Bharat Natyam

1. C. Shankar Narayan
Welcome to the world of
Bharatnatyam !!!

2. C. Shankar Narayan
The heritage of Indian Classical Dance embraces several styles,
the most popular being Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Kathakali and
Bharatanatyam. They can all trace their origins to the “Natya
Shastra “ a treatise on dance, written by Sage Bharata over 2000
years ago.
Bharatanatyam is perhaps the oldest among classical dance.
Bharata was a legendary sage whom Brahma, the god of
creation, himself is supposed to have instructed in the art of
dance for the purpose of propagating the art to all mankind.
The three syllables, Bha-Ra-Ta, illustrates the three quintessential
components of the dance, namely, Bhava (expressions), Raga
(melody) and Tala (rhythm). Bharatanatyam was nurtured in the
temples of South India , and even today has very close ties to
religion.
Bharatanatyam is an exquisite blend of abstract dance (Nritta),
dance with expressions(Nritya) and graceful expression (Natya).
Proficiency in the art is attained only after several years of
intensive training, at which point a student is ready to “ascend to
the stage” and present a concert- length solo recital (Arangetram)
to the public.
Indian Classical Dance

3. C. Shankar Narayan
The term "Bharathanatyam" was introduced by Rukminidevi
Arundale, and is derived from:
BHAva(expression) + RAga (music) + TAla(rhythm) +
NATYAM(dramatic art)
This widely appreciated dance form of Tamil Nadu (a state in
Southern India) is Bharatanatyam. Previously known as Sadir,
Dasiattam & Thanjavur Natyam,
The contemporary form of Bharatnatyam evolved during the late
18th or early 19th century.The devadasis (girls who are
dedicated to gods) dominated the Sadir. The famous Natarajan –
Shivan dancing !
Bharatanatyam dancers are predominantly women & always
dance bent-kneed. It is a dance style where there is heavy
emphasis on hand movements to convey various emotions. The
body is visualized as if made up of triangles, one above and one
below the torso. It is based upon a balanced distribution of body
weight and firm positions of the lower limbs, allowing the hands
to cut into a line, to flow around the body, or to take positions that
enhance the basic form. A special feature of this dance form are
Padams or poems on the hero-heroine theme. The performer
has to be aware of the numerous subtle features of the dance
style.
Bharatanatyam Dance

4. C. Shankar Narayan
Bharathanatyam comprises three aspects :
Nritta, Nritya and Natya.
Nritta are rhythmical and repetitive elements, i.e. it is dance
proper
Nritya is a combination of Nritta and Natya
Natya is the dramatic art, and is a language of gestures, poses
and mime. cf. Abhinaya
Nritta can be broadly divided into Chari, Karana, Angahara and
Mandala. One-leg movement are called Chari, two-leg
movements are Karana. 3 Karanas make a Khanda. 3 to 4
Khandas make a Mandala. 4 to 9 Karanas make a Angahara. 4 to
5 Angaharas also make a Mandala. 108 Karanas and 32
Angaharas are defined in Natyashatra. The 13 Nritta Hastas (see
below) are used to perform nritta. The rythmic body movements
along with hand gestures are called Aduvus. A number of aduvus
constitute a Jati. Jati will generally end with a Muktaya or
Teermana.
There are diferent types of Aduvus: Tattaduvu, Mettaduvu,
Nataduvu, Kattaduvu, Kudittamettaduvu, Maiaduvu, Mandiaduvu,
Jati, Nadai, Ardi. There are 12 aduvus in each type, making it 120
aduvus in total.
Bharatanatyam Dance

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Ardhapataka

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Kartarimukha

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Mayura

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Arala

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Shukatundaka

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Kapittha

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Suchi

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Padmakosha

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Kangula

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Chatura

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Bhramara

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Mukula

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Trishula

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Kataka

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Palli

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Positioning your feet

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1) While doing this adavu, you need to be in the
Ardhamandal(half sitting) posture. Taata = Taps

STEP I

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2) Place your Palms on the waist with the inside of the palm
facing outside.



3) Please try to keep a practice of starting every Adavu with your
right side(leg in this adavu). So first lift your right leg towards the
inner thigh and then tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai ya”).
4) Once the right leg is grounded, repeat the same with the left
leg (say ”tai hi”).
5) Continue the steps (”tai-ya”, “tai-hi”) till you have a good feel of
the step. We would practice each step 30 times in around 3
minutes. Remember that the one tap each of left and right legs is
counted as one step.

43. C. Shankar Narayan
Stay in the Ardhamandal (Half seated posture). Place your
Palms on the waist with the inside of the palm facing outside.
Lift your right leg towards the inner thigh and tap the floor with flat
feet (say “tai ya”). Once the right leg is grounded, again lift the
same (right) leg and then tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai hi”).

