Mohiniattam

Also known as Mohiniyattam which is popular from Kerala. The word 'Mohini' is evolved from the mythical avatar of Lord Vishnu who helps the good prevail over evil by deploying the powers. The roots of Mohiniattam are in the Natya Shastra - an art of performing ancient Hindu Sanskrit text. Traditionally, it is performed as a solo dance by women. It includes Carnatic style, singing and acting a play through dance, where the recitation may be either a separate vocalist or the dancer herself. The combination of the song is typically a Tamil-Sanskrit hybrid called Manipravala. This dance basically consists of elements and structure of two dance types: the vigorous ( high energy Tandava dance (Shiva) and gentle, calmingly graceful Lasya dance (Parvati)). This dance follows the structure and aims of Lasya dance in Natya Shastra. Costumes of this dance style include plain white or off-white saree with a golden border and a matching blouse with various ornaments and ankle bells and a spray of jasmine flowers in the hair tied into a bun behind the head. The dancers highlight her beauty and grace by a large red doted in the center of the forehead.