Style: Posture and movement

• posture and stances
• leaps (bhaunri)
• dance steps ("charis")
• feet position (pada veda)
• hand gestures (hasta)
• mood

Posture or stances: two basic stances underly the dance moves, "chawk" or the square position, and "Tribhanga"or triple bend posture. In most moves, the hip is deflected, the head inclined and the legs flexed at the knees.

Both femiminity and masculinity are characterised in dance, but contemporary exponents focus on the feminine aspects. In the Jena style of Odissi dance, a dancer must be able to portray both genders.

Leaps in dance are performed both in clockwise and anticlockwise movements. Dance steps are made according to dance treatises and consist of the seven basic steps.

In addtion, there are approximately 48 single-hand and 26 double-hand gestures.