Odissi and Kandyan Dance

Why is in news? When Odissi met Kandyan dance

Odissi:

It is indigenous to Orissa, eastern India, and follows the principles of the Natya-shastra.

The dance has its origin in the temples.

The carvings found at the Udayagiri Monastery denote that Odissi was patronised as early as the 2nd Century BCE and the trend continued unabated until about the 16th Century AD.

The classical music and dance form of Odisha was prefixed with “Odissi” by noted Odia poet Kabichandra Kalicharan Pattanayak, who was the centre of the cultural revival of Odisha post-independence, to retain its distinct identity.

Dance Techniques

Odissi dance form can be broken down to the movement of the head, bust and torso and the accompanying gestures and expressions.

The techniques of movement are built around the two basic postures of the Chowk and the Tribhanga.

The chowk is a position imitating a square - a very masculine stance with the weight of the body equally balanced.

The tribhanga is a very feminine stance where the body is deflected at the neck, torso and the knees.

Odissi dance deals largely with the love theme of Radha and Krishna.

Kandyan Dance:

Kandyan dance encompasses various dance forms popular and native to the area called Kandy of the Central Hills region known as Udarata in Sri Lanka, which have today spread to other parts of the country.

It is an example of Sinhalese culture in Sri Lanka.

Kandyan dancers are traditionally performed only by male dancers.

The technique, partly derived from South India, focuses on dynamism, powerful footwork, leaps and whirls.

It has a vast repertoire, partly originating from an ancient indigenous ritual dance, partly influenced by South Indian dances.