1. Bharatanatyam: Originating from Tamil Nadu, Bharatanatyam features intricate footwork (tattukazhi), expressive hand gestures (mudras), and facial expressions (abhinaya). Dancers wear vibrant silk costumes with temple jewelry and adorn their hair in a bun with flowers. Accompanied by classical Carnatic music, instruments include mridangam, violin, flute, and veena. Notable dancers include Rukmini Devi Arundale, Alarmel Valli, and Malavika Sarukkai.
2. Kathak: Kathak, from North India, emphasizes storytelling, intricate footwork (tatkar), spins (chakkars), and expressive gestures. Dancers wear elaborate costumes like anarkali-style kurtas with lehengas or saris adorned with intricate embroidery. They use ankle bells (ghungroo) and perform Hindustani music with tabla, sarangi, sitar, and harmonium. Notable Kathak dancers include Pandit Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi, and Shovana Narayan.
3. Kathakali: Kathakali, from Kerala, is dramatic with elaborate makeup, vibrant costumes, and exaggerated facial expressions. Performers wear ornate headgear and costumes depicting characters from epics, accompanied by traditional Carnatic music with chenda, mandala, and idakka. Notable Kathakali performers include Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai.
4. Odissi: Odissi, from Odisha, features fluid movements (tribhangi), sculptural poses, and intricate footwork (chauka). Dancers wear traditional saris draped in unique Odissi style with traditional jewelry like kundan and silver filigree and accompanied by Odissi music with mandala, flute, sitar, and violin. Notable Odissi dancers include Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Sanjukta Panigrahi, and Sonal Mansingh.
5. Manipuri: Manipuri, from Manipur, showcases gentle, circular movements and storytelling. Dancers wear cylindrical skirts (phanek) with veils (innaphi) and traditional jewelry like kuchi and thikri. They were accompanied by Manipuri music, which included pung, pena, flute, and kartal. Notable Manipuri dancers include Guru Bipin Singh and Darshana Jhaveri.
6. Kuchipudi: Kuchipudi, from Andhra Pradesh, combines rhythmic footwork, narrative mime (bhagavathamelam), and expressive gestures (mudras). Dancers wear traditional costumes and perform Carnatic music. Notable Kuchipudi dancers include Vempati Chinna Satyam and Yamini Reddy.
7. Sattriya: Sattriya, from Assam, includes storytelling, rhythmic footwork, and gestures. Dancers wear traditional Assamese attire and perform Sattriya music with khol and flute. Notable Sattriya dancers include Jatin Goswami and Indira P.P. Bora.
8. Mohiniyattam: Mohiniyattam, from Kerala, features fluid movements (lasya) and subtle expressions, portraying themes of love and devotion. Dancers wear white or off-white saris with traditional jewelry. They were accompanied by Carnatic music with instruments like veena, mridangam, and flute. Notable Mohiniyattam dancers include Kalamandalam Kshemavathy and Sunanda Nair.

These classical dance forms not only preserve India’s rich cultural heritage but also continue to evolve through the efforts of dedicated dancers and choreographers, ensuring their relevance and vitality in the modern world.