After the second tap of the right leg, lift your left leg in a similar
fashion and then tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai ya”). Once the
Left leg is grounded, again lift the same (left) leg and tap the floor
with flat feet (say “tai hi”)
We can now practice the first and second step together for 25
times each. Please note that (”tai-ya”, “tai-hi”) is one count and so
for the second step, one count is completed on one side itself i.e.
double tap with right leg is one count.
STEP II

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Note that from the third step onwards the Bols are “Tai ya tai hi
tai tai tam”. The third step is similar to the first two and as you
may have guessed it, you would tap each feet thrice on each side.
The detailed steps are below (please note the changes in Bols
below):
Stay in the Ardhamandal (Half seated posture). Place your
Palms on the waist with the inside of the palm facing outside.
Lift your right leg towards the inner thigh and tap the floor with flat
feet (say “tai ya”). Once the right leg is grounded, lift the same
(right) leg and then tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai hi”). Again
lift the same leg (right) leg and then tap the floor with flat feet (say
“tai tai tam”)
After the third tap of the right leg, lift your left leg in a similar
fashion and then tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai ya”). Once the
Left leg is grounded, again lift the same (left) leg and tap the floor
with flat feet (say “tai hi”). Again lift the same (left) leg and tap the
floor with flat feet (say “tai tai tam”).
STEP III

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Stay in the Ardhamandal (Half seated posture). Place your
Palms on the waist with the inside of the palm facing outside.

Lift your right leg towards the inner thigh and tap the floor with flat
feet (say “tai ya”). Once the right leg is grounded, lift the same
(right) leg and tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai hi”). Again lift the
same leg (right) leg a third time and tap the floor with flat feet (say
“tai tai”)
After the third tap of the right leg, lift your left leg in a similar
fashion and tap the floor with flat feet (say “tam”). With this, we
finish one count for this step.
For the next count, we begin with the left leg. So, Lift the Left leg
towards the inner thigh and tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai
ya”), tap again (say “tai hi”) and tap again (say “tai tai”)
Once the left leg is grounded lift the right leg and tap with flat
feet(say”tam”). This completes the second count for this step.
STEP IV

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Today I describe the penultimate step in this first Adavu. In this
step, we tap the leg five times on each side. Please repeat
and note the Bols (sollukattu) for each of the taps.
3.Stay in the Ardhamandal position. Place your
palms on the waist with the inside of the palm facing out.
Avoid the common pitfalls as you practice the steps in this
posture.
2. Lift your right leg towards the inner thigh and tap it on the
ground (say”tai ya”), lift the right leg again and tap the floor
with flat feet (say”tai hi”). Again lift the same leg (right) and tap
the floor with flat feet say (”tai”) , Tap the floor again with the
right leg (say”tai”). Lastly again lift your right leg and tap it with
flat feet (say”tam”). Here we finish one count.
3.For the second count lift your left leg and tap it on the ground
(say”tai ya”), again lift your left leg and tap the floor with flat
feet (say”tai hi”). Again tap the left feet flat on the ground
(say”tai”) . Tap the floor again with left feet (say”tai) and once
again tap a final time with the left feet (say”tam”).
4. Please note that when we are doing this step “tai ya” & “tai hi”
taps are slow. Comparatively, the taps with “tai”, “tai” & “tam”
(the last three taps) are fast taps.This is because we are using
every syllable to tap in tai, tai & tam. Whereas in the
former(”tai ya” and “tai hi”), every two syllable makes one tap.
STEP V

47. C. Shankar Narayan
The bols (sollukattu) here differ from the previous steps. They are
“tai tai tat tat tai tai tam“. Here we need to tap thrice on right
side then once on left side and again thrice on right side (when
you start with the right side).
3.Stay in Ardhamandal position and place the
palms on the waist with inside of the palm facing outside.
2. Starting with your right side tap the leg with flat feet (say”tai”) ,
tap the same feet again (say”tai”), again tap the right leg with
flat feet (say”tat”). Now tap the left leg with flat feet (say”tat”).
Once the left leg is grounded tap your right feet (say”tai”),
once again tap the right feet to (say”tai”) and finally tap your
right feet flat on the floor (say”tam”). This ends one count for
this step.
3. Now starting with your left side tap the leg with flat feet
(say”tai”) , tap the same feet again (say”tai”), again tap the left
leg with flat feet (say”tat”). Now tap the right leg with flat feet
(say”tat”). Once the right leg is grounded tap your left feet
(say”tai”) once again tap the left feet to (say”tai”) and finally
tap your left feet flat on the floor (say”tam”). Here ends the
second count.
Practice this step for around 25 counts till you have a good feel
for this step. Now you can combine all the steps and practice
each to a count of 20 each.
STEP VI

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Thank you !!!