If one studies the historical literature and the Chalukyan sculptures that abound in places like Badami and Aihole, it is obvious that the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam has been practiced and performed since ages in this region.  Even as early as the 5th century itself, sculptors had carved dancing women based on the ancient Natyashastra treatise.  The Hoysala and Vijayanagar dynasties encouraged dance forms and artists which gave a boost to the art form. In fact the queen of the Hoysala Empire, Shantala was herself a great dancer. The dancing figurines found in Halebid and Belur Temples were built during the rule of the Vijayanagar kings. This period was the golden age for all art forms. Dance was nurtured by the devadasis or temple dancers after the rule of the Vijayanagar kings.

Bharatanatyam

Subsequent rulers, specifically the Wodeyars, continued to patronize the art and that tradition is still brilliantly vibrant. Bharatanatyam received state patronage with Kanteerava Wodeyar establishing a Bharatanatyam school in Srirangapatna. Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar himself a great scholar wrote two brilliant dance dramas Geeta Gopala and Saptapadki. Another scholar king, Krishnaraja Wodeyar was a contemporary of the Great Trinity of Carnatic Music and the Tanjavur Quartet – the four brothers, Chinayya, Ponnayya, Shivanandan, and Vadivelu who gave Bharatanatyam the style and structure as we know it today.   It was during Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s reign, a distinct style of Bharatanatyam known as the Mysore style evolved. Chamaraja Wodeyar who followed next invited Chinnayya to his court and composed tillanas and varnams specifically suited to dance and also taught many dancers and teachers.

The 19th and 20th centuries continued the tradition and the state produced illustrious dancers like Amritamma, Coimbatore Tayi, Nagaratnamma, the unparalleled Jatti Tayamma, and her disciple Venkatalakshamma, who passed away recently. There were the palace dancers known as asthana vidushis. Along with them the devadasis or temple dancers like Rangamma, and Jeejamma excelled in the art with their scholarship and depth of artistic mastery. Teachers like Muguru Subanna, Amritappa, Dasappa, Bangalore Kittappa and Kolar Puttappa passed on their unmatched learning to generations of students through the guru-sishya parampara. The Mysore school has some unique characteristics of its own. Jatti Thayamma’s repertoire used to include Shlokas, Asthapadis, Padas and Javalis from Geetha Govinda, Amarushataka, Nithi Shataka, Mukunda Mala and also many exquisite Kannada compositions. Her school excelled in abhinaya observing the purvaranga vidhi meticulously as laid down in Bharata Muni’s Natya shastra.

There are many schools and gurus who are propagating the Mysore school of dance in Karnataka and this style coexists peacefully with other styles and other dance forms in the State.  

There are many other traditional dance forms of Karnataka which include Dollu Kunitha, Suggi Kunitha, Kamsale, Gorava Kunitha and Thatte Kunitha. Ritual dances in Karnataka are known as kunitha.

Dollu Kunitha

This is a predominant folk dance of Karnataka performed by both men and women by members of the Kuruba community mostly belonging to Northern Karnataka. This dance commemorates any auspicious event and has distinctly religious overtones. It is performed to welcome the harvest season or during a wedding, birth of a child or sometimes even for death ceremonies. It is also performed in Beereshwara Temples. The songs and dance are centred on Beereshwara or Beeralingeshwara, the presiding deity of the dance. The themes are religious and are known as Halumatha Purana. In every temple of Beereshwara a dollu, the instrument like dhol or drum is hung from the ceiling on hooks. Worship of the deity is accompanied by a spontaneous beating on the dollu. The story of the killing of Dolasura after which his skin was used to make the drum or dollu which was given by Shiva to his devotees is a recurring theme of the origin of this form of dance. The dance itself calls for enormous strength and endurance and hence only those who are sturdy and can withstand the vigorous movements opt to be dancers. About a dozen dancers form part of the troupe.

Dancers from the districts of Shimoga and Chitradurga excel in this form. An important aspect to note which is common to almost all traditional folk art forms is that apart from serving as a medium of entertainment they also concentrate on the spiritual well-being of the participants.

In recent times, the dance has been used to promote government schemes and other social issues like adult education, literacy, health awareness and the like.

