Bharatnatyam - Basic level

What you will learn

Requirements

1. Laptop/PC with mic and camera or Tab with internet of min dedicated 10 mbps speed.

2. Class uniform: chudidar + duppatta/dance saree.

3. A notebook and pen.

4. Drinking water.

Description

1.Bharatnatyam is a major dance form of Indian Classical Dance that is originated in Tamilnadu.It is almost 2000 years old dance form.

Basic level syllabus includes adavus, basic rhythm patterns and chollakattu (dance syllables), and introductory theory (overview of Natyashastra, Abhinayadarpana, hastas and viniyogas)
Bharatnatyam has 3 distinct aspects: Nritta- means pure dance, Nritya-means expressive dance and Natya-means art of storytelling through dance.
Adavus are the initial steps in Bharatanatyam which form the basic component of Nritta.They are steps that are combined to form a dance sequence and are done in synchronization with the syllables. An Adavu is a combination of –
Sthaanam ( The position of the legs)
Mandalam (The position of standing)
Chaari (The movement)
Nritta hasta (The hand gestures)

5.Namaskara The most important component of Bharatanatyam is “Namaskara”. Namaskara means paying respect to god, your teacher, your audience when you perform and most importantly to mother earth since you will be stomping on her while dancing.

6.Posture Training

Make sure that your back is absolutely straight,
Shoulders are thrown back,
Keep your chin straight. It should not face up, droop down or sideways.
Hands are on your waist and you sit in the Araimandi position or the half-sitting position.

Some leg postures (Mandala) in Bharatanatyam are –

Samapadam or Sthanakam
Aramandi or Ardhamandala
Muzhumandi
Swastika
Prenkhana

Samapadam/Sthanakam -It is the basic posture of the body in Bharatanatyam in which the body should be straight, legs slightly bent at knees and toes facing sideways.
Aramandi / Ardhamandala -It is perhaps the most important (and hardest) posture in Bharatanatyam, “Arai” is a Tamil word which means “Half” and “Mandi” means “to sit”. Hence, this is a posture of Half-Sitting.
Muzhumandi - In this posture, the dancer sits down completely, maintaining the same feet positions as in Aramandi.
Swastika -Performed in Aramandi or Sthanakam position.keep right leg (on the toes) across the left (flat).

Prenkhana -Performed in Aramandi or Sthanakam position.Introduced in Natta Adavu Keep left leg in Aramandi/Ayatham and right leg stretched to the side on heel.

8. Tatta Adavu - Tatta Adavus are the first Adavus that you would learn in your Bharatanatyam beginners class. Tatta means to strike or to tap in Tamil.

9. Natta Adavu - Now it’s time for the second set of Adavus, Natta Adavu. In Tamil, Natta means to stretch. In this basic step you stretch your foot, bring it back and tap it on the floor.

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