Indian classical dance

Bharatanatyam is a classical dance style that originated in the Tamilnadu state of India. It used to form an inseparable part of religious rituals performed in the temples, but has by now also become a form of entertainment. The tradition passed on for more than 2,000 years by the ritual dancers?the devadasi?has announced its appearance on the stages in India as well as abroad. It falls into branches:
1. Nritta?pure dance that does not follow any particular script or tale
2. Nritya?a form of mime in which the dancer expresses her emotions and tries to induce a corresponding mood also in the spectators. An intricate system of finger positions and dance figures permits the dancer to convey, through movement, legends of Indian gods and the meaning of songs.
In India it is believed that dance was created by the god Siva who (in the form of the dance god Nataraja) performed the tandava?dance of destruction. It is a vigorous, masculine dance conveying an expression of divine cosmic energy. On the other hand, lasya?the dance of the goddess Parvati, Siva´s companion?is tender, feminine and lyrical. Together, lasya and tandava constitute a whole giving Indian dance its particular harmony and timelessness.