Classical Dance and Yakṣagāna – Comparative Aesthetics (Part 2)
A theatrical performance that is rich in prose-like spoken language, employs gesture language that isn’t stylized and has āṅgika that largely divorced from pure nṛtta can be called nāṭya; such a theatrical performance is closer to loka-dharmī. In another case where vācika takes the form of lyrics (which are largely in metrical patterns) set to a rāga and to a rhythmic pattern, and when āṅgika becomes stylized like in nṛtta, the performance assumes the form of a nṛtya.
