India has always had a rich tradition of classical dance, or shastriya nritya (written and compiled under Natya Shastra, the foundational text for Indian classical dance forms). The origin of dance in India, in fact, can be traced back to 200 BC. Currently, however, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (the national-level academy for performing arts set up by the government) confers classical status to eight Indian classical dance styles: Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (north, west and central India), Kathakali (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odisha), Manipuri (Manipur), Mohiniyattam (Kerala) and Sattriya (Assam). Over the years, classical dance forms in India have undergone multilayered evolution, surviving the onslaught of time and cultural shifts, while also scaling new heights. Traces of this development can be found from historical evidences.