The tagore family and the manipuri dance (1920-1960)

The Classical Manipuri dance form which is a combination of traditional hand and body movement pattern with Hindus religious themes is considered as one of the finest dance forms of India. The Rasa dance with extremely ornate costume of Radha, Krishna and the Gopis (which) almost give the picture of the of the dance like celestial being visiting the earth only to perform this special dance was indeed a cultural item which not only enthralled the spectators but also left a deep impact on the mind and psyche of the people who had seen it. The continuous body, hand and feet movement along with controlled expression, which constituted the main characteristics of this style of dance, make the performances flow like poems. In the performance of Rasa dance one notices that a movement merges into another giving a sense of continuity. And thus, gestures whenever employed are almost wrapped in the basic flow of the movement while message is conveyed in an unobtrusive manner.