Repertoire of Manipuri is difficult to be explicated. Many folk styles, community dances and ritualistic dances are practiced in Manipur even today. One cannot limit the repertoire in Manipuri only to the rasa dances. Some ritual dances have been absorbed into the repertoire. The Lai Haroba and the Khamba Thoibi are some of the dance forms which have been absorbed.

The historical and mythical theme used in these ritual dances makes them classical as any later Vaishnavite dances. An element of abhinaya besides pure Nritta is also used. There are various types of cholams and varieties of kartalis. Lasya and Tandava are the cholams. Lasya is the cholam of the small cymbals like the kanjirajrtulam and those of the Tandava type are the kartala cholams with large cymbals. The khol dance performed by men is believed to be the greatest achievement. The dance can be done by a single person or by a hundred men. The range of sound that is produced through the pung is awesome. Among drumming instruments there is no other Mridanga which can produce the same range of sound as the pung. Other cholam dances include duff cholam and the kanjira cholam. Amongst the kartali dances are the clapping items performed only by women known as the nupi khumbak ishai and the nupa khumbak ishai. Number of interesting group formations can be seen. The dance is built on clapping of hands at cross rhythms to the basic rhythm played by the pung. All the cholam and the kartali dances are pure dances. Another variety of Tandava dancing is common in the region namely, the thang haiba and the takhew saiba. These are vaguely reminiscent of the kalis of Kerala and are only martial dances.

All these dances are on the edge of classical and folk dances. They are performed in groups and at large known to the community. The success of the composition depends on group participation. It has a recurrent music and characteristic refrains which accompany it.