Finesse Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kathak

The form Kathak usually tells a story through dance. It can be traced back to 400 BC, and was usually performed by traveling bards. Its use expanded during the Bhakti movement, by including the stories of the Hindu god Krishna. The name comes from the Sanskrit word 'katha', meaning story.

The legs and the torso are maintained straight, and often little bells called Ghungroo are worn on the feet. The upper body movements, arm movements, and facial expressions are used to convey emotions. The main dance is usually preceded by a salutation to the teachers and gods.

Answer: Manipuri

Named after the state Manipur, this dance has elements from the cultures of East Asia and Central Asia. The dance drama depicting the love between Radha and Krishna is the most common theme used. Manipuri also uses themes of Shaivism and Shaktism. Gestures of hand and the upper body are the principal methods of telling the story, which the drum music accompanies. Anklet bells are not worn in this dance, and the barrel skirt is usually highly decorated.

There are three major Rasaks, or forms of this dance, which vary in the steps involved in dance.

Answer: Chhau

The Chhau dance is mainly danced during the festival honouring the Sun God, or during the New Year. Chhau is famous for the elaborate masks worn by the dancers. These masks are made by the potters who also make the idols of gods and goddesses for worship. Reed pipes and drums are the musical instruments which mostly accompany the music.

The themes explored by the dance are taken from Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism. Martial dance is also a major part of the dance, with the dancers engaging in mock combat.

Answer: Kuchipudi

The name of the dance comes from a village of the same name. The dance is accompanied by a performance of Carnatic music, with the help of instruments like the mridangam, the veena and the flute. The dance especially flourished during the rule of the Vijayanagara kingdom.

A performance of Kuchipudi usually has three parts - a fast rhythmic dance, a slower dance which uses signs made by the hand to convey emotions, and a play. Though danced only by males in the past, in modern India it became more commonly danced by women.

Answer: Bhangra

Bhangra originated in the Majha region of Punjab, and was traditionally performed to celebrate the harvest season. After 1950, free forms of Bhangra evolved, which also incorporated elements from other local Punjabi dances. However, the traditional form is maintained in the districts of Gurdaspur and Sialkot, Pakistan. Bhangra is a community dance and often performed in a circle. Bhangra has also influenced Bollywood music with the contribution of Punjabi artists to the film industry.

Answer: Bharatanatyam

'Natyam' in Sanskrit means 'dance'. The word 'Bharata' refers to Bharata Muni (sage), the author of 'Natya Shastra', the ancient treatise on Indian classical dance and music. A notable point of this dance is the fact that the upper torso remains fixed, and different mudras, or gestures, of the hand depict emotions and objects. The famous Nataraja statue of Lord Shiva depicts him in a pose of Bharatanatyam. It is usually a solo dance, and is usually danced by a female dancer. She usually wears a highly adorned saree, and other items of jewellery.

Answer: Kathakali

Kathakali uses a sign language involving 24 different signs of the hand to denote objects. The most striking features are the eyeball movements and facial expressions, which denote the mood. This dance developed mostly in courts of kings, and not in temples.

The most famous costume of Kathakali is that of Lord Krishna. The costumes and makeup take several hours to do. Kathakali uses elements from martial arts as well, most famously, Kalaripayattu. The vocalist usually recites the lyrics and portrays mood using voice modulation. Mohiniattam is another dance that comes from the state of Kerala.

Answer: Sattriya

The dance Sattriya originates from the Bhakti movement. Srimanta Sankardev was a great pioneer of this dance. Sattriya dance is popularly used in one-act plays. Different stages of the life of Lord Krishna are depicted through this dance. This dance is not usually performed in front of an idol.

It can be performed before a copy of the Bhagavat Geeta, the holy book of the Hindus. The drum used in this dance is assymetric and open. The jewellery used by dancers have unique shapes which depend on the story told.

Answer: Garba

The word 'Garba' comes from the Sanskrit word 'garbha', meaning womb. The Navratri festival is in honour of Shakti, the Mother Goddess. This festival takes place for nine nights. Garba is danced by both individuals and couples. The dance usually takes place in circular formation, with lamps in honour of the goddess placed in the centre. Dandiya raas, another dance of Gujarat, has influenced modern Garba to a great extent. Women usually dress up in colorful cholis, and also wear decorative jewellery.

Answer: Ghoomar

The name of the dance comes from the word 'ghoomna', which means 'rotating' or 'moving around'. A key feature of this dance is the step when the woman balances on one foot and spins around. The group of women continually move in and out of a circle. Ghoomar is performed on festivals, and special occasions like weddings, by the bride. Ghoomar takes place around a fire when performed at night in the desert region of western Rajasthan.