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What is Bharatanatyam?
In the lands of southern India, great temples were erected as homes to gods and goddess those of which were close to
people and later became the corporate life of the community. The rulers at that time were ardent devotees as well as
great patrons of poetry, literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, music and dance. In this setting, an art of spiritual
intensity and aesthetic deposition, Bharatanatyam, blossomed.
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Who were the first practitioners of Bharatanatyam?
Through the history of formal worship in India, there has been a community of dancing girls, known as the Devadasis,
attached to the temples, and one of the principal functions of these Devadasis was to dance before the idol in the temple. The dance they performed varied from region to region, but the one for which they were most remembered, assuredly is Bharatanatyam. This was performed in temples of Shiva primarily in Tamil Nadu. The entire dance was conceived as a supplication, and for this reason strict and orthodox rules governed every aspect of the art including the training of the dancer and the method of presentation.
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Are there other names for the art form of Bharatanatyam?
What we know as Bharatanatyam today springs from Sadir, a term which began by Maratha rulers in the 17th Century as Sadir Nautch. A more exalted role of the dance is evoked by the name Dasi Attam, the dance of the Devadasis as a part of temple worship, supported by royal patronage. Bharatanatyam was static from the time of the Natya Shastra through the last century. It did evolve and an important milestone in this evolution was the development of the current format of the Bharatanatyam recital. This happened in the late 18th century, at the hands of the Tanjore Quadret.
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Has Bharatanatyam evolved?
Under British rule, propaganda prevailed and the Devadasi system declined. By the first quarter of the 20th century,
the classical dance was almost wiped out. Against all odds, a few families preserved the knowledge of this dance
tradition. People like E. Krishna Iyer, Rukmini Devi, Kalanidhi Narayanan and Balasaraswati were among the few
outstanding. Compared to the millennia for which this art form has existed, the period from its revival in the 1930s through the present day has been one of explosive change. It is likely that more has changed during the past fifty years than during any other time in the history of Bharatanatyam.
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How long does it take to learn this art form?
Bharatanatyam, as with any classical art form or discipline, is a lifetime commitment. A dancer can take several years to first learn and understand the fundamentals before exploring the repertoire. While performance is exciting the transformation and journey of the student during the learning phase is always most valuable and integral.
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How much do classes cost?
Students pay a monthly fee for one class per week, a total of four classes per month. A Beginner's session has a duration of one hour and an Intermediate or Advanced student range from a one and a half to a two hour session, weekly. Classes are structured in three parts: body conditioning, practical and theory. Students have access to a school virtual drive containing all lessons covered in each class for their practice.
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Where are you located?
Classes are conducted in person, privately, in a group or virtually. You can email us at adavallanartacademy@gmail.com to get registered!
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At what age can one join?
Students are accepted only from the age of six years or older. This is usually because children have a shorter attention span during early childhood and an immersion into a heavy disciplinary form can be difficult for them.
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Is Bharatanatyam boring?
Bharatanatyam requires patience, strength and a lot of commitment. You can definitely fall in love with this art form especially as it challenges you to always push yourself to greater heights.