Odissi dance form was enriched by the encouragement of various kings and a sweeping Vaishnava cult. Odissi includes both Tandava and Lasya elements. It has Navatala system. But the element that distiguinshes Odissi form other dance forms is the grace.
IN ODISSI THE TORSO MOVEMENT IS CONSIDER IMPORTANT. THE ODISSI MOVEMENT IS SOFT, LYRICAL AND GRACEFUL. THE BASIC BODY POSITION IS CHOWKA WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE REPLICA OF LORD JAGNNATH BODY POSITION. THE DANCE EVOLVED FROM DEVDAIS OR MAHARI NRITYA AND GOITIPA. IT HAS IT MENTION IN BHARAT NATYA SHASTRA AS ODRAMAGADHI ARE OF THE ANCIENT NAME OF ORISSA OTHER THAN KALINGA, TOSALI, UTKAL. THE FIVE DEPARTMENT OF ODISSI ARE MANGALACHARAN, STHAI OR BATU. PALLAVI, ABHINAYA AND MOKSHA. ODISSI HAS ITS OWN STYLE AND MUSIC.
LATE DEBPRASAD, GURU PANKAJCHARAN, GURU KELUCHARNA, LATE SANJUKTA PANIGRAHI, KUMKUM MOHANTY, INDRANI REHEMA ETC. ARE THE PERSONS WHO GAVE ODISSI ITS LIFE AND CHARM. OTHER NAMIS ATTACH TO ODISSI DANCE ARE GURU NABAKISHORE, GURU G ...more

Very very slow dance and i dont like it sorry