In the realm of classical Indian dance, an arangetram/rangapravesam/rangamanch is a highly significant event. It marks the debut stage performance of a student, symbolizing their transition from a dedicated learner to a proficient dancer. This milestone is not only a showcase of the student's technical skills and artistic expression but also a testament to years of rigorous training and dedication.

The word Bharatanatyam is a portmanteau of the Tamil words Bha, bhavam (expression), Ra, ragam (melody), Tha, thalam (rhythm), and Natyam (dance). It is one of the eight classical dance forms of India that have been recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. This dance form is an expression of South Indian religious themes and spiritual concepts, focusing particularly on Shaivism and, in general, Hinduism.

Traditionally, Bharatanatyam is a team performance art featuring a solo dancer accompanied by musicians and one or more singers. Its classification as a classical art stems from its adherence to the principles outlined in the Sanskrit treatise Natya Shastra and other Sanskrit and Tamil texts, like the Abhinaya Darpana. The dance movements, vocal performances, and musical notes in Bharatanatyam reflect the ideas expressed in these ancient texts while focusing on precise movements, prefect geometrical poses and spiritual themes.

The Bharatanatyam repertoire, like all major classical Indian dance forms, follows three categories from the Natya Shastra, Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (expressive dance), and Natya (dramatic storytelling).

• Nritta - Nritta is a fast and rhythmic abstract performance, focusing on the beauty of motion and form to engage the audience's senses without storytelling.

• Nritya - Nritya is the expressive aspect of the dance, communicating emotions and stories, often with spiritual themes. It combines dance with acting through gestures and body motions set to music, engaging the viewer's emotions and mind.

• Natyam - Natyam is a theatrical play, usually performed by a team but can also be presented solo. The dancer uses standardized body movements to portray different characters in the story. A natyam performance includes elements of nritya, combining expressive dance with storytelling.

Bharatanatyam arangetram, is the solo debut on-stage performance of a former student of Indian classical dance, Bharatanatyam, comes after years of dedicated training in this art form. Arangetram, a crucial milestone, is often required in many Indian classical dance forms for their followers to showcase their skills.

The word Arangetram can be literally translated as ‘ascending/entering the stage’. The dancer is presented to the audience by his/her guru/teacher when the dancer is ready, after several years of training. Accompaniments play a major role in the making of memorable dance performance, and include vocals, mridangam, flute, violin and the Nattuvangam. The Bharatanatyam arangetram often follows a specific path, Margam, literally meaning a specific path or a course followed. It is one full definite path where dance compositions are performed in a traditional order.

The Bharatanatyam arangetram performance sequence consists of a seven to eight-part order of presentation, margam, structured by the Thanjavur brothers or Tanjore quartet in the early 19th century.

• Pushpanjali - The Arangetram performance usually commences with a dance known as Pushpanjali, which translates to "offering of flowers." During this performance, the performer pays homage to Hindu deities, the guru, and the audience by offering flowers and salutations as a mark of respect. This symbolic beginning represents supplication, from which the dancer proceeds with the rest of the performance.

• Alarippu - is a pure dance, nritta, that expresses gratitude and seeks blessings from the gods, goddesses, guru, and the performance team. It functions as a preliminary warm-up dance without melody, allowing the dancer to loosen their body, transcend distractions, and attain a single-minded focus.

• Jatiswaram - is a technical dance, nritta, without words, accompanied by Carnatic music beats. The dancers present a sequence (Korvai) demonstrating the unity of music, rhythm, and movements to the audience.

• Shabdam - Following Jatiswaram, the performance sequence includes Shabdam, where expressed words are introduced. Shabdam is the first item in the margam that incorporates expressions, nritya. The solo dancer, along with the vocalist(s) and the musical team, presents short compositions with words and meanings, encompassing a range of moods. This performance is dedicated to praising various deities like Krishna, Shiva, Rama, and Murugan, along with their divine qualities.

