First Adavu in Bharatanatyam – Tatta Adavu

July 31st, 2007 by Anjali

The word Tatta literally means “to tap”. In this adavu, we are taught the Bharatanatyam way of leg tapping. This adavu involves only the use of legs unlike most other adavus.

As described in earlier post “More about Adavus”, every adavu has a Bol or syllable. The Bol is used to provide a rythym for the steps (like 1-2, 1-2-3 etc.) and also acts