The eight dance forms recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi as classical Indian dance, each rooted in the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni and associated with a particular state or region.
- Bharatanatyam: Tamil Nadu; the oldest, derived from the temple dance of the devadasis; codified by the Tanjore Quartet.
- Kathak: north India (Uttar Pradesh); the only major form with both Hindu (temple) and Muslim (Mughal court) influences; known for fast footwork (tatkar) and spins (chakkars).
- Kathakali: Kerala; a male-dominated dance-drama with elaborate make-up (chutti) and costume, drawn from epics.
- Kuchipudi: Andhra Pradesh; began as a male temple dance-drama; the tarangam (dancing on the rim of a brass plate) is distinctive.
- Odissi: Odisha; sculpturesque, based on the tribhanga (three-bend) posture; linked to the Jagannath temple and Mahari dancers.
- Manipuri: Manipur; gentle, devotional Raslila themes on Radha and Krishna; the drum (pung) dance is well known.
- Mohiniyattam: Kerala; a graceful solo female "dance of the enchantress" (Mohini), in white and gold.
- Sattriya: Assam; from the Vaishnava monasteries (sattras) founded by Sankaradeva; recognised as classical in 2000.
Dance-to-state matching is a high-frequency static culture question; the Sattriya (Assam) and Mohiniyattam (Kerala) pairings and the "oldest is Bharatanatyam" fact recur often.
Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and (partly) Kathak all carry the "Kath" root, but Kathakali and Mohiniyattam are Kerala forms while Kathak is north Indian; Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam are both southern but Andhra versus Tamil Nadu.
Eight Sangeet Natak Akademi classical dances: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Sattriya.