Indian Dance — Textbook & Study Material

Download the official textbook for Indian Dance and see the full chapter list so you know exactly what to cover.

Official textbook download

Indian Dance — official textbook — Free download from the official source.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Identification of Indian Classical Dance Styles
Chapter 2: Mythological Evolution of Dance and Natya Shastra
Chapter 3: Myths and Storylines in Classical Dance
Chapter 4: Sociological Development, History, Roots, Growth and Revival
Chapter 5: Guru-Shishya Parampara and Chosen Dance Lineage
Chapter 6: Prominent Exponents of Classical Dance Styles
Chapter 7: Dance Repertoire and Musical Accompaniment of the Chosen Style
Chapter 8: Relevance and Modern Developments in Dance
Chapter 9: Basic Body Stances, Positions, Neck and Eye Movements
Chapter 10: Nritya Steps in Slow, Medium and Fast Speeds
Chapter 11: Tal, Rhythm and Dance Passages
Chapter 12: Recitation of Bols and Spoken Syllables in Dance
Chapter 13: Short Nritya Item Presentation
Chapter 14: Asamyuta and Samyuta Hastas
Chapter 15: Deva Hastas and Their Attributes
Chapter 16: Dasavatar Hastas
Chapter 17: Nava Rasas in Dance
Chapter 18: Short Abhinaya Item Presentation
Chapter 19: Practice and Performance Assessment
Chapter 20: Dance Marking Criteria and Grading

Frequently asked questions

Is the Indian Dance textbook available for free?

Yes — the book linked above is a free download. We link to the source rather than re-hosting it, so you always get the current edition. Check the edition against the syllabus for your exam year.

Is the Indian Dance textbook enough to score well, or do I need extra notes?

The official textbook is the core — most exam questions are set directly from it, so read it thoroughly first. Add concise notes and solved past papers for revision and exam practice rather than switching to unofficial books.

How should I study the Indian Dance textbook chapter by chapter?

Cover the high-weightage chapters first (use the exam pattern as a guide), make a one-page summary per chapter, and immediately solve a few past-paper questions on it. Active recall beats passive re-reading.

How can I prepare for Indian Dance faster?

Begin with the most-frequently-asked topics and the last few years of question papers, then test yourself under timed conditions. If you want guided help, you can use the free AI study tutor for Indian Dance — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused Indian Dance study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.