Odissi Dance is based in the Tantric-Yogic philosophy originated in East India. It suggests we all come from the same source, and head toward the same goal. Yet, source and the goal are no different, they are one and the same. What is this mysterious source / goal of our existence? That is the fundamental question many of the great spiritual traditions ponder. Divine presence, the all encompassing void, a black hole... I will leave it to you to embrace your truth, but here is how the view of Odissi Dance relates to this question: Since the source and the goal are the ONE and the same, therefore we shall begin and end on the ONE count in every rythmical cycle. We mark time with our feet, but we never go anywhere other than into the ONE.
To learn more about Indian dance rythmical cycles, theory and the basic stances and steps of Odissi Dance