With the arrival of the East India Company in the 18th century, and British colonial rule in the 19th, classical Indian dance forms were ridiculed and discouraged, and these performance arts declined. Christian missionaries and British officials presented "nautch girls" of north India (Kathak) and "devadasis" of south India (Bharatanatyam) as evidence of "harlots, debased erotic culture, slavery to idols and priests" tradition, and Christian missionaries demanded that this must be stopped, launching the "anti-dance movement" in 1892. The anti-dance camp accused the dance form as a front for prostitution, while revivalists questioned the constructed colonial histories.
With the arrival of the East India Company in the 18th century and British colonial rule in the 19th classical Indian dance forms were ridiculed and discouraged and these performance arts declined Christian missionaries and British officials presented "nautch girls" of north India (Kathak) and "devadasis" of south India (Bharatanatyam) as evidence of "harlots debased erotic culture slavery to idols and priests" tradition and Christian missionaries demanded that this must be stopped launching the "anti-dance movement" in 1892 The anti-dance camp accused the dance form as a front for prostitution while revivalists questioned the constructed colonial histories