Suggi Kunitha

A harvest dance with no religious overtones, Suggi Kunitha is popularly performed during January and February in Karnataka. The burden of the dance is borne by the drummer for he provides the beats and gives the cues to the dancers with his changing rhythms and patterns. A group dance consisting of about a dozen memebers, the Suggi kunitha was initially started by the members of the Siddi community who are mostly seen in the districts of North Canara. Members of the Haalakki community also perform this dance dressed as Hanuman or a bear. There are three varieties of the dance, the Kire Kunitha performed for just one day, the Hire kunitha which is spread over five days and Bola Kunitha performed without costumes. Dancers travel from village to village dressed in elaborate costumes sometimes with a headgear decorated with flowers and birds.

Kamsale

Popular in Mysore, Nanjangud and Bangalore, this dance is named after the kamsale which produces a rhythmic clanging effect as dancers have a cymbal in one hand and bronze disc in the other. Praising Male Mahadeshwara, the all male dancers offer worship to Lord Shiva to the tune of rhythmic music.

Somana Kunitha

Grama devatas are the guardian spirits of the villages. Denizens of the village believe that the village deity should be propitiated regularly as she protects her children from harm. The mother goddess is worshipped through this dance in the villages of Hassan, Tumkur, Mandya and Chitradurga. It is performed after Ugadi, the Kannada New Year and before the onset of the monsoon. Dancers wear masks or somas with the colour of the mask indicating the trait of the deity for example, red represents benevolence while yellow or black stand for aggression. It is common to see the dancers go into a trance like state.

The dances from the Kodagu region include Bolak-aat, Ummatt-aat and Komb-aat. The kodavas are a distinct group with their unique customs and traditions.

Bolak-aat

Kodava men, dressed in their native costumes perform this dance after lighting an oil lamp in an open field. Sometimes they hold the chavari or yak fur in one hand and the kodava short sword, the odi kathi in the other while performing the dance. Hence it is also known as kathi aata. A drum known as dudi in the shape of an hour glass, provides the rhythm in the background.

Ummatt-aat

This is a dance performed by women, Dressed in traditional costumes, they dance in a circle swaying to a gentle rhythm with brass cymbals in their hands. This dance is dedicated to the river goddess Kaveri, hence a woman representing Kaveri taayi or mother Kaveri stands at the centre holding a pot filled with water.

Komb-aat

This is a religious dance performed mostly in temples. The Kodavas are a martial race and this dance brings out the valour of the people using martial movements. Music for this dance is provided by wind instruments and percussion.

A few dance forms are exclusive to the Dakshina Kannada region of Karnataka.

Bhootha Aradhane

Popular in the coastal regions, dancers perform during a procession of idols to the beat of drums. The idols are placed on a plinth at the end of the procession. Bhoota kola or bhoota aradhane is performed to show reverence to demi-gods or those that have attained the stature of the divine or near-divine beings with their acts of heroism, sacrifice, compassion or selfless service. Epic songs celebrate their lives and actions. It is a ritual dance with deep mythological significance. Special music, elaborate makeup and costumes, processions, oracles, spirit worship are all features of the dance. These dances preserve the social fabric of the villages and promote solidarity among people.

Yaksha Gana

Yaksha Gana is another traditional theatre form of dance drama based on mythological stories and Puranas. The most popular episodes are from the Mahabharata i.e. Draupadi swayamvar, Subhadra vivah, Abhimanyu vadh, Karna-Arjun yuddh and from Ramayana i.e. Raajyaabhishek, Lav-kush Yuddh, Baali-Sugreeva yuddha and Episodes at Panchavati. Performed in the coastal regions, it is a wonderful blend of songs, dance, eye-catching costumes, elaborate makeup and powerful dialogues. The performance begins in the late night and goes on till the wee hours of the morning. It is truly celestial music as the name indicates.

Naga Mandala

This dance is also part of the ritual repertoire of Karnataka. Dancers appease the serpent deity through this ritual dance common on South Karnataka. It involves dancing by priests known as vaidyas around the figure or mandala drawn on the floor and is usually an all-night programme. Snake worship is popular in Tulu Nadu and therefore this dance is more a form of religious worship. The mandala comprising intricate designs with figures of snakes in the centre is truly an awesome sight to behold.

Veeragase

Dancers portray dances based on the Shaiva puranas and kannada veerashaiva puranas and are performed by members of the Veerashaiva or lingayat communities. Daksha yajna is a favourite theme narrated through the dance which is performed by groups of two, four or six dancers.

Krishna Parijatha and Karaga are some of the other dances popular in Karnataka.