Top 10 Indian Classical Dancers of All Time Till 2023

India, a country well known for its Art, Culture and Classical Dancing, this land has seen a great variety of legends.

Name a classical form and you will witness the myriad of talent it has produced and how we are so proud of it.

Here are Top 10 Indian Classical Dancers of All Time Till 2023:

1. Rukmini Devi Arundale – Bharatnatyam

Rukmini Devi Arundale was born on 29th February 1904. She was a theosophist, dancer and choreographer of Bharatnatyam. She definitely changed the face of Bharatnatyam by reviving it and bringing back its due recognition that it deserves. Not only did she work on re-embellishment of Bharatanatyam but also worked on the re-embellishment of the traditional fine Indian arts and crafts.

2. Pandit Birju Maharaj- Kathak

Brijmohan Mishra mostly known as ‘Pandit Birju Maharaj’ was born on 4th February 1938 in the family of Kathak dancers which consists both his uncles ‘Shambhu Maharaj’ and ‘Lachhu Maharaj’, and his father and guru ‘Acchan Maharaj’. He brought a lot of acknowledgment to the classical dance form of Kathak not only nationally but also globally.

3. Uday Shankar – Fusion

Born in a Bengali family in Jaipur, was the popular dancer and choreographer ‘Uday Shankar’ who was best known for making fusion art by adapting European theatrical techniques to Indian Classical Dance mixed with Indian folk and tribal dance which he popularised in India, Europe as well as in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s.

4. Kelucharan Mohapatra – Odissi

Born on the 8th of January 1926 in Puri, Odisha, ‘Kelucharan Mohapatra’ is a very famous and legendary Indian Classical Dancer, Guru and the  actual man behind reviving the classical dance form of Odissi in the 20th century.

5. Guru Bipin Singh – Manipuri

Guru Bipin Singh’ was born on 23rd of August 1918 and was a director, choreographer and also a teacher of Manipuri dance. He surprised many audiences with his expressions, poise and grace.

6. Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam- Kuchipudi

If we ever think of how ‘Kuchipudi’ dance form found the limelight all over the world globally then the credit behind this success has to be given to the legend the Guru of Kuchipudi dance form ‘Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam’.

7. Padma Subrahmanyam – Bharatnatyam

Padma Subrahmanyam was born on 4th February 1943 in Madras. She is not only a popular Bharatnatyam dancer but has gained expertise in various fields including a research scholar, choreographer, musician (masters in Carnatic Music), teacher, ideologist and author.

8. Shovana Narayan – Kathak

The Kathak Maestro, Shovana Narayan born on 2nd September, 1950 in West Bengal, needs absolutely no introduction. Scholar of ‘Pandit Birju Maharaj, she is a recognised Kathak dancer but also served as an officer with Indian Audit and Accounts Services.

9. Sonal Mansingh-Bharatnatyam & Odissi

Born on 30th April, 1944 in Bombay, Sonal Mansingh is an Indian classical dancer as well as Guru of both Bharatanatyam and Odissi dancing style.

10. Srimanta Sankardev – Sattriya

Srimanta Sankardev was a very well known Assamese Polymath, saint-scholar, poet, playwright as well as a social-religious reformer and an integral figure in the cultural and religious aspect in the history of Assam back in the 15-16 century. It was because of him that Sattriya Nitrya gained recognition.