The classical dances of India are the culmination of elegance and grace with an unbounding depth and aura of complexity. The eight recognised classical dances of India are Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohiniyattam. Each of these dances are imbued with discipline, beauty, and storytelling. In the contemporary time period, there has been a fusion of the Indian and the western to bring an even more dynamic performance. Apart from this intermingling of the Indian and the west, classical dancers keep adding more variety to the execution of their dance and bring a refreshing perspective. On this note, we present to you some of these invigorating Indian classical performances.

Anisha Samanta

Anisha Samanta performs an Indian classic dance on the carnatic remix of Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’. The song, as we all know, is not traditional Indian music. A classical Indian raga performance on the same, with so much precision, grace and eloquent body style is a must watch! Anisha Samanta doesn’t lack either the expressions or the poised arm and foot movements. The synchronization of the western and the Indian art form brings forth a creative enigma.

Rukmini Vijayakumar – DISCOVERING DEVI, ‘Impressions of the Observer’

Rukmini Vijayakumar reincarnates Devi, the goddess of death and time, Kali, through her hypnotic performance. Self choreographed and performed, Rukmini emboldens the courtyard with a sacredness. The dance performance is brimmed with elegance and grace, along with a heavy feminine rage. Each dance movement, and each twitch of the facial muscles conveys a story. Rukmini Vijayakumar does a magnificent job at delivering a marvelous, exquisite performance, reflecting the true Indian art form and culture which has been on this land since many ages.

Shreewarrna Rawat

Shreewarrna Rawat delivers a tantalizing Indian classical dance performance between the sanctified walls of the temple. The graceful body movements on the soul-moving bhajan seems to incarnate another pure, flawless and refined realm of dance and spirituality. Shreewarrna Rawat adds the mystical and subtle in her dance presence, making it a must watch performance!

Sreeganga – Mookuthi Amman

Sreeganga musters up all the vigour, zest, dexterity in her body, mind and soul and delivers it in this brilliant performance. The dance is coupled with poignant expressions and an intense choreography. Sreeganga embodies divine power and an effervescent spark.

Dancing is a captivating form of art that allows individuals to showcase their unique personalities. Through the fluid movements of the body, dancers bring music to life, giving a glimpse into their soul. Indian fusion, retro and sitting choreography are just a few examples of the creativity and imagination that continues to thrive in the dance world. This art form deserves recognition and applause, as it takes exceptional talent, passion, and hard work to bring a dance performance to life. The dedication and emotion etched on the faces of dancers as they immerse themselves in the rhythm of the music, is a testament to the power of dance and its ability to evoke raw expression and captivate audiences.

Sheilika Bhandari

Sheilika’s dance on the song Tere Bina does absolute justice to the music. The choreography involves movements and a steady flow throughout the performance. The videography is perfect solely focusing on her and the transition in different locations just elevates the appeal for spectators. Bhandari’s expressions are mesmerizing and completely in sync with the lyrics. The accuracy between the words and steps is well put together and presented beautifully. The variety in her expression throughout which stays tuned with the dance steps. This Indian fusion dance is a great collaboration of skills and art to display them.

Alisha Singh

The perfect retro visuals on the song Ghodey Pe Sawar bring out a Bollywood essence. Alisha is known for her expressions and flawless subtle moves through reality dance shows and she shows her skills again with the short video. The choreography is a simply beautiful watch and can be learnt easily and done at home. The synchronised version with the other dancers and the way they use space and still manage to move the floor is amazing. The rhythm and moves completely collaborate well together. The vintage vibes throughout the performance the accuracy of the lyrics and the way movements link with the song is extremely graceful.

Anindita Patowary

The sitting choreography on Aa Re Sakhi by Dr. Anindita Patowary is breath of fresh air. A refreshing way to watch a new dancing format with only hands and upper body involvement. Her expression is what emphasis the lyrical beauty of the song and elevates the performance. The way Anindita depicts the song and embodies the song producing a graceful dance art is spectacular to see. Artists like Anindita truly solely appear to produce art through movements and direct the way people perceive it.

Alice Joji

Alice moves like a fluid, she manages to encapsulate the rhythms and visualize through her movement and waves. Alice expresses the song through her Indian fusion, her center as she performs won’t make you look another way. The intricacies in her waves and rotation show the skills she possesses and chooses the platform to show them. Her enjoying the song and dancing to that depicting every single word is a skill to be appreciated.

