Performing Arts is a specialized category within arts wherein an artist utilizes his physical abilities such as body movements and facial expressions to perform in front of an audience. Performing arts can be classified into 3 divisions - Music, Dance and Drama.

Music comprises of singing as well as composing musical notes. It also includes playing various musical instruments Music as an academic subject deals with theories of music, musicology and musical compositions.

Drama is an ancient mode of narrating a story using speech, expressions and coordinated body movements with music on background. Drama is generally played in stage shows or theatres. Drama can be of various types such as musicals, opera, classical dance, standup comedy and ballet.

Dance is a movement of body in sync with background music score. There are various types of dances in India. Classical dances such as Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi involving mudras or hand gestures are often used to narrate a story.

Eligibility and Training requirements:

The Universities and colleges offer numerous courses in performing arts at the undergraduate and postgraduate degree level including diploma and certificate courses.

The criteria for the following courses are as follows:-

• For certificate course in performing arts, candidates should be Xth pass or equivalent from recognized board.
• For undergraduate and diploma courses in performing arts, candidates should be 10+2 pass or equivalent from recognized board.
• For postgraduate courses in performing arts, candidates should have a bachelor degree in relevant subjects.

Educational Institutions for Performing Arts in India:

• Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
• Indira Kala Sangit Viswavidyalay
• Awadesh Pratap Singh University , Madhya Pradesh
• Sangeet Research Academy, Calcutta
• Lalit Narayan Mithila University,Bihar
• University of Mysore, Karnataka
• Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University,Maharashtra
• Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan
• Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University
• Chaudhary Charan Singh University,Uttar Pradesh
• Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam ,Andhra Pradesh.

Employment Opportunities:

Graduates in performing arts are mostly employed by theatre groups and entertainment industry as musicians, singers, dancers, stage artists, vocalists, actors and music composers.  Some graduates are also recruited in cultural centers.

With an explosion in the digital revolution, number of T.V soaps, advertisements and musical shows on various television channels has increased leading to more demand for artists, dancers, musicians, singers and actors. A career in performing arts is expected to bring name, fame and wealth to the deserving artists.