It is one of the most intricate forms of dance the world has seen. A dance that has sustained for centuries with great heritage that dates back to 1000 BC.
The name “Bharatanatyam” can be understood in two ways:
It is the dance (natyam) that beautifully blends three key elements – ‘BHA’ for bhava (expressiveness), ‘RA’ for raga (musical melody) and ‘TA’ for tala (rhythm).
The name “Bharata” is that of the great author of the treatise NatyaShastra (an encyclopedia on Dance, Drama and Music).
It builds confidence . It teaches to learn to work in a group. Every song that can be danced solo can also be danced by a group and vice versa. It helps in co-ordination of literally every singe part of your body. From eyebrows to toes , it all has to speak one language “Expression of ideas” . One can also dance for strength and fitness and most of all, to be creative.
Only by a trained “Bharathanatyam teacher” can one learn the dance form. It requires intense training, hours of practice, passion for the art and support from parents.
We are sure many of you are surprised by such a question. Isin’t Bharathanatyam itself a particular style? Well yes, there are different styles of Bharathanatyam and the best known styles for over a 150 years are :
- Melattur
- Pandanallur
- Vazhuvoor (or Vizhuvur)
- Thanjavoor (or Tanjore)
- Mysore
- Kanchipooram
Once the child learns the basic steps of bharathanatyam, we encourage them to expand their ability to be creative. Here the students will explore options of world music blending it with Bharathanatyam..
We keep in mind the kids of today, their knowledge of various music and dance forms they have already seen . We make every session interesting and unique and yet stick to the originality of the dance form taught. The students will be introduced to knowledge about various artists and their performances world wide . During the course audio visual aids will also be used to help them understand the art to the full extent. We will also help prepare the students for competitive performances after they have crossed the beginner level.
Minimum age would be 5 yrs with no upper limit.
Yes there is. Since bharathanatyam involves a lot of footwork, students are required to wear clothing that will let them dance with ease. A salwar / kurta suit is apt.
We are happy to admit the student even if he / she has learnt Bharathanatyam from a different Guru. However the basics will be revised from the first adavu even if they have prior dance experience only because we would want the student to get accustomed to the Pandanallur style of dance.
