Decoding Bharata Natyam - Part I

When I started my blog on dance, I began with writing a review of a performance I had seen. Today, I thought it would be interesting for my readers to get the South Indian classical dance, Bharata Natyam, explained. I have often heard the complaint that people who watch Bharata Natyam dancers do not understand the meaning of what they see. There is the language problem (most Bharata Natyam music is in Sanskrit or Tamil or Telegu) and for people who are not dance lovers, the gestures and compositions seem meaningless. So my aim is to explain Bharata Natyam step by step for you. It is a huge subject and I will need a series of blogs to explain it even a little. This particular installment will discuss what happens when you or your child starts learning the dance form.

The Posture

The classic posture for Bharata Natyam is the "ayata" position where you stand with your knees half bent and feet facing outwards. This posture is a little difficult to maintain but the more you practice it and the more you bend your knees, the better it looks.

The Steps

The first step towards learning Bharata Natyam is learning the basic steps, called Adavus. Adavus are grouped into, some categories, like Tatta Adavus or Natta Adavus according to the similarity of the position and steps. Each of these adavus teaches you the various small formations that you will ultimately use in dance items, when you learn them.

The Gestures

Dancers express a lot of things with their hands – you can call these gestures or “Mudras” the language of dance. You hold your fingers of your hand in a particular way and it means something. For example, if you just hold all the fingers straight together, pointed upward, it is the “Pataka” mudra” which can show a flag, undulating waves, be used to point to someone or something, or denote a sword. Mudras are divided into two categories – “Asamyukta Hastas” – the ones that use only one hand and “Samyukta Hastas” – the ones that use both hands. Pataka is an asamyukta hasta while Anjali, when you join your palms together in a Namaste, is a Samyukta Hasta.

The classical dance forms follow either the Natya Shastra or the Abhinaya Darpan.  There are 29 asamyukta hastas and 24 samyukta hastas.

The Head Movements

Dance utilizes your whole body and this begins with the head or the “Shirobhedas”.

The Neck Movements

In Bharata Natyam, the neck is used a lot, especially in the side to side movements and the neck movements are known as “Grivabhedas”.

The Eye Movements

Eyes express much more than what the other parts of the body can and “Drishtibhedas” are the eye movements that are used.

The Feet Positions

Along with the "Ayata" position, the feet are also used in various other positions and these are known as the “Padabhedas”.

If you master these various basics, you are quite ready to start learning a dance item. Dance items, that form the basic curriculum, however will be part of my next installment. I hope that I have been able to explain the basics in a way that you understand and like and your interest is piqued. I will be back with more. Have a good one!