Introduction to East Indian Classical Dance

Begin a warm-up for East Indian classical dance, emphasizing posture and breath. Practice head and neck moves, shoulder and arm stretches, wrists, torso, legs, and the pataka gait.

Review eight East Indian classical dance styles, outlining each style’s distinctive movements and the erect posture guided by the cardinal system, while stressing slow, precise practice and warm-ups.

Identify the cardinal points around you: north, south, east, west, and diagonals. Align your arms along an east-west axis in pataka position, with elbows at 90 degrees and shoulders relaxed.

Extend your arms along the east-west axis, then slowly rotate your elbows toward the south or toward the back, keeping forearms on the axis and elbows rotated toward the back.

Master the correct foot strike in east indian classical dance by guiding the foot to slide forward before impact to produce a slapping noise with minimal force.

Twist your torso to the northeast or northwest to strike the foot flat on the floor, and alternate with a classical sit twist or a forward walk while striking.

Master the swastika foot movement in East Indian dance by arching the foot and striking the ball near the opposite ankle, with the torso turning toward northeast or northwest.

Strike the foot flat on ground to execute a double shot, twisting the torso toward the north east and northwest, with an option to perform in the classical sitting position.

Combine flat foot shot with the swastika foot movement along an east-west axis, while the torso rotates toward northeast or northwest and the head stays level in the classical sit.

Guide the head left to right across the neck, using a finger reference; practice with pataka at the chest or hands clasped above the head to include the eyes.

Move your pataka hand across an east-to-west axis, keep elbows back, and avoid hyperextension. Add head and eye tracking, then practice the movement in classical sitting to exercise the legs.

Move pataka hand along the east to west axis overhead, while the opposite hand faces up or down, palms extending outward and inward, with head and eyes added when ready.

Demonstrate pataka hand posture with a front extension, move to the east and back toward the chest, with palms up then down as eyes and head follow the hands.

Explore katamukha, where index and middle fingers press to thumb while ring and little fingers extend, and learn lotus position with a 90-degree angle between thumb and little finger.

Begin in katamukha, switch between katamukha and lotus hand positions, extend to the front and east overhead, then back, with head and eyes following, repeat on the other side.

From pataka, drop hands at a 45-degree angle to shoulders along the northeast and northwest axes while bending toward east or west, then alternate katamukha and lotus with head following.

Practice a forward walking combination with flat foot strikes, pataka hands, swastika strikes behind the opposite ankle, turning toward northeast and northwest, and overhead drops toward southeast and southwest.

Move from a classical sitting position with Pataka hands, perform double shots on each side, and transition between katamukha and Lotus positions along east to west axis with foot movements.

Alternate swastika and flat foot positions with pataka drops at 45 degrees, then switch between katamukha and lotus hands, coordinating feet in swastika at 45 degrees and returning to center.

Conclude this East Indian classical dance introduction by blending hand and foot movements shown to create your own choreography with fun.