BHARAT NATYAM one of the oldest Indian Classical dance forms is an essence of dedicatory dance. This was performed by Devadasis in the temples, primarily in Tamil Nadu and to lesser extent in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Bharat Natyam is compounded from 'bha' for bhava or emotional projection, 'ra' for raga or melody and 'ta' for tala rhythm. Natyam means the art of dance.
The Sangam Age from 500 B.C to 500 AD marks the evolution of this dance form. The early part of the present century saw the resurgence of this dance form.
The key posture of this dance form requires the upper part of the body to be erect, the legs bent halfway down with the knees spread out, and the feet positioned like a half open fan. Practically every part of the body has its distinct movement.
The songs used are composed from the poetic literature of Tamil, Telegu, and Sanskrit and to some extent Kannada. The accompanying music is in pure Carnatic style.
Today, Bharat Natyam is not a dance style but a dance technique

KUCHIPUDI The art form takes its name from the village of its birth, in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Kuchipudi was the result of the Bhakti Movement in the 6th Century, Siddendra Yogi, the progenitor of the form, presented a dance drama with boys from the village of Kuchipudi. Consciously they raised the form above the reach of Devdasi. The boys were committed to an annual presentation of the form and they passed on the techniques to the next generation. So a tradition and a form were born.
The performer has to express through the language of gestures, speech and song. The Kuchipudi artiste, apart from being a dancer and an actor has to have a high proficiency - in Sanskrit and Telegu languages, music and the texts of performance.
Kuchipudi plays are performed in the open air on improvised stages at night. The sutradhar, or master of ceremonies plays an integral role introducing characters, providing humour and tying together the show. The fast paced nature of the form has made it a popular dramatic form.
It is better known as a solo form today but the wheel has come full circle with group work, with experimental choreography much in demand. 
 

MOHINI ATTAM Mohini Attam is one of the youngest Indian Classical dances. This form of dance came into its own by the 16th Century and was evolved under the patronage of Maharaja Swati Thirunal of Travancore (present day south Kerala).
Mohini means a maiden who excites desire and her dance is known as Mohini Attam. From the inception itself, Mohini Attam was conceived as a form of social diversion. The themes of the songs were both religious and social.
In the matter of technical format, there are many similarities between Mohini Attam and Bharat Natyam and also the central motif of adavus (gestures) being the same. It is essentially a solo dance and performed by women with tender and graceful body movements belonging to the lasya style. The hand gestures play an important part as a communication medium.
The costume comprises a white sari with gold ornaments on the neck, waist, wrists and a typical hair bun with flowers on the left side of the head.
The dominant emotion in Mohini Attam is of shringara (love).

KATHAKALI Kerala presents to the country one of the most imposing and colourful spectacles of dance Kathakali. It is heroic, majestic and epic in character.Though this form of art is not more than 300 years old, the actual roots can be traced to 1500 years earlier. It symbolises the blending of the Aryan and Dravidian cultures and is presumed to have evolved out of the various ancient theatre traditions of the region like Krishnattam, Ramanattam, Koodiyattam, Mudiyyetu and Teyyam. Mahakavi Vallathol of Cherutoorthi (Palakkad) contributed greatly in the revival of this art by forming Kalamandalam, the famous teaching institution, set up in the thirties.

Mostly based on the mythology and the themes of Ramayana and Mahabharata, a Kathakali performance opens with the thunder of drums, which invites the audiences. The performance lasts night long and till recently only men were allowed to perform even in female roles. Nowadays, though, many women have made their mark in this art form
As a form of art, Kathakali is a sophisticated spectacle of the supernatural.

