<P> The Vedic sacrifice (yajna) is presented as a kind of fight, with its actors, its dialogues, its portion to be set to music, its interludes, and its climaxes . </P> <P> The evidence of earliest dance related texts are in Natasutras, which are mentioned in the text of Panini, the sage who wrote the classic on Sanskrit grammar, and who is dated to about 500 BCE . This performance arts related Sutra text is mentioned in other late Vedic texts, as are two scholars names Shilalin (IAST: Śilālin) and Krishashva (Kṛśaśva), credited to be pioneers in the studies of ancient drama, singing, dance and Sanskrit compositions for these arts . Richmond et al. estimate the Natasutras to have been composed around 600 BCE, whose complete manuscript has not survived into the modern age . </P> <P> The classic text of dance and performance arts that has survived is the Hindu text Natya Shastra, attributed to sage Bharata . He credits the art his text systematically presents to times before him, ultimately to Brahma who created Natya - veda by taking the word from the Rigveda, melody from the Samaveda, mime from the Yajurveda, and emotion from the Atharvaveda . The first complete compilation of Natya Shastra is dated to between 200 BCE and 200 CE, but estimates vary between 500 BCE and 500 CE . The most studied version of the Natya Shastra text consists of about 6000 verses structured into 36 chapters . The classical dances are rooted in Natya Shastra . </P> <P> India has a number of classical Indian dance forms, each of which can be traced to different parts of the country . Classical and folk dance forms also emerged from Indian traditions, epics and mythology . </P>

How many dance forms are there in india