Bharatanatyam is considered to be one of the Indian classical dance forms. It is an art of dance and music for the body, mind and soul. The classes include warm-up based on yoga, strong training in Nritta (pure dance) and Abhinaya (expression). Technical details regarding rhythm and music for Bharatanatyam are also explained. http://www.dreamiedecors.com/bharatanatyam.html

Monday, January 10, 2011

Bharatanatyam technique


 “Bharata-Natyam, in its highest moment, is the embodiment of music in its visual form…. For more than thousand years, the sastra’s have confirmed that an individual dedicated to dance must be equally dedicated to music and must receive thorough training in both the arts.. In demonstrating the art of Bharata-Natyam abroad, I have made a special point of showing audiences how delicately linked is the realisation of movement to raga expression in abhinaya, including the subtle expression of gamaka’s, intonation of sruti, and the unfolding of improvisation in niraval. In the same way that we look for perfect blending of raga and tala and of raga and bhava in abhinaya, so also it is essential that the raga and the sahitya be perfectly matched and in accordance with the necessities of expression in the dance.”
“Sringara stands supreme in this range of emotions. No other emotion is capable of better reflecting the mystic union of the human with the divine. I say this with great personal experience of dancing to many great devotional songs, which have had no element of sringara in them. Devotional songs are, of course, necessary. However, sringara is the cardinal emotion, which gives the fullest scope for artistic improvisation, branching off continually, as it does, into the portrayal of innumerable moods full of newness and nuance.
If we approach Bharata-Natyam with humility, learn it with dedication and practice it with devotion to God, sringara which brings out the great beauties of this dance can be portrayed with all the purity of the spirit. The flesh, which is considered to be an enemy of the spirit and the greatest obstacle to spiritual realization, has itself been made a vehicle of the divine in the discipline of the dance. Sringara thus is an instrument for uniting the dancer with Divinity. Since the dancer has universalized her experience, all that she goes through is also felt and experienced by the spectator”.
Bharata-Natyam comprises three aspects, Nritta, Nritya and Natya.
  • Nritta are rhythmical and repetitive elements, i.e. it is dance proper
  • Natya is the dramatic art, and is a language of gestures, poses and mime. cf. Abhinaya
  • Nritya is a combination of Nritta and Natya
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. Only about 70-80 are generally practised by an average Bharata-Natyam dancer. Aduvus are often confused with the 108 Karanas carved in the Chidambaram Temple in Tamilnadu, India.
The entire body is divided into Anga, Pratyanga and Upaanga.
Anga:Head, Hands, Chest, Waist, Bottom, Legs are the Six Angas.
Some Bharata-Natyam experts distinguish also Neck.
Pratyanga:Shoulders, Arms, Stomuch, Thighs, Knees are the Six Pratyangas.
Some Bharata-Natyam experts distinguish also Wrists, Elbows and Ankles .
Upaanga:Sight, Eyebrow, Eyelids, Eyeballs, Cheeks, Nose, Gums, Lower lip, Teeth, Tongue, Chin and Face are the 12 Upaangas.
Some Bharata-Natyam experts distinguish also Heels, Fingers, Feet and Palms.
Pratynaga and Upaangas should move along with the Angas.
Anga Lakshana, the movements of body parts, are described below.
  • Shirobhedha – Head Movement
  • Greevabhedha – Neck Movement
  • Drushtibhedha – Eye Movement
  • Paadabhedha
  • Mandala – Standing Posture
  • Utplavana – Leaps
  • Bhramari – Circling Movement
  • Chari – Leg Movement
  • Gatibhedha – Charecteristic walks and
  • Hastas or Mudras – Hand Movements
  • Asamyuta Hasta
  • Samyuta Hasta
  • Deva Hasta
  • Dashavatara Hasta
  • Navagraha Hasta
  • Jaati Hasta
  • Bandhu Hasta
  • Nritta Hasta
When all Angas(main body parts) are coordinated (along with pratyanga and upaanga), the Bharata-Natyam dancer is said to possess Angashudhi. Anga meaning body parts, and shudhi means perfection or purity. The Natyashastra has shlokas describing how to perform all the above movements.
The Dance performed by Lord Shiva is known as Tandava, virile aspect. The tandava performed with bliss is called Ananda Tandava. The tandava of the violent and destructive aspect is called Rudra Tandava.
There are 7 types of Tandava in Bharata-Natyam:
  • Ananda Tandava,
  • Tripura Tandava,
  • Sandhya Tandava,
  • Samara Tandava,
  • Kaali tandava,
  • Uma Tandava and
  • Gauri Tandava.
There are some Bharata-Natyam experts who distinguish 16 types of Tandava. Tandava produces vigourous, brisk movements.
When the dance is performed by Goddess Parvathi, it is known as Lasya, where the movements are soft, gentle, graceful and sometimes seen as erotic. Some Bharata-Natyam scholars consider Lasya as the feminine version of Tandava. Lasya is of 2 kinds:

Jarita Lasya and Yauvaka Lasya.


Dance class policies...
All new enrollments will register for the Basic level class in the appropriate age group. Unless the instructor promotes the child to an older age group.

