Classical Dances of India Notes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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Classical dances of India are a regular topic in the Art and Culture part of SSC General Awareness. The questions ask which dance belongs to which state, who is a famous dancer of a dance form, or which dance is a folk dance. These classical dances of India notes for SSC give the eight classical dances in a table, along with the famous dancers, the folk dances of the states and practice questions.
Basic Facts
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dance forms of India.
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi was set up in 1952 to promote music, dance and drama.
- The ancient book of dance and drama is the Natya Shastra, written by Bharata Muni.
Eight Classical Dances
| Dance | State or region | Main features |
|---|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Oldest classical dance; precise steps, hand gestures (mudras) and expressions; performed to Carnatic music |
| Kathak | Uttar Pradesh (North India) | Storytelling dance; fast footwork and spins; Mughal court influence; three gharanas: Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras |
| Kathakali | Kerala | Dance drama with heavy face make-up and big costumes; stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Dance drama with music and speech; started by Siddhendra Yogi; performer may dance on the rim of a brass plate |
| Odissi | Odisha | Graceful, curved body movements; linked with the temples of Odisha like Konark and Puri |
| Manipuri | Manipur | Soft, gentle movements; themes of Radha and Krishna (Raslila); mostly performed with drums called pung |
| Mohiniyattam | Kerala | Dance of the enchantress; performed by women in white and gold sari; slow and graceful |
| Sattriya | Assam | Started by Saint Sankaradeva in the sattras (monasteries); recognised as a classical dance in 2000 |
Famous Dancers
| Dance | Famous dancers |
|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Rukmini Devi Arundale, Padma Subrahmanyam, Mrinalini Sarabhai |
| Kathak | Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi |
| Kuchipudi | Yamini Krishnamurthy, Raja and Radha Reddy |
| Odissi | Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sonal Mansingh |
| Manipuri | Guru Bipin Singh |
| Mohiniyattam | Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Sunanda Nair |
Important Folk Dances
| State | Folk dance |
|---|---|
| Gujarat | Garba and Dandiya Raas |
| Punjab | Bhangra and Giddha |
| Rajasthan | Ghoomar and Kalbelia |
| Maharashtra | Lavani |
| Assam | Bihu |
| Karnataka | Yakshagana and Dollu Kunitha |
| Himachal Pradesh | Nati |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Rouf |
| Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal | Chhau (mask dance with martial movements) |
| Mizoram | Cheraw (bamboo dance) |
| Goa | Dekhni |
Tips to Match Dances and States
- Remember Kerala has two dances: Kathakali (male, drama) and Mohiniyattam (female, graceful).
- Remember Kuchipudi with Andhra Pradesh and Odissi with Odisha, because the names give a hint.
- Remember Sattriya with Assam and Manipuri with Manipur.
- Note that Bhangra and Giddha are folk dances, not classical dances.
Quick Tips
- Learn the eight classical dances with the state in one table.
- Remember that Sattriya is the latest (2000) dance to be recognised.
- Learn one famous dancer for each dance form.
- Do not mix folk dances (like Garba and Bhangra) with classical dances.
Quick Revision Points
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dances.
- Natya Shastra was written by Bharata Muni.
- Bharatanatyam is from Tamil Nadu and Kathak is from North India.
- Kathakali and Mohiniyattam are from Kerala.
- Sattriya is from Assam.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Which classical dance belongs to Tamil Nadu?
Answer: Bharatanatyam - Which classical dance is called the dance of the enchantress?
Answer: Mohiniyattam - Which classical dance belongs to Andhra Pradesh?
Answer: Kuchipudi - Which classical dance is known for heavy face make-up?
Answer: Kathakali - Who was the famous Kathak dancer known as Maharaj?
Answer: Birju Maharaj - Which dance form was started by Saint Sankaradeva?
Answer: Sattriya - Which is the folk dance of Gujarat?
Answer: Garba - Which is the folk dance of Punjab?
Answer: Bhangra - Which book of dance was written by Bharata Muni?
Answer: Natya Shastra - Which classical dance is related to the temples of Konark and Puri?
Answer: Odissi
How to Practise This Chapter
Make a table of dance, state and famous dancer, and revise it daily for a week. Then solve questions from our practice papers, the free SSC quizzes and the previous year papers page. Read the next chapter, Important Books and Authors, and see all topics on the General Awareness notes page. For the history side of art, read the Indian History notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many classical dances are there in India?
The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dances: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya.
Which is the oldest classical dance of India?
Bharatanatyam from Tamil Nadu is considered the oldest classical dance of India.
Which classical dance belongs to Kerala?
Kathakali and Mohiniyattam both belong to Kerala.
Which classical dance belongs to Assam?
Sattriya belongs to Assam. It was started by Saint Sankaradeva and was given the classical status in 2000.
What is Kathak?
Kathak is a classical dance of North India that tells stories with fast footwork, spins and expressions.
Which book is the source of Indian dance?
The Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni is the ancient book on dance, music and drama.
What is the difference between classical and folk dances?
Classical dances follow strict rules from ancient books, while folk dances are traditional dances of a region and are performed during festivals.
Which is the folk dance of Rajasthan?
Ghoomar and Kalbelia are famous folk dances of Rajasthan.
Which is the folk dance of Assam?
Bihu is the famous folk dance of Assam.
What is Chhau dance?
Chhau is a mask dance with martial movements, performed in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is not one of the eight classical dances.
How can I remember dances and states?
Learn them in a table with one dancer for each, and revise it with a quiz every week.
How many questions come from dances in SSC exams?
Usually one question comes from art and culture in SSC General Awareness papers, but the number changes from year to year.
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Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.