• Varnam - The performance then progresses to the Varnam stage, the core of the presentation. It is the longest section, which can last 30–45 minutes or even an hour, involving expressive dance, nritya, and offering scope for improvisation. The dancer silently conveys the text through gestures and footwork, narrating stories of love, battles, and more, while being complemented by the musicians' music to set the mood.

• Padam - characterized by reverence and deep emotion. It expresses solemn spiritual messages or devotional prayers, bhakti, through abhinaya, expression. The music is lighter and more intimate, with choreography that evokes rasa, emotional taste and various moods, featuring items like Keerthanam and Javali.

• Tillana - The performance sequence concludes with the Tillana, which serves as the climax. This section marks the end of the expressive dance, nritya portion, transitioning back to the nritta style. In the Tillana, a series of pure movements and rhythmic music are performed, bringing the performance to a close.

• Mangalam - The final item in the sequence can be either a Shlokam or a Mangalam. In this part, the dancer seeks blessings for all the people around, offering prayers and good wishes as a concluding gesture.

Kuchipudi is a popular dance form from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the eight classical dance forms of India that have been recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Originated in the village of Kuchipudi, it is a dance-drama performance that has its roots in the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text of Natya Shastra. It developed as a religious art linked to traveling troupe, temples, and spiritual beliefs, like all major classical dances of India. This dance form is known for its intricate footwork, expressive facial expressions, and graceful hand gestures. It is a dance that is performed to tell stories from Hindu mythology and epics.

Traditionally, Kuchipudi is a team performance composed exclusively of men. They would journey between villages and present their performances on a stage adjacent to a Hindu temple. Within these traveling troupes, the male performers would attire themselves as and portray female characters in various dramas. In contemporary society, Kuchipudi has undergone a transformation; women have become integral participants in Kuchipudi dance, surpassing the number of male performers, and emerging as some of its most renowned artists. In certain instances today, it is the female Kuchipudi artists who dress in male attire and depict the roles of boys.

This form of performance art originated from Hindu religious celebrations. It combines elements of both drama and dance, involving complex stage movements and precise footwork. The storytelling is conveyed through expressive hand gestures (mudras), eye movements, and facial expressions. The dance is accompanied by Carnatic music, and the narration is in the Telugu language.

Kuchipudi shares many poses and expressive gestures with Bharatanatyam, another classical dance style. However, there are significant distinctions between the two. Bharatnatyam is associated with Hindu temple traditions, focusing on precise movements, perfect geometrical poses and spiritual themes. On the other hand, Kuchipudi is tied to Hindu festival traditions, leaning towards more dynamic and folksy expressions, with a touch of sensuality.

The Kuchipudi repertoire, like all major classical Indian dance forms, follows three categories from the Natya Shastra, Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (expressive dance), and Natya (dramatic storytelling). Though there is no fixed repertoire in the solo Kuchipudi exposition.

• Nritta - is a fast and rhythmic abstract performance, focusing on the beauty of motion and form to engage the audience's senses without storytelling.

• Nritya - is the expressive aspect of the dance, communicating emotions and stories, often with spiritual themes. It combines dance with acting through gestures and body motions set to music, engaging the viewer's emotions and mind.

• Natyam - is a theatrical play, usually performed by a team but can also be presented solo. The dancer uses standardized body movements to portray different characters in the story. A Natya performance includes elements of Nritya, combining expressive dance with storytelling.

Kuchipudi rangapravesam is the solo debut on-stage performance of a former student of Indian classical dance and music comes after years of dedicated training in both art forms. Rangapravesam, a crucial milestone, is often required in many Indian classical dance forms for their followers to showcase their skills.

The word Rangapravesam can be literally translated as ‘ascending/entering the stage’. The dancer is presented to the audience by his/her guru/teacher when the dancer is ready, after several years of training. Accompaniments play a major role in the making of memorable dance performance, and include vocals, mridangam, flute, violin and the Nattuvangam.