The class duration is1 hour. Parents are requested to bring their children on time.

Parents are not allowed to sit in the class during the teaching is in progress. They can watch only for the last 5 mins of the class.

Students should come to class in proper dance uniform.

Parents must sign in on their child’s attendance sheet every class.

Fees must be paid on time, or there is a late fee charge.

Classes missed will not be made up, except those cancelled by the instructor. The initial 10 mins of every class is revision time of the steps done in the class prior, so every child can make up her unlearnt steps that way.

During rehearsals for performances , there could be more than one class per week.

The performance costumes & accessories would be provided by the teacher with an additional cost.



Bharathanatyam ( Classes in union nj )

Admission fee $15
NEW CLASSES
Beginner Bharatnatyam Classes - May 9th Saturday  3.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
$20 per session


Yoga Natya Fitness Classes  - 
May 9th Saturday Morning 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.
$200 for 10 sessions or $20 per class 



Zumba Classes - May 9th Saturday 11:30 am $15 per class

* Please do check back for updates.

For more information or to register for all classes,

Bharatanatyam technique

Bharatanatyam is one of the most ancient forms of South Indian classical dance that originated in the Thanjavoor district of Tamil Nadu.  The name Bharatanatyam can be interpreted as Bhava (expression), Raga (Music), Thaala (Rhythm) and Natyam (Dance). It is based on the theories of the books Natyasaasthram and Abhinaya Darpanam.

The three major styles of Bharatanatyam dance are Vazhuvur, Tanjore and Pandanalluras.  The modern and more popular Kalakshetra style is a simplified combination of these three styles. 
Bharatanatyam is evenly divided between three elements Nritta, Nritya and Natya .Nritta : Rhythmic Element.Interprits the language of rhythm with the help of body movements.

Nritya : Combination of Rhythm with Expression .Conveys poetic meaning with the help of expressions, rhythmic gaits and postures. e.g.. Varna, Shabda, Pada etc.

Natya : Dramatic Element. Performing for a theme like Ramayana, Mahabharata etc.

Nritta
Nritta can be broadly divided into Chari, Karana, Angahara and Mandala. Movement of a leg is called Chari. Movement of both the legs is 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 (explained later) are used to perform nritta. The rhythmic body movements along with hand gestures are called Aduvu s. Number of aduvus constitute a Jati . Jati will generally end with a Muktaya or Teermana .
There are varieties of Aduvus like,
  • Tatta Adavu
  • Natta Adavu
  • Visharu Adavu
  • Tatti Metti Adavu
  • Teermanam Adavu
  • Sarikal Adavu
  • Kuditta Metta Adavu
  • Sutral Murka Adavu
  • Jaati Adavu
  • Mandi Adavu
There are 12 aduvus in each of the above explained. Hence 120 aduvus exist in total. Only about 70 - 80 are in practice. The aduvus are more or less Karanas. Hence can be concluded that there are 108 aduvus. The 108 Karanas or Aduvus are carved in the Chidambaram Temple in Tanjore, Tamilnadu, India. To perform an aduvu aramandi , bending of the knees is very very important.


The entire body is divided as Anga, Pratyanga and Upaanga.
We Accepting New Students Between Ages 5 and Above

For More Details Contact:
 Beginners:
Level 1:
1.         Tat Adavus (8) 
2.         Naat Adavus (8)
3.         Tha tai tai tha
4.         Kudittha Mettu
5.         Tattu metti (Ta ki Ta)
6.         Theermanam

Level 2
1.         Sutrul Adavu
2.         Sarakkal Adavu
3.         Mandi Adavu
4.         Tat tai ta ha,dit tai ta ha
5.         Rangakramana Adavu
Theory: Asamyuktha and Samyuktha hastha with Shloka Natya krama ,Drishti Bedha. Question and Answers.

Junior:

Level 1:

1.         Pushpanjali   
2.         Padam
       
Level 2:
        Alaripu

Theory: Drishti Bedha,Deva Hasthas,Natya Krama and Question and Answers.

FOR BOOKINGS
Thank you for your interest in booking a performance by JENY CHELLIAH. All presentations can be designed to meet your event needs in these formats: 
Stage Performance
  
Master Classes/ Workshops
  
Educational Presentations
  
Lecture- Demonstration
Please cotact with full details.bharathanatyamnj@gmail.com


Dance class policies...
All new enrollments will register for the Basic level class in the appropriate age group. Unless the instructor promotes the child to an older age group.

The class duration is1 1/2 hour. Parents are requested to bring their children on time.

Parents are not allowed to sit in the class during the teaching is in progress. They can watch only for the last 5 mins of the class.

Students should come to class in proper dance uniform.

Parents must sign in on their child’s attendance sheet every class.

Fees must be paid on time, or there is a late fee charge.

Classes missed will not be made up, except those cancelled by the instructor. The initial 10 mins of every class is revision time of the steps done in the class prior, so every child can make up her unknown steps that way.

During rehearsals for performances , there could be more than one class per week.

The performance costumes & accessories would be provided by the teacher with an additional cost.