One dance form that symbolises the nature and culture of Kerala visually and per formatively in several ways is the graceful Mohiniyattam. Identified as one of the Classical dance forms of India, Mohiniyattam shares a unique identity with its subtle but balanced, slow pace, and gentle graceful movement patterns. The literal meaning of the word Mohiniyattam is the ‘dance of enchantress’. According to the dramaturgy text of India- Natyashastra, graceful dance movements with an embodied feminine nature are named as Lasya. Mohiniyattam has been identified as an iconic Lasya dance.

Origin and Development
There are various versions of history regarding the origin and development of the art form. Some mention the dance form's origin can be traced to the incarnation of Hindu God Vishnu as a beautiful female Mohini, who danced to persuade the demons (Asuras). However, these versions merely provide a mythical background to the art form by considering the word meaning, and there is no clear evidence to connect the art form to its mythical origin. Some versions find Mohiniyattam's roots in the ancient temple dance culture prevalent in different parts of India. The dancing girls in the Kerala region, known as Thevadichi (servants of the God) and Thali Naga (Women of the Temple), are considered the ancestors of the dance form. This version connects the dance history with the prevalent temple dance culture of South India, mainly in the Tamil Nadu region, called the Devadasi system. In the Devadasi system, young girls were ritually married to the deity and spent their entire lives serving the Lord, performing dance and music, and handling various ritual practices in temples. Researchers suggest that in the Kerala region, some temples had this system of dancing girls, which is where they find the roots of Mohiniyattam. Dancing sculptures in temples and mural paintings of dancing ladies mark the presence of a female dance tradition associated with temples. 

Another version of history states that the present-day Kerala region did not have a temple dance culture like that of the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Instead, the female dancing tradition was prevalent as an entertainment form rather than a ritualistic one, and dance performances were arranged for patrons and the privileged wealthy class to enjoy. Scholars highlighting the prevalent culture of Goddess worship in Kerala find that the system of marrying the deity and living in temple was not a part of Kerala's culture. Instead, dancers travelled from place to place to give performances, and it was not a family lineage.

Mohiniyattam grew into a codified structured form under the patronage of Maharaja Swati Thirunal- the King of Travancore (South of Kerala with the Capital at Trivandrum) in the 19th century with the help of Tamil Nattuvanars (dance teacher and composers) and dancers. The roots of present-day Mohiniyattam can be traced back to the dance tradition nurtured by King Swathi Thirunal. After his period, the dance form was popular only in central Kerala, as one of the king's court musicians and composers, Palakkad Parameshwara Bhagavathar, returned to his homeland near Palakkad in central Kerala and began training young girls. During the institutionalized training for art forms as part of Nationalist movements, Mohiniyattam received its revival at the institution Kerala Kalamandalam under the patronage of poet Vallathole Narayana Menon. Later, from the mid-twentieth century, Mohiniyattam has been accepted as one of the major art forms of Kerala.

Performance style
The movement patterns are controlled and balanced and unique with typical swaying movements of the upper torso. Kalamandalam Kalyanikkuttyamma, who is known as the mother of Mohiniyattam, defined the movement as the light movement of a paddy plant in a subtle breeze, or with the swaying movement of the coconut leaf in the breeze. Circular movements are typical in Mohiniyattam, and the hand gestures and usages are similar to other art forms like Kathakali and Kutiyattam, but in a subtle and less detailed way. Mohiniyattam is generally identified with its feminine identity; however, male dancers are also performing Mohiniyattam widely. Mohiniyattam style majorly follows two styles of musical base- one is the Carnatic music style and the second is the Sopanam style, which is based on the indigenous rhythm pattern of Kerala. Shingara (Love), Bhakti (devotion), and Karuna (sadness) are the commonly used themes in Mohiniyattam repertoire; however, performers have delved into the scope of bringing various themes and performative techniques to define the versatility of the art form.

The dance and expressive acts are equally important in a Mohiniyattam presentation. The movements and footworks are similar to the female dance in Kathakali and Krishnanattam and many of the steps are similar to the patterns in Thiruvathirakkali/Kaikottikali. A Mohiniyattam dancer usually wears an off-white-coloured costume with golden or coloured borders, wears golden jewellery, and jasmine flowers to decorate the hair, all of which symbolise the popular identity of a Malayali woman. Subtle facial expressions are important aspects of Mohiniyattam. Different schools of Mohiniyattam follow different patterns of repertoire, but the commonly popular repertoire consists of pieces named Cholkkettu (meaning a series of syllables), Jatiswaram, Varnam, Padam, and Thillana. Saptham and Shlokam are another pieces in a repertoire. According to the Sopanam style the repertoire is set as Ganapathi, Mukhachalam, Thathwam, Niram, Padam and Jeeva.  

Mohiniyattam is usually a solo dance form, however experiments as dance drama and group works are also common in Mohiniyattam. The accompaniments of Mohiniyattam are Nattuvangam or Thalam (The Cymbals), Mridangam or Maddalam, Violin/Veena or Flute, and Edakka along with the singer. Kerala Kalamandalam is the major institution that rejuvenated Mohiniyattam, popularised, and pioneered in providing an exclusive training in Mohiniyattam. Today the dance form is a globally acclaimed classical dance form of India.