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Different types of classical dance were well established. In the north,Kathak had developed, with a mixture of Indian And Persian elements. In the south there was Bharat Natyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi and other styles. Some of the forms described in the Natya shastra, the text of the first century were retained in these. Folk dances exist all over India.

CLASSICAL DANCES
Classical dance comes in many forms in india. Each region has involved its didtincts style with its special nuances, yhough the basic roots are the same.

BHARATANAYAM
According to some scholar s, the name derive from Bharatas Natyashastra. Some ascribe it to Bha Ra and Ta standing for bhava , raga and tala. Whatever the significance of the name , this ancient dance form has been nurtured in Tamil Nadu and probably derived from the sadir. the famous styles of bharatanatyam are the Padanallur and the Tanjore styles.

KUCHIPUDI
The dance is named after the village of its birth, Kuchelapuram or Kusselavapuri in Andhra Pradesh . the kusselava were groups of actors going from village to village. Kuchipudi is the colloquial form of the Sanskrit term kusselavapuri.
Kuchipudi , however , remained confined to remote village temples of Andhra Pradesh till the early twentienth century when Balasaraswati and Esther Sherman helped to bring it out of obscurity. Kuchipudi combines lasya and tavdava elements, fol and classical shades.

ODISSI
Orrisa, according to cultural historians, presents the earliest evidence of dance in india: inthe caves of Udaigiri and Khandagiri show carved panels of music and dance. the repertory of odissi usually consists of Mangalacharan: Batunritya ; pallavi, in which song is elaborated through graceful movements and facial expressions and interspersed with pure dance and poses; tharijam, again pure nritta ;Moksha the including item , which the dance of liberation through joyous movement. The Trikhanda mudra is another way of concluding , indicating a leave taking from the god,the audience and the stage.

KATHAKALI
Born in the temples of Kerala, the main source of kathakaliwere kudiattam and krishnattam , folk drama traditions. It is said that Raja Balaveera Keralan created the ranatamas as rival to Manaveda;s Krishnattam. Gradually , yhe dance drama repertory was expanded with episodes from the Mahabharat, Shiva Purana.

MOHINIATTAM
The origin of this dance of kerala is not clear. it is generally held that it was created in the reign of Maharaja Swati Thirunal of Travancore in early 19th century. Most of the songs in its repertory are, indeed, composed by Swati Thirunal. The dance of an enchantress.Mohiniattam has elements of Bharatnatyam as well as kathakali- the grace and elegance of the former and the vigour of the latter. Danced solo by the girls, it is more erotic, lyrical and delicate than the other two.
MANIPURI
Rather different from the other classical dance form of india, the Manipuri style emphasises on bhakti on devotion and not at all on the sensuous. Manipuri too traces its origin to mythology it flourished especially with the advent of Vaishnavism. Characterised by lyrical grace and soft undulating movements and serene expression the Manipuri