The art of dance is a powerful and transformative experience that has the ability to heal and bring a sense of certainty in uncertain times. Dancing has been used as a form of expression, therapy, and even spiritual practice for centuries. It allows individuals to connect with their emotions and bodies in a way that can be both cathartic and empowering. Dancers may have different motivations for why they dance. Some dancers may dance as a form of self-expression, using their bodies to communicate emotions and stories. Others may dance to achieve grace and poise, while some may dance simply for the joy of moving to music. Regardless of the reasons why they dance, all dancers share a deep passion for the art form. Today we bring to you such passionate dancers that you need to keep an eye out for.

Unholy X Apsara – Rohit Gijare

Choreographed by Rohit Gijare, this fusion is brought to life by Gijare and his team, Aaliya Islam, Anjali Mehta, Jeremey Davidson, Revati Mahurkar, and Sruthi Palanippan. Grooving to the mashup melody of “Unholy” and “Apsara” that took the Instagram reels trend by storm towards the end of 2023, this fusion acts as the perfect blend of tradition meets modern. The transition from “Unholy” to “Apsara” is so smooth that it makes one scream SLAY!  

Ghodey Pe Sawaar – Renuka Deshpande

If this iconic song ever had a visual performance it would probably be Renuka Deshpande’s dance cover. Beautifully articulating each word of the lyric Deshpande gives the song a much-needed visual. From her eyes to her fingertips not even one bit is out of place. Dancing to the melody of such a hyped-up song is not an easy task, but Deshpande manages to make it look so effortless that it leaves the audience in awe.  

Varaha Roopam – Nidhi and Neha

Donned in the traditional Bharatnatyam costume from head to toe, the dancing sister duo Nidhi Ram and Neha Ram put on an elegant performance. Moving to the beats of Varaha Roopam from the movie Kantara, the synchronisation showcased by them is something that is achieved after weeks or months of practice. Gracefully transitioning from one stance to another, the sisters showcase how you can become one with the song through dance.

Raataan Lambiya & Ranjha – Urvashi Pardeshi

A mesmerizing performance by Urvashi Pardeshi brings to life the emotions that both songs carry. Just when you think all is happy and beautiful Pardeshi manages to leave you spellbound by transitioning from the happy phase of “Raataan Lambiya” to the sad phase of “Ranjha”. The transition is so swift yet gradual that it leaves you stunned physically yet moves you emotionally at the same time. 

As the digital space is getting more and more accessible all over the world, the amount of inspiration a dancer can draw from it is endless. With such innovative dance covers coming out almost every day the possibility of running out of ideas seems impossible.

Dancing has always been an expressive form of art. Today creators and dancers have taken it upon themselves to present a customised version of their performance. Presenting a set of semiclassical dances by some fantastic performers. They’ll without a doubt capture your attention with their visible potential and talent. Performing and embodying beautiful song, their movements and expressions are spectacular to watch and cherish. The performers’ choreographies are well done and emphasis the dance so well, making it look effortless to the eye.

Dance with Shivi

A beautiful semiclassical performance by Shivi on the song Afreen Afreen. She embodies the lyrics with her movement and makes her presence known against the black backdrop. Shivi’s movement subtly flows and blends with the rhythm of the song. She expresses the song beautifully through her expressions, it’s a definite delight to watch her immersed while dancing. The number of circling around and swaying her hands shows and highlights the beauty of the song. Be on the lookout for more of her performances as she has a lot more to offer in the coming days.

Vinita Mhatre and Vishwa Mhatre

A collaborative semi-classical dance choreography by Vinita and Vishwa is like a swift breeze tamed by the music. The girls in orange glide across the stage alluringly as they perform the song Kesariya. The choreography is easy to the eye and engaging which will get you on your feet too. The selection of songs and apt coordinating moves according to it, they have aced this performance. The sync between the song and dancers as the video proceeds completely blend together so well. The dancers seem to perform a single dance but with two projections which is stunning to watch.

Divya Singh

Chand Sifarish is a complex song with various rhythms and beats and exceptional lyrics. Divya completely does justice to this song and another dynamic to this piece through her dance performance. A Sneha Kapoor choreography, Divya is seen gracefully performing a semi-classical dance. Not missing a single beat and keeping the pace throughout the dance, it’s thrilling for the audience to watch her. The scenic beauty against which she performs makes the entire performance enthralling yet the focus solely remains on her. Her actions in the movements are complementary to the song and in a way visualise the lyrics. A passionate performance by Divya will leave you amazed, the energy of the song is channelled so well by her.

