Techniques and Manners of Expressing Ideas and Meanings in Indian Classical Dances

The dancers of the Indian classical dances, like all the other dancers, use their body and its movements as the medium of conveying their message. The movements of every limb of the body display the moods, emotions and the intention of the dancer. Since the Indian classical dances have their roots in worship rituals of Hinduism (as dance is stated as an obligation in worshiping Hindu gods), every movement that the dancer does, has a special meaning. What is important in this study is, identifying and analyzing the mediums of expression such as the body movements, the makeup, jewelry and designing of the stage, in these dances; and moreover to realize if the body movements have chosen the symbolic approach because of the physical and anatomic limitations of the body; and also exploring the meaning of these movements. This study has chosen a historical descriptive approach to this subject and has gathered data through written resources and observing some of the dances through field research.