CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 (Subject Codes 056 to 061) has been released by the Central Board of Secondary Education for the 2026-27 academic session. Dance is a practical, performing-arts subject worth 100 marks – 30 marks Theory (a 2-hour written paper) and 70 marks Practical. Schools may offer any one style from Kathak (056), Bharatnatyam (057), Kuchipudi (058), Odissi (059), Manipuri (060) or Kathakali (061). Download the official CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus PDF and see the full theory and practical breakdown below.
CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 PDF
The complete curriculum is as follows.
CBSE Senior Secondary Syllabus 2027 Dance View Download

























CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 – Marks Weightage (Theory vs Practical)
The CBSE Class 12 Dance exam carries 100 total marks – only 30 marks for the written Theory paper and a substantial 70 marks for the Practical performance, reflecting the performing-arts nature of the subject.
| Component | Description | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | Written paper – history, technical terminology, abhinaya, rasas, gharanas/schools, costumes | 30 |
| Practical | Performance of prescribed items, technique, improvisation and Parhant (recitation of bols) | 70 |
| Total | 100 |
CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 – Syllabus Areas & Techniques
The Theory (30 marks) content areas cover the history, technical terminology and aesthetics of the chosen dance style. The areas below are illustrative of Kathak (Code 056); equivalent theory and technique areas apply to Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri and Kathakali as offered.
CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 – Practical Work & Assessment
The Practical (70 marks) is the largest component of the course. For Kathak, examiners assess four aspects with the following distribution.
Prescribed practical items (Kathak, Class XII): practice of tatkar set to Teen Taal and Jhap Taal in slower tempo (thah), double (dugun) and four times (chougun); and command over the compositions Vandanaa, Thaat, Aamad, Fast Aamad, Tukda/Toda, Tihaayi, Gatnikas, Gatbhav and Parhant of tukra/toda with hasta-kriya. Candidates must also show ability to improvise in nritta and abhinaya and perform Parhant (recitation of bols) to the basic theka of all compositions learnt. Each examinee performs for about 15 minutes across the three layas – Vilambit, Madhya and Drut.
CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 – Exam Pattern
The CBSE Class 12 Dance assessment is split between a written theory paper and an examiner-evaluated practical. The scheme is as follows.
| Paper | What is Assessed | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theory | Written questions on history, technical terminology, abhinaya, rasas, gharanas and notation | 2 Hours | 30 |
| Practical – Angashuddhi | Grace and correctness of limb/torso movement | Examiner’s discretion | 20 |
| Practical – Laya | Steadiness of tempo and command over rhythm | Examiner’s discretion | 15 |
| Practical – Bhaav-Paksh | Expression through mime / abhinaya | Examiner’s discretion | 15 |
| Practical – Tatkaar | Neatness in executing complicated footwork | Examiner’s discretion | 10 |
| Practical – Repertoire & Parhant | Richness of repertoire and recitation of bols | Examiner’s discretion | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 – Continue Your Preparation
Once you have reviewed the syllabus, practice with the CBSE Class 12 Dance Sample Paper and previous years’ CBSE Class 12 Question Papers to prepare for your board exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
The CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 (Subject Codes 056 to 061) is the official curriculum released by CBSE for the 2026-27 academic session. It is a performing-arts subject of 100 marks – 30 marks Theory and 70 marks Practical – and schools may offer any one style: Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri or Kathakali.
The subject codes are 056 (Kathak), 057 (Bharatnatyam), 058 (Kuchipudi), 059 (Odissi), 060 (Manipuri) and 061 (Kathakali). A school offers one style and uses the corresponding code.
The CBSE Class 12 Dance course carries 30 marks for the written Theory paper (2 hours) and 70 marks for the Practical performance, totalling 100 marks.
For Kathak, the 70 practical marks are divided as Angashuddhi 20, Laya 15, Bhaav-Paksh 15, Tatkaar (footwork) 10, and repertoire plus Parhant 10. Each examinee performs for about 15 minutes across the Vilambit, Madhya and Drut layas.
CBSE offers six Indian classical dance styles at Class 12 – Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri and Kathakali. A student studies any one style, which must have been offered by the school.
CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2026-27 (All Subjects)
You study more subjects besides Dance in 12th class. The subject-wise syllabus for CBSE Class 12 students is as follows.
CBSE Syllabus 2026-27 (Class-wise)
The class-wise syllabus for CBSE board students is as follows.
CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027 – An Overview
The important things to know about this curriculum are as follows.
| Aspects | Details |
|---|---|
| Education Board | CBSE |
| Class | Class 12 |
| Subject | Dance |
| Study Material Here | CBSE Syllabus for Class 12 Dance |
| All Curriculum for This Class | CBSE Syllabus for Class 12 |
| All Curriculum for This Board | CBSE Syllabus |
| Full Name of CBSE | Central Board of Secondary Education |
| NCERT Books | NCERT Books for Class 12 |
| NCERT Solutions | NCERT Solutions for Class 12 |
If you have any queries on CBSE Class 12 Dance Syllabus 2027, then please ask in comments below.

