The most differentiating features of Odissi dance is the Tribhangi. The concept of Tribhang divides the body into three parts, head, bust and torso. The postures dealing with these three elements are called Tribhangi. This concept has created the very characteristic poses which are more twisted than found in other classical Indian dances. Mudra is also an important component of Odissi dance. The term Mudra means ‘stamp’ and is a hand position which describes things. Odissi themes are almost religious in nature and mostly it revolve around Krishna.
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| (Photo Credit: Google image) |
The Mudra system of odissi is derived from the
"Abhinaya Darpana" by Nandikeshavara and the ancient Natya Shastra of
Bharata Muni.
In Odissi the basic unit are known as bhangas. The bhangas are further made up of eight belis, or body postures and movements, combined in different varieties. The motion motion is uthas (rising or up), baithas (sitting or down) or sthankas (standing).
The gaits or movement on the dance floor is called chaalis, with movement tempo linked to emotions as mentioned in the classical Sanskrit texts. Burhas or quick pace suggest excitement and a slow confused pace suggests dejection.
For esthetics, movement is centered on a core, a point in space or floor, and each dancer has her imaginary square of space, with spins and expression held within it. The foot movement or pada bhedas too have basic dance units, and Odissi has six of these, in comparison to four found in most classical Indian dances.
The primary dance positions in Odissi are:
Samabhanga or the square position, with weight equally placed on both the legs, spine straight, arms raised up with elbows bent.
In Odissi the basic unit are known as bhangas. The bhangas are further made up of eight belis, or body postures and movements, combined in different varieties. The motion motion is uthas (rising or up), baithas (sitting or down) or sthankas (standing).
The gaits or movement on the dance floor is called chaalis, with movement tempo linked to emotions as mentioned in the classical Sanskrit texts. Burhas or quick pace suggest excitement and a slow confused pace suggests dejection.
For esthetics, movement is centered on a core, a point in space or floor, and each dancer has her imaginary square of space, with spins and expression held within it. The foot movement or pada bhedas too have basic dance units, and Odissi has six of these, in comparison to four found in most classical Indian dances.
The primary dance positions in Odissi are:
Samabhanga or the square position, with weight equally placed on both the legs, spine straight, arms raised up with elbows bent.
Abhanga is another position where the body weight shifts
from side to the other side, due to deep leg bends, while the feet and knees
are turned outwards, and one hip extending sideways.
Tribhanga or the S-shaped three-fold bending of body, with
torso deflecting in one direction while the head and hips deflecting in the
opposite direction of torso. Further, the hands and legs frame the body into a
composite of two rectangle, providing an esthetic frame of reference. All of
these are described in the ancient Sanskrit texts, and forms of it are also
found in other Hindu dance arts, but tribhanga postures developed most in and
are distinctive to Odissi, and they are found in historic Hindu temple reliefs
as well.
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| Hasta (Photo Credit: Google image) |
Mudras or Hastas are basicallly hand gestures which are used to express
the meaning of a given act. Like all classical dances of India, the aim of
Odissi is in part to convey emotions, mood and inner feelings in the story by
appropriate hand and facial gestures. There are sixty three types of Hastas in
modern Odissi dance, and these have the same names or structure as those in the
pan-Indian Hindu texts, but most closely matching those in the Abhinaya Chandrika.
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