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1. The arts of dance and music are of great importance to the culture of India. Both arts are extremely old and have close links not only with each other but also with religion, literature, and drama. For hundreds of years the artistic forms of classical dance and music were learned by a few intensively trained artists from teachers of the previous generation. Performances were restricted mainly to royal courts, temples, and the houses of wealthy people. But in the 1900’s, dance and music began to feature in films, radio and television, and sound and videotape recordings. As a result, millions of ordinary people now have the chance to enjoy and learn more about classical dance and music.
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2. Popular styles of dance and music have developed alongside the classical forms. In addition, each region of India has a long tradition of folk dance and music. Some classical styles originally developed from folk dances and folk music.
