The teaching style of Bharatanatyam is rooted in a highly structured, traditional guru-shishya (teacher-disciple) system that emphasizes discipline, physical precision, and emotional expression. Students learn by observing, imitating, and repeatedly practicing core movements and gestures under the direct guidance of their guru.
The pedagogical approach integrates practical training with theoretical knowledge of ancient texts like the Natya Shastra and Abhinaya Darpana. The training is systematically divided into distinct components:Nritta: Focuses on pure, abstract, rhythmic movements and intricate footwork (adavus). These form the structural foundation, similar to grammar in a language, and are practiced in varying speeds to develop stamina, precision, and a strong sense of rhythm (tala). The fundamental posture is the araimandi (half-sitting position with knees bent outwards).
Nritya/Abhinaya: Involves expressive dance that uses codified hand gestures (hastas or mudras) and detailed facial expressions (bhava) to convey a story's lyrics, mood (rasa), and spiritual themes.
Natya: Refers to the dramatic aspect of the dance, where the performer acts out different characters in a narrative, often a solo artist performing multiple roles (ekaharya).
Subjects
-
Dance and Fitness Bachelors/Undergraduate-Masters/Postgraduate
-
Dance classes for ladies Beginner-Intermediate
-
Dance is my favourite Bachelors/Undergraduate
Experience
No experience mentioned.
Fee details
₹7,000–10,000/hour
(US$73.68–105.25/hour)