Indian dances

Indian dance is inseparable from the Indian culture.

Indian dance is divided into three distinct categories: natya (drama), nritya (interpretive dance performed along with the lyrics sung on a melodic tune and nritta (pure dance, during which the body movements do not express a particular state of mind and do not carry a semantic message).

Another type of classification distinguish between the tandava dance, which means the male dance of Shiva and lasya dance, the feminine aspect of the dance of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva.

The Indian Dance Classics are derived from the Vedas and Natya Shastra, literally meaning "An encyclopedia on Dance", a sacred text on drama codes, written from 200BC to 200AD. The religious aspect is very present in the Indian dance.

Indian classical dances and folk dances (specific to customs and festivals from each region) greatly influenced the Indian Movie Dance or the Bollywood Dance.

Classical dance	Folk dance	Bollywood dance