Dance Forms MCQs for UPSC Prelims

51 practice questions on Dance Forms from the Art & Culture section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 51 come with a written explanation and 6 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

27 Easy 17 Medium 7 Hard 6 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question hard

How do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dances? 1. Dancers occasionally speaking dialogues is found in Kuchipudi dance but not in Bharatanatyam. 2. Dancing on the brass plate by keeping the feet on its edges is a feature of Bharatanatyam but Kuchipudi dance does not have such a form of movements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - 1 only

Kuchipudi, which grew out of a dance-drama tradition, allows performers to occasionally speak or recite dialogues, a feature absent from the purely abstract and expressional Bharatanatyam, so statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong because it reverses the facts: dancing on the rim of a brass plate (tarangam), balancing the feet on its edges, is a distinctive feature of Kuchipudi, not Bharatanatyam. Since only statement 1 correctly distinguishes the two forms, the answer is 1 only.

Q2
Previous year question medium

In the context of cultural history of India, a pose in dance and dramatics called 'Tribhanga' has been a favourite of Indian artists from ancient times till today. Which one of the following statements best describes this pose?

  1. A One leg is bent and the body is slightly but oppositely curved at waist and neck
  2. B Facial expressions, hand gestures and make-up are combined to symbolize certain epic or historic characters
  3. C Movements of body, face and hands are used to express oneself or to tell a story
  4. D A little smile, slightly curved waist and certain hand gestures are emphasized to express the feelings of love or eroticism
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - One leg is bent and the body is slightly but oppositely curved at waist and neck

Tribhanga literally means 'three bends' and is a standing posture in which the body is bent at three places: the neck, the waist and the knee/leg, giving an S-shaped, gracefully curved stance, classically seen in images of Lord Krishna. Option 1 captures this triple-bend, oppositely curving pose. The other options describe broader ideas of make-up and symbolism, abhinaya/expression through gesture, and the depiction of love or eroticism, none of which specifically define the Tribhanga stance. Hence option 1 is the best description.

Q3
Previous year question medium

With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements : 1. It is a song and dance performance. 2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance. 3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1, 2 and 3
  2. B 1 and 3 only
  3. C 2 and 3 only
  4. D 1 only
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 1 and 3 only

Manipuri Sankirtana is a ritual song-and-dance form that narrates the life and deeds of Lord Krishna, so statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong because, besides cymbals, the pung (a barrel drum) is integral to the performance, so cymbals are not the only instruments. Sankirtana was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. Hence 1 and 3 only.

Q4
Previous year question medium

With reference to the famous Sattriya dance, consoder the following statements: 1. Sattriya is a combination of music, dance and drama. 2. It is a centuries-old living tradition of Vaishnavites of Assam. 3. It is based on classical Ragas and Talas of devotional songs composed by Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 1 and 2 only
  3. C 2 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 1 and 2 only

Sattriya is a classical form that blends music, dance and drama, and it is a centuries-old living tradition of the Vaishnava monasteries (sattras) of Assam, so statements 1 and 2 are correct. It is based on the devotional compositions of Srimanta Sankardeva and the Bhakti tradition of Assam, not on songs of Tulsidas, Kabir and Mirabai, so statement 3 is wrong. The answer is 1 and 2 only.

Q5
Previous year question hard

Consider the following pairs: Tradition State 1. Chapchar Kut festival Mizoram 2. Khongjom Parba ballad Manipur 3. Thang-Ta dance Sikkim Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 1 and 2
  3. C 3 only
  4. D 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 1 and 2

Pairs 1 and 2 are correct, so 'B' is the answer. Chapchar Kut is a spring festival of Mizoram, and Khongjom Parba is a ballad tradition of Manipur. Pair 3 is wrong because Thang-Ta is a martial art and dance form of Manipur, not Sikkim. Since only pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched, 'B' (1 and 2) is correct.

Q6
Previous year question easy

Consider the following pairs: 1. Garba: Gujarat 2. Mohiniattam: Odisha 3. Yakshagana: Karnataka Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only

Garba is a folk dance of Gujarat and Yakshagana is a traditional dance-drama of coastal Karnataka, so pairs 1 and 3 are correct. Mohiniyattam is a classical dance of Kerala, not Odisha (Odisha's classical form is Odissi), so pair 2 is wrong. The answer is 1 and 3 only.

Q7
medium

With reference to the Sattriya dance tradition, consider the following statements: 1. It evolved as part of the Neo-Vaishnavite monastic institutions founded by Sankardeva. 2. The performances traditionally took place in the namghar of the sattras. 3. It was the most recent dance form to be granted recognition as a classical dance by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three are correct. Sattriya emerged within the sattras (monasteries) of the Neo-Vaishnavite (Ekasarana) movement led by Sankardeva in Assam, so statement 1 is right. The dance was traditionally performed by monks (bhokots) inside the namghar, the prayer hall of the sattra, so statement 2 is right. Sattriya was the last of the recognised classical dances to receive that status from the Sangeet Natak Akademi (in the early 2000s), making statement 3 right. Hence all three hold and the others are wrong.

Q8
easy

Sattriya, recognised as one of the classical dance forms of India, originated in the monastic institutions established by which Vaishnavite saint?

  1. A Sankaradeva
  2. B Ramanuja
  3. C Vallabhacharya
  4. D Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Sankaradeva

Sattriya dance developed in the Vaishnava monasteries (sattras) of Assam founded under the neo-Vaishnavite Bhakti movement led by Sankaradeva (Srimanta Sankardev) in the 15th-16th centuries. It was originally performed by monks (bhokots) as part of devotional drama. Ramanuja and Vallabhacharya were Vaishnava philosophers of the south and west respectively, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu led the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement in Bengal, but the sattra institution and Sattriya dance are specifically linked to Sankaradeva.

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