Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest dance forms of India. It was nurtured in the temples and courts of southern India since ancient times. Bharatanatyam is an artistic yoga that involves the movement of the body parts in a very artistic and elegant manner. It is the most widely practiced of Indian classical dances in India and the world and has its origin in Tamil Nadu. Bharatanatyam has many dimensions. They include body movements, facial expressions, hand gestures, footwork, costumes, music, repertoire, and themes of performances. Since Bharatanatyam is so well developed, all these aspects of the art have been codified and are documented in ancient scriptures as well as recent books.
In Bharatanatyam, like other dance forms of India, there is a strong element of emotional expression. It also has a unique aesthetic form, expressed in the movements, postures, costumes, and make-up of the dancers. The themes of traditional dance items are based on Indian legends, characters, and values. Bharatanatyam uses classical Indian music, with its own melodic and rhythmic patterns. The lyrics are in various Indian languages, most often Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada, and Hindi.
Our Bharatanatyam instructors at Nritya Creations are highly qualified in Bharatanatyam and hold advanced degrees and diplomas from well renowned academic institutions such as Kalakshetra in Chennai and have trained from eminent Gurus. Nritya Creations follows the Kalakshetra curriculum and syllabus. Kalakshetra, an institute of the fine arts in South India, takes a university-like approach that incorporates features of the gurukul system. Bharatanatyam students train daily for four years to be qualified as dancers, and some continue with post-graduate studies, usually for two more years. In addition to dance lessons, they learn music and language as well as dance theory.
Our Dance School offers the opportunity for complete training to be a proficient dancer. Within the scope of this process, students with varying interests can be accommodated. Some want some exposure to Indian culture, and nothing more. Others want the experience of performing on stage. A few have the desire and dedication to master the art of Bharatanatyam and present an arangetram. There is considerable flexibility in what a student can pursue during his or her Bharatanatyam training. It’s worth giving some thought to why you’re taking up Bharatanatyam, how deeply you want to pursue it, and how long you want to continue with it.