Dance and Sculpture – Class 7 Arts Chapter 10 Notes & NCERT PDF

Introduction

The Dance and Movement section of Kriti opens with a verse from the Vishnudharmottara Purana:

vinā tu nṛityaśhāstreṇa chitrasūtram sudurvidam

Without the knowledge of dance (nṛityaśhāstra), the principles of sculpture (śhilpaśhāstra) are very difficult to understand.

This chapter shows that dance, painting and sculpture are closely linked. When you look at a temple sculpture of a dancer, you are looking at a dance posture frozen in stone. You will study the shapes your body makes, the hand gestures (hastas) seen in sculptures, and the nine emotions (navarasa).

Key Ideas

1. The Vishnudharmottara Purana

2. Geometrical shapes in dance

Dance and mathematics are connected. Dancers' bodies form triangles, circles and lines, and arms make different angles, half circles and diagonals.

Upper torso postures (bends of the body) named in the book:

Lower torso postures (knee bends) shown in the book:

The book also shows how the distance between the feet differs in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Kathakali — for example, standing with equal weight on both feet, half-bent from the knees with heels near each other, feet apart making a square shape, and feet placed at maximum width.

Note to the teacher (from the book): connecting these actions to geometry lessons helps children understand lines and angles in an enjoyable way.

3. Dancing sculptures in temples

Temples across India have beautiful dance sculptures. The book names:

Photographs in the chapter include a Dancing Goddess and the Hoysaleshwara Temple at Halebidu (Karnataka), a Lady Dancer at Konark, a Dancing Shiva at the Kedareshwara Temple, Halebidu, and dancers from Hampi, Karnataka.

4. Hastas (hand gestures)

You learnt these in Grade 6:

Hastas in sculpture give the body an artistic beauty and convey emotions without words.

5. Navarasa — the nine emotions

Emotions (bhava) create an emotive atmosphere that everyone enjoys — this is rasa. A shloka from the Natyashastra names eight rasas:

śhṛingāra-hāsya-karuṇā-raudra-veera-bhayānaka bibhatsa-adbhuta…

Beauty, laughter, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, disgust and wonder are the eight rasas in natya.

The ninth rasa, shānta (peace), was added later by Abhinava Gupta in the 10th century CE.

The book links each rasa to a garden scene:

Activities in the Chapter

Key Terms

Artists & Traditions Mentioned

Connect to Your Life

Next time you visit a temple or museum, look at a sculpture and try to copy its posture. Can you name the shape your body makes? In maths class, look for angles in your own arm positions.

Common Mistakes

Let's Reflect