nritya

Nritya is a term in Indian classical dance that denotes the expressive, interpretive aspect of performance. Derived from Sanskrit, nritya means “expression through movement” and refers to the portion of a dance that communicates mood, meaning, or narrative through abhinaya (the art of expression) and hand gestures (mudras). In traditional theory, nritya is one of the three fundamental components of classical dance, alongside nritta (pure rhythmic movement) and natya (dramatic or theatrical performance). The Natya Shastra, an ancient Sanskrit treatise on performing arts, outlines how nritta, nritya, and natya work together to produce rasa, the emotional flavours experienced by the audience.

In practice, nritya uses facial expressions, body language, and gestures to tell stories or convey devotional themes. Dancers interpret verses or songs, often drawn from epics, mythological episodes, or poetic hymns, within the cadence of music. While styles differ in technique—Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, and others—all place emphasis on nritya as the vehicle for narrative and emotional communication, rather than mere display of technique.

Performers aim to evoke rasa—sentiments such as love, heroism, compassion, or devotion—through controlled expression, enabling the audience to follow the story or mood without requiring spoken dialogue. Nritya thus sits at the intersection of movement, gesture, and storytelling in Indian classical dance.