuri, Sattriya, Mohiniyattam and Kathakali were given new dimensions by the leading maestros. Moreover, the Indian folk dances as well as regional dances gained popularity as they were presented in the modern Indian stage and in other media of communication also. As dance is regarded as a form of communication, modern Indian movies played a vital role in making it popular means of avowal. Dance in Contemporary India was admired in the social films of the 1930s and 1940s. All these films adopted a modernist outlook of the society.

After independence, the complete approach and outlook of dance in Contemporary India changed. Classical dances of India were taken to the world stage by prominent dancers. Various festivals were organised to give proper acknowledgement to the Indian folk and regional dances Indian dance was introduced to a new genre by Pandit Uday Shanker. He developed the idea of fusion dancing with a combination of classical dance and ballet movements. He is considered to be the Father of Modern Dance in India. In later years, Mrinalini Sarabhai became a pioneer in the involving varied styles of contemporary work with full length performances.

Dance in Contemporary India is idealized as a series with true confluence of music. The growing interaction between dance practitioners all over the country and the world has rendered the feeling of communicating ideas besides entertaining. The realm of contemporary dance is thus an exploration of one or many dance styles. Modern dances thus developed whilst lending greater vigour and variety to the artistic expression.