Dance, the most lively art form in the world that requires you to imagine and experience it with your eyes wide open. A song requires some part of your body to come to life but dance requires your entire body and dedication to truly thrive. 

Indian classical dance forms have been around for centuries and are well known for their beauty, grace and strong affinity for details. Considered one of the toughest forms of dance, it can be very well distinguished from its western counterpart by focusing on the attire and intricate make-up alone. In any Indian classical dance form, be it Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathak, or any of the other eight major Indian classical dance forms, the main focus has always been towards pleasing deities and becoming one with them or telling the tale of significant historical figures of the culture. Hand gestures and facial expressions have always been given more importance in the classical dance forms of the Indian subcontinent than in their western counterpart. And there is nothing more beautiful than seeing today’s dancers keeping the tradition alive but reinterpreting it in their own unique ways. 

The Guru Within- Shreema Upadhyaya and Aditya Sharma

Being a trained Odissi dancer of five years I can completely vouch for the tediously long hours of practice that go into perfecting each mudra (hand gesture) and bhangi (pose/ stance). One might assume the rules would be comparatively more relaxed for kids than adults, but sadly the rules of Indian classical dance forms apply to all, regardless of gender or age. The reason it stresses so much on the importance of discipline is because it tries to unite your different personalities into one by removing all distractions and letting you explore and harness each and all of your personas as and when required. 

Beautifully highlighted in the dance video, “The Guru Within”. Conceptualised and choreographed by Shreema Upadhyaya and Aditya Sharma, this dance piece was a confluence of Bharathanatyam and Kathak both being well-known for their storytelling aspect. The dance consisting of two dancers, one male and one female explored the different emotions that a dancer goes through from joy to fear until they find their groove and become one with their inner guru or teacher that guides them in their journey. 

Anondodhara Bohichhe- Subhaijt Khush Das

Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore is very well-known in Indian history as a poet and freedom fighter. Being a lover of art and believing in the power of different forms of art in uniting us, it’s no wonder that Subhaijt Khush Das conceptualised and choreographed a confluence of three Indian classical Dance forms, i.e., Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Kathakali, to the tunes of Anondodhara Bohichhe by Rabindranath Tagore as a tribute to him on his 161st birth anniversary. The song that reminds people of the bliss that is flowing around the world is brought to life by the harmonious tap of dancers performing three different Indian classical dance forms together but at the same time telling one tale.

Mere Dholna- Purnima Garg

The different Indian classical dance forms are deeply rooted in the customs and culture of each part of the Indian state they originate from. And being dance forms that rely heavily on elaborate costumes and makeup it’s not always feasible for today’s crowd to get their hands on each piece of jewellery for the perfect dance ensemble all the time, thus, came modern interpretation of classical dance forms. Infused with Bollywood beats and lighter clothing and jewellery it kept the essence of the classical form alive but gave it a modern twist. 

Perfectly captured by Purnima Garg who portrays two personas, one in white and another in black, in her Kathak cover of the catchy and ever-green classic song “Mere Dholna” from the movie, “Bhool Bhulaiyaa”, fully complete with light makeup. Her devotion to her art cannot go unnoticed as she doesn’t miss a beat as she switches from one persona to another. The way her eyes move shows how engrossed she was in the beats of the song, just like a true dancer. 

Aayat- Eshna Benegal and Eeshani Mitra 

Another example of such a beautiful fusion can be seen in the Kathak cover of the famous song “Aayat” from the movie “Bajirao Mastani” performed by Eshna Benegal and Eeshani Mitra. Given that it is a song from a Bollywood movie and not necessarily a traditional classical dance, the way the classical dancers incorporated their traditional art form with it shows the beauty and flexibility Indian classical dance forms hold. By sharply and gracefully doing different mudras and poses of Kathak as they tapped their feet to the tunes of this modern song, the dancer kept it authentic and gave it a twist of their own.

As the popularity of fusion dances keeps increasing day by day the concern regarding the loss of pure Indian classical dance forms also worries many. But given the intricate gestures and significance that each move holds in each Indian classical dance form, there’s hardly ever a chance that it will ever lose its essence to any form of dance in the modern world.