Madhurima Class 9 Chapter 10, Components of Dance, begins the dance section with the Nāṭyaśhāstra’s four-fold abhinaya: āṅgika (body), vāchika (speech and song), āhārya (costume and make-up) and sāttvika (inner emotion).
What Madhurima Chapter 10 Covers
Body alignment: a dance movement starts with posture. Sauṣhṭhava is the poised stance, with ears, shoulders and waist on one vertical line and the body erect yet relaxed. Rekhā is the line and shape the body makes, and rūpa is the dancer’s disposition shown through bright eyes and a pleasant face.
Revisiting the basics: sthāna (postures), chārī and gati (movements of the legs), utplavana and bhramarī (jumps and spins). Tāla is rhythm and laya is tempo, like a heartbeat that quickens when you run and slows when you sleep.
Nṛitta and nṛitya: according to the Abhinaya-darpaṇam, nṛitta is pure dance with no story and nṛitya is dance that tells a story or meaning.
Chaturvidha abhinaya: the four kinds of expression are āṅgika (body), vāchika (words, song and rhythmic syllables), āhārya (costume, make-up and props) and sāttvika (inner emotion). Examples include the Kolī dance of Maharashtra miming the rowing of boats with oars and nets, and the masks of Seraikella and Purulia Chhau, which Mayurbhanj Chhau does not use.
Dance in cinema: Indian film dance draws on classical and folk forms. Uday Shankar made the first dance film, Kalpana, in 1948.
Exercises in Chapter 10
- Pick which of sauṣhṭhava, vāchika, rūpa and rekhā is not needed for body alignment.
- Explain nṛitta and nṛitya, or tāla and laya.
- Name a legend of Kathak, Sattriya, Kathakali, Bharatanatyam, Odissi and other forms.
- Analyse a film dance sequence in your journal.
Read Madhurima Class 9 Chapter 10 Online
More Chapters
- Previous: Chapter 9: Music Travels Around the World
- Next: Chapter 11: Dance as Visual Storytelling
- All Art chapters and the other Class 9 books: Class 9 NCERT books 2026-27
FAQ
What is sauṣhṭhava in dance?
The poised stance of a dancer: body upright and aligned (ears, shoulders and waist in one line), balanced and relaxed, ready to move with control.
What are the four types of abhinaya?
Āṅgika (body), vāchika (speech and song), āhārya (costume and make-up) and sāttvika (inner emotion), as described in the Nāṭyaśhāstra.