The rangapravesam performance sequence consists of eight to ten items, each of them heavily leaning on either Nritta, Nritya or Natyam. The performance sequence in Kuchipudi need not be as structured as in Bharatanatyam.

• Purvaranga / Ranga Pooja - is a prelude to the dance recital. The performer seeks the blessings of the Gods for a successful performance. He/She greets the audience in a traditional manner by sprinkling water with sacred mango leaves, showering them with flowers, parading the Kuchipudi Pathakam (flag), and displaying Mangala Aarati (sacred fire).

• Nritta sequences - fast, rhythmic and abstract performance numbers may include Jatiswara, Shabdams, select sequences from dance-drama, Natyams

• Nritya sequences - items comprises abhinaya/expressive/emotional numbers. Nritya recital begins with a prayer in praise of God Shiva, God Ganapathi, Goddess Shakti, Amba Paraku/Devi paraku. The performances may include items such as, Padams, Javalis, Keerthanams, Ashtapadis, Kavutvams, Tarangams

• Natyam sequences - comprises of the dance-drama items and the performances may include items such as, Bhama Kalapam, Golla Kalapam, Usha Parinayam, Prahlada Charithram

Odishi/Odissi is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of state of Odisha/Orissa. It is one of the eight classical dance forms of India that have been recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Traditionally, Odissi is a dance-drama genre of performance arts, was performed by women expressing religious stories and spiritual ideas through Odissi music. The performance is expressed using symbolic costumes, body movement, abhinaya (expressions) and mudras (gestures and sign language).

The Odissi repertoire, like all major classical Indian dance forms, follows categories from the Natya Shastra, Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (expressive dance), Natya (dramatic storytelling), and Mokshya (finale), a distinctive part of the Odissi.

• Nritta - a fast and rhythmic abstract performance, focusing on the beauty of motion and form to engage the audience's senses without storytelling.

• Nritya - expressive aspect of the dance, communicating emotions and stories, often with spiritual themes. It combines dance with acting through gestures and body motions set to music, engaging the viewer's emotions and mind.

• Natyam - a theatrical play, usually performed by a team but can also be presented solo. The dancer uses standardized body movements to portray different characters in the story. A natyam performance includes elements of nritya, combining expressive dance with storytelling.

• Mokshya - finale in the performance sequence, the concluding item of a recital. Moksha in Hindu traditions means “spiritual liberation”, conveying a sense of spiritual release and soul liberation.

Odissi Rangmanch, is the solo debut on-stage performance of a former student of Odissi, comes after years of dedicated training in this art form. Rangmanch, a crucial milestone, is often required in many Indian classical dance forms for their followers to showcase their skills. The word Rangmanch can be literally translated as ‘ascending/entering the stage’. The dancer is presented to the audience by his/her guru/teacher when the dancer is ready, after several years of training.

The rangmanch performance sequence consists of a five to six-part order of presentation.

• Mangalacharana - performed to express the meaning of the shloka (hymn) in praise of a god or goddess such as to Jagannath.

• Pushpanjali - offering of flowers and salutation to mother earth. The invocation also includes Trikhandi Pranam or the three-fold salutation – to the devas (gods), to the gurus (teachers) and to the lokas or rasikas (fellow dancers and audience).

• Batu - also known as Battu Nrutya or Sthayee Nrutya. It is a fast pace, pure dance (nritta) performed in the honor of Shiva. There is no song or recitation accompanying this part of the dance, just rhythmic music.

• Abhinaya - expressional dance (nritya) which is an enactment of a song or poetry, using mudras (hand gestures), bhavas (enacting mood, emotions), eye and body movement. Most common are Abhinayas are Dashavatara Stotra, Ardhanari Stotra or based on the Radha-Krishna theme.

• Natya part - dance drama, comes next in sequence based usually on Hindu mythologies, epics and legendary dramas.

• Mokshya - finale in the performance sequence, the concluding item of a recital. Movement and pose merge in a fast pace pure dance climax.