Why do dancers need stories?
Classical dance has two parts. Nritta is pure movement for beauty. Nritya and abhinaya tell a story or a feeling with the face, hands and body. For the second part the dancer needs a theme: a story that the audience already knows. Most themes come from sacred books and legends of India, and they carry a feeling (rasa) such as bravery, love, sorrow or wonder.
Ramayana episodes
The Ramayana, written by the sage Valmiki, has seven books called kandas. Dancers pick small episodes and show them in a few minutes: Rama going to the forest, the golden deer that tempts Sita, the stealing of Sita by Ravana, Hanuman crossing the sea to find her, and the return home.
These episodes give a lot of chance for vira (bravery), karuna (sadness) and adbhuta (wonder). One dancer can play many characters by changing the face and the way of standing.
Bhagavata skandas
The Bhagavata Purana is divided into 12 skandas (books). The tenth skanda tells the life of Krishna: his birth, his childhood in Gokul, stealing butter, lifting the Govardhan hill, playing the flute, and the dance with the gopis. The earlier skandas tell of Vishnu's forms such as Narasimha and Vamana, and of the child devotee Prahlada.
Dances with Krishna as a child bring joy and humour, so the dancer smiles, plays tricks and shows little steps.
Gita Govinda ashtapadis
The Gita Govinda is a long poem in Sanskrit by Jayadeva (12th century). It has 12 chapters and 24 songs called ashtapadis (songs of eight-line verses). The poem is about Radha and Krishna: meeting, quarrel, waiting and joining again.
The songs are sweet and can be sung and danced. Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Manipuri all love them. The main rasa is shringara (love), shown with soft eyes and gentle hand-gestures.
Nataraja, Mahishasuramardini and Ganesha
Nataraja means "king of dance": Shiva in his cosmic dance, in a ring of fire, with a drum in one hand and fire in another. It tells that the world is created and ended in a dance.
Mahishasuramardini is the goddess Durga who defeats the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. She is shown with strong, firm steps and many arms.
Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, removes obstacles. Many recitals begin with a prayer to Ganesha so that everything goes well.
Key formulas and definitions
- Ramayana (Valmiki): 7 kandas
- Bhagavata Purana: 12 skandas; the 10th is about Krishna
- Gita Govinda (Jayadeva): 12 chapters, 24 ashtapadis
- Nataraja = Shiva as king of dance; Mahishasuramardini = Durga defeating Mahishasura; Ganesha = remover of obstacles
Worked examples
1. A dancer shows a bow, a golden deer and then a woman being taken away. Which theme is it?
The Ramayana (the golden deer and Sita being taken by Ravana).
2. A dancer plays the flute, then shows stealing butter from a high pot. Which source is it?
The Bhagavata Purana, tenth skanda (Krishna's childhood).
3. A dancer shows a lady waiting at night for her friend, soft eyes and sad smile. Which poem and which rasa?
The Gita Govinda (an ashtapadi about Radha). The rasa is shringara, love with the feeling of waiting.
4. Which theme starts many recitals and why?
Ganesha. He is the remover of obstacles, so dancers pray to him first so that the performance goes well.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the poets: Valmiki wrote the Ramayana; Jayadeva wrote the Gita Govinda.
- Saying the Gita Govinda is part of the Bhagavata. It is a separate poem, though both speak of Krishna.
- Thinking Nataraja is only a statue. In dance it is a story and a way of standing with the right foot raised.
- Writing "ashtapadi" as a verse of eight lines. It is a song with eight-line (couplet) verses, and there are 24 in all.