Dance, like all other art forms, is universally regarded as a channel for both cultural and self-expression. As a form of cultural expression, dance is often used to dramatize cultural myths, legends, and other narratives. In contrast, dance as a method of self-expression is used to spontaneously communicate human emotions such as joy, sorrow, anger, love, eroticism, and sexual desire. Dance, for the followers of Hinduism, is no different in so much that it is widely practiced as an outlet for self-expression, and for the purpose of preserving Hindu religion and culture. However, the meaning of dance holds a much deeper significance for Hindus beyond just cultural and self-expression. For, it plays a key role in religious ritual and worship, a practice that stems from Hinduism"s conceptualization of the dance form as symbolic of the cosmic dance of the universe. Indeed, it is the religion"s concept of dance that explains its promotion of the art form as one way of experiencing the ecstasy and bliss of being united with the Divine or Absolute Reality. .

             Hinduism"s conceptualization of the art of dance is, in fact, embodied in the dancing images of several Hindu Gods such as Siva, Krisna, and Durga (also known as Sakti or Kali)1. An understanding of these images, however, is best gained through correlating these images to Hindu theology, which sees God as an omnipresent cosmic power behind all creation, salvation and destruction. This central doctrine holds true whether it is expressed as Brahman (the Absolute Reality); the "Trimurti" of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Siva (the destroyer); or in the more monotheistic Saivite and Vaishnavite traditions. However, perhaps Hindu theology is best understood as it is expressed by the dancing image of Siva, or Nataraja, the Lord of Dance. .

             According to Ananda Coomaraswamy, regarded as one of the foremost modern ambassadors of Indian thought, the "Dancing Sivan" or Nataraja symbolizes the fact that.