The dances of India are of many varied forms and have a million different nuances attached to them. Yet there are some common underlying defining elements across all the forms of dance in India. The elements of the Dances of India are:

Abhinaya: Abhinaya is one of the common elements of all the classical forms of the Indian dances. Abhinaya denotes two aspects of the dances of India. One of the aspects is expressional in nature, the other is composed of only pure dance.

Unlike the expressional part of abhinaya, nritya involves striking aesthetic poses. However the aspect of nritya does not have any expressional meaning and symbolism.

The element of Abhinaya can be categorised into four types:

- Angika denotes the aspect of the physical movements. This involves the movements of every part of the body to convey meaning. These movements are conveyed through the gestures of the hand, postures and it is also conveyed in the walk of the dancer.

- Vachikabhinaya is the verbal aspect of the dance. The members of the orchestra or the supporting members of the cast generally use this aspect of the Abhinaya element.

- Aharyabhinaya is the aspect of Abhinaya that is conveyed through the external expression of the mood through the background, costumes, make-up, accessories and the settings.

- Satvikabhinaya is the psychological aspect of Abhinaya that is conveyed through the movement of the eyes in particular. On the whole, the entire being of the performer conveys it. The performer feels the mood, the character and the emotion as emanating from the self, not as an act or practical presentation.

In addition to the above mentioned elements of the dances of India, the navarasas, or nine emotions, give the dances of India a certain sense of completeness. It is the navrasas that allow the dancer and the audience to experience the full beauty and meaning of the movements they are being portrayed by the artist.

These emotions are expressed by the eyes of the artist, through the face of the artist, in the subtle muscle shifts and through the body as a whole. The navrasas are: happiness, anger, disgust, fear, sorrow, courage, compassion, wonder and serenity.

The vast scope of the art of India intertwines with the cultural history, religions and philosophies which place art production and patronage in social and cultural contexts.

Indian art can be classified into specific periods each reflecting certain religious, political and cultural developments.

* Hinduism and Buddhism of the ancient period (300 BC- 1700 AD)
* Islamic ascendancy (712-1757 AD)
* The colonial period (1757-1947)
* Independence and the postcolonial period (Post-1947)
* Modern and Postmodern art in India

Each period is unique in its art, literature and architecture. Indian art is constantly challenged as it rises to the peak of achieving the ideals of one philosophy in a visual form, then begins anew for another. This challenge and revolution in thought provided, and still provides, Indian artists with reasons for innovation and creation, and the process of visualizing abstract ideas and the culture of the land.

Each religion and philosophical system provided its own nuances, vast metaphors and similes, rich associations, wild imaginations, humanization of gods and celestial beings, characterization of people, the single purpose and ideal of life to be interpreted in art.

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