BSEB Matric Dance key terms

Pure dance movement performed for its own rhythmic beauty, with no attempt to tell a story or express a specific emotion. It uses patterned steps, poses and gestures that match the beat.

Expressive dance in which the dancer uses gestures, facial expression and body movement to convey a mood, story or devotional idea. It combines rhythmic movement with meaning.

The art of communicating meaning to the audience in Indian dance. It is traditionally described in four kinds: angika (body), vachika (speech), aharya (costume) and sattvika (inner emotion).

A specific emotional state such as love, anger, fear or wonder, which the dancer portrays. Bhava is the feeling that, when fully communicated, ripens into rasa in the spectator.

The aesthetic pleasure or flavour that arises in an audience when a performance fully expresses an emotion. Classical theory names nine rasas, including shringara (love) and karuna (compassion).

The vigorous, forceful aspect of dance associated with Shiva. It is marked by strong stamping, wide stances and energetic movement, and contrasts with the soft, graceful lasya.

The graceful, gentle and lyrical quality of dance, traditionally associated with Parvati. It uses soft movements, curved poses and flowing gestures, and balances the vigorous tandava style.

A classical dance form from Tamil Nadu, known for its geometric poses, strong rhythmic footwork and expressive abhinaya. It grew out of the devadasi temple tradition and is usually performed solo.

A classical dance form of North India, known for spins, rapid footwork and storytelling. It developed in courts and temples and is grouped into gharanas such as Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras.

A dance-drama from Kerala with large costumes, painted faces and strong, stylised gestures. Performers use a codified language of hand signs and eye movements to tell epic stories.

A classical dance form from Odisha, characterised by soft torso movements, the tribhanga pose and sculptural poses seen in temple carvings. It includes both pure dance and expressive items.

A classical dance-drama from Andhra Pradesh, known for fast footwork, expressive abhinaya and dancing on a brass plate. It was traditionally performed by male Brahmin troupes.

A gentle classical dance from Manipur, marked by rounded, flowing movements, little heavy stamping and a devotional Vaishnava theme. Ras Leela is its best-known form.

A classical dance from Kerala performed mainly by women, with soft, swaying movements and a gentle, graceful mood. Its name refers to the enchantress Mohini of Hindu mythology.

A classical dance form of Assam, developed in Vaishnava monasteries called sattras. It combines devotional storytelling with rhythmic dance and was traditionally performed by monks.

A masked dance of the Seraikella region, now in Jharkhand but historically linked with Bihar's cultural area. Dancers wear large masks and perform vigorous, springing movements to drum rhythms.

A folk dance of the Mithila region of Bihar, performed by women at night during Dussehra. Dancers balance earthen pots with holes and lamps on their heads while moving in a circle.

A folk dance of the Mithilanchal and Kosi regions of Bihar, performed by women. It depicts the playful quarrels of a married couple, Jat and Jatin, with expressive gestures and songs.

A martial folk dance of Bihar performed by men with swords and shields, once used to train soldiers. It has vigorous, athletic movements set to the beat of the dhol and nagara.

A wedding folk dance of Bihar and Jharkhand, performed by women in a circle with clapping and simple steps. It is sung during marriage ceremonies in the Mithila and Magadh regions.

A popular folk theatre and dance form of the Bhojpuri-speaking region of Bihar. Its songs and stories deal with separation, migration and the pain of families left behind.

The rhythmic cycle in Indian music and dance, made of a fixed number of beats grouped into sections. Each tala has its own pattern of claps (tali) and empty beats (khali).

Tempo or speed in music and dance. It is commonly described as vilambit (slow), madhya (medium) and drut (fast), and the dancer must stay exactly with it.

The first beat of a tala cycle, where the cycle begins and returns. Dancers and musicians emphasise sam because it marks the point of rhythmic resolution.

The set syllable pattern that a drummer plays to identify a tala. Each tala has its own theka, and dancers learn to recognise it by ear.

The footwork in Kathak, in which the dancer strikes the floor with heel and toe to produce clear rhythmic patterns. Tatkar is often performed with ghungroo and matched to the tabla.

The art of playing with laya by producing two, three or four beats in the space of one. Common forms are ekgun, dugun, tigun and chaugun.

A hand gesture used in Indian dance to convey an object, action or idea. Mudras are codified in texts and form a basic vocabulary of expressive dance.

A single-hand gesture in Indian dance, used alone to show meanings such as a flag, a lotus or a greeting. The Abhinaya Darpana lists many such gestures.

A gesture made with both hands joined together, used for meanings such as prayer, marriage or holding an object. It is the combined-hand counterpart of asamyuta hasta.

A melodic framework in Indian music, with a set of notes, ascending and descending patterns, and a mood. Dancers choose items that suit a raga's feeling and time.

Small bells strung together and tied around a dancer's ankles. They sound with each foot strike and help the dancer and audience hear the rhythm clearly.

Expression through costume, make-up, ornaments and stage setting. It supports the character and mood, and in styles such as Kathakali it is highly elaborate.

A stage that the audience views from the front through an opening, with the action framed by curtains and wings. Most modern dance performances use this arrangement.

A short session of gentle movement and stretching before dancing that raises body temperature and prepares muscles and joints. It lowers the risk of strain and improves performance.

First aid for a soft-tissue injury: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It reduces swelling and pain in the first day or two after a sprain.

An ancient Sanskrit treatise on performance, attributed to Bharata Muni. It covers dance, music, drama, rasa and stagecraft, and is a foundational text for Indian classical arts.

A Sanskrit text by Nandikeshvara on dance and gesture, widely used in Bharatanatyam training. It describes hand gestures, postures and the four kinds of abhinaya.

The traditional system in which a teacher (guru) passes knowledge to a student (shishya) through close, long-term training. It remains central to learning Indian classical dance.

The historical practice in which women were dedicated to temples and performed dance as part of worship. It shaped Bharatanatyam and Odissi before reform movements changed it.