Indian dance isn't on the whole a martial dance (like Brazilian capoeira), although martial forms or sequences exist. Some gestures can be adapted from martial arts.
Indian dance is not specially a fitness program (like aerobics), although it makes the articulations more flexible and trains the muscles in a static way. Body and hands become amazingly supple.
It is not specially athletic (like ballet), even though it does produce sweat. It is more sophisticated technically than African and disco dances, and the kinetics are different. It is not altogether sexually provocative (like some African and Polynesian dances, and belly dance) although it can take extremely erotic forms. These erotic forms are not to be confused with the trivial vulgar erotic dancing of Hindi movies.
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