CBSE Class 12 Odissi Dance (code 059)
Chapters: 2
1. Odissi Theory
Chhau, gurus and texts · Abhinaya, rasa and music
- Indian Classical Dance – Indian classical dance grew from ideas written in the Natya Shastra (by Bharata, about 2,000 years old) and the Abhinaya Darpana (by Nandikeshvara). Every form mixes three parts: nritta (pure rhythm), nritya (dance with feeling) and natya (drama). Eight forms are widely recognised: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya. Dancers express through four kinds of abhinaya (angika, vachika, aharya, sattvika) so that the audience feels one of nine rasas.
- Abhinaya, Rasa and Music in Odissi – Abhinaya is the art of carrying a story and its feeling to the audience. It has four parts: Angika (body), Vachika (words and song), Aharya (costume and make-up) and Sattvika (true inner feeling). The dancer shows a feeling (bhava) and the audience enjoys it as a mood (rasa). There are nine rasas: love, laughter, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, disgust, wonder and peace. Odissi uses a silk sari with a pleated fan, silver jewellery, a tahia crown, ghungroo and red alta. Its music uses ragas and talas, with the mardala drum, flute, violin or sitar and gini cymbals, often singing the Gita Govinda. Odisha also has lively folk dances such as Gotipua, Chhau, Sambalpuri, Ghumura and Ranappa.
2. Odissi Practical
Pallavi and hastas
- Classical Dance Technique – Good classical technique rests on five things: a stable base posture (samapada, aramandi/mandala, chauk), clear body lines (such as tribhanga), clean footwork kept in time at single, double and quadruple speed, a firm sense of tala (the beat cycle, with sam and khali), and precise hand gestures (hastas). Warm-up, eye and neck exercises, turns (chakkar, bhramari) and safe practice tie it all together.