ODISSI A dance form born in the state of Orissa, manifested in temple sculptures from 2nd century BC, practiced and enriched by the Devadasis or maharis (as the temple dancing girls are called in Orissa). With the construction of the Jagannath Temple in Puri in the 12th century, the practice of dedicating maharis in the service of the temple was initiated and continues to this day. At once sensuous and spiritual, it has the ability to portray erotic sentiments in a deeply reverential manner. Odissi is a highly stylised dance with tribhanga or the three-bend attitude of Hindu sculpture. The bhava or feeling is chaste and orthodox, with flashes of heightened dramatization.
The accompanying music is pure and classical, with graces of both the Hindustani and the Carnatic styles. The instruments traditionally used are the mandala-drums, gini-small cymbals and the flute.
Odissi has been restored to its rightful place only in the last few decades with the tireless work of Gurus like Pankaj Charan and Deba Prasad Das, Kelucharan Mohapatra and Mayadhar Raut .

MANIPURI The Manipuris have song and dance woven in to their lives and regard themselves as the descendents of the Gandharvas. Their love for dance reflects their rich lore of legend and mythology.
There is no authoritative record of the history of Manipur's dance and music prior to the 18th Century AD.
However the lasting developments in technique and methods took place during the time of Jai Singh (1764-1789), who was a great devotee of Lord Krishna and a follower of Vaishnavism.
Among the legendary and mythological tales, the Rasa Lila, dance performed by Shiva and Parvati and Lai Haraoba of Khamba and Thoibi the celebrated lovers, deserves special mention.
In the Ras Lila, the movements are extremely graceful coupled with soft and light steps in which the heels never touch down. The dancers have a fixed angelic expression on their face. The costume is extremely colourful and glittering.
Lai Haraoba is the oldest dance form of Manipur and belongs to the pre Vaishnava period. The dance style is diffused and meandering. The dancers make stylised hand and body movements, but the face remains blank. The steps are gentle yet powerful.
Even today dancing remains a key element in the art and daily ritual of Manipur.

KATHAK Kathaks were originally story tellers who used to dance to illustrate 'Kathas' or stories. They were attached to the temples of North India.
With the advent of Muslim rule, Kathak went from the temple to the courts. Consequently Kathak flowered as a form in the Hindu courts of Rajasthan and the Muslims courts of Delhi, Agra and Lucknow. Court patronage evolved Kathak into a highly technical and stylished art with emphasis on the solo performers and their virtuosity.
Gradually, the two schools became distinctively different the Jaipur Gharana focussed on layakari, or rhythmic wizardly, while the Lucknow Gharana expounded bhava or moods and emotions. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was instrumental in the Lucknow Gharana's growth, ( Satyajit Ray's film Shatranj Ke Khilari, deals with the period). However, both schools have Radha & Krishna as their central theme.
Rhythm, timing and so footwork are the main planks of Kathak. The musical accompaniment to the 200 ghungrus or bells on the dancer's feet, are the sarangi and the tabla.
Kathak is a true fusion of the Hindu and Muslim genius in art and it the only Classical dance of North India.

CHHAU The etymoligal root of the word Chhau is traced to the Sanskrit Chhaya or shade, referring to the mask used by the dancers. Others aver, it is derived from the word 'Chauuni' where the pharikhanda (shield & sword) soldiers stayed.
The technique of the dance, infact, draws on steps and gait which have stemmed from the 'Pharikhanda System'. It is basically a martial dance where the mask holds the dominant Rasa while the body creates, projects, and develops the moods.
Chhau has three schools as such, coming from Seraikella in Bihar, Mayurbhanj in Orissa and Purulia in West Bengal. While all the three Chhau forms are danced by men, Mayurbhanj uses no masks but the others do.
The themes are based on mythology, everyday life, aspects of nature or just a mood or emotion. Purulia Chhau, however, has a single focus - good triumphs over evil. The music is based on Hindustani Ragas and the Accompaniment is with a Nagara, a huge kettledrum, Dhol, a cylindrical drum, and Shehnai or reed pipes.
The strenuous nature of the dance restricts performances to brief periods, but in Purulia Chhau a single item could be a forty minutes and a performance, night long.