Common Relations Among Classical Dances of India

1. **Spiritual and Religious Themes**
– Most classical dances have roots in religious rituals and spiritual practices.
– Performances often depict stories from Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and Puranas.

2. **Natya Shastra Influence**
– Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra, an ancient Indian treatise on performing arts, is a foundational text for many classical dance forms.
– Provides guidelines on techniques, postures, expressions, and dramatic elements.

3. **Rasa and Bhava**
– Emphasis on conveying emotions (bhava) and eliciting aesthetic pleasure (rasa) in the audience.
– Each dance form uses facial expressions, hand gestures (mudras), and body movements to communicate specific emotions and narratives.

4. **Structured Repertoire**
– Each classical dance has a structured repertoire, including invocatory pieces, narrative segments, and rhythmic compositions.
– Common elements like Alarippu in Bharatanatyam or Varnam in Kathakali serve as core components of performances.

5. **Guru-Shishya Parampara**
– Traditional teacher-student relationship (Guru-Shishya Parampara) is central to learning and preserving the dance forms.
– Knowledge and skills are passed down through generations in a lineage.

6. **Classical Music and Instruments**
– Integral connection with classical music styles like Carnatic or Hindustani.
– Use of traditional instruments (e.g., mridangam, tabla, veena) to accompany dance performances.

7. **Costumes and Makeup**
– Elaborate and symbolic costumes and makeup enhance the visual appeal and convey the character’s identity.
– Use of traditional attire, intricate jewelry, and specific color schemes significant to each dance form.

### Conclusion

Classical dances of India, despite their regional differences, share commonalities rooted in spiritual themes, adherence to the Natya Shastra, emphasis on rasa and bhava, structured repertoire, Guru-Shishya Parampara, connection with classical music, and distinctive costumes and makeup. These shared elements highlight the rich, interconnected heritage of Indian classical dance traditions.