manipuri

manipuri, one of the six classical dance styles of India, the others being bharata natyam, kathak, kathakali, kuchipudi, and odissi. It is indigenous to Manipur and is characterized by a variety of forms that are linked to folk tradition and ritual. Themes are generally taken from episodes in the life of Krishna, the pastoral god.

During the dance interpretations a narrator may chant dialogue and descriptive action, interspersed with choral singing. Manipuri is smooth and graceful and technically easier and more limited than the other classic styles. Ankles are seldom belled, and the movement of the dance does not accentuate them, the steps being light and close to the floor. A flowing sway of the body and a liquid movement of the arms and hands characterize the women’s style; stronger and more forceful movements are used by men. The manipuri was popularized throughout India when, in 1917, the poet Rabindranath Tagore saw demonstrations of the art and brought back dance teachers to serve in his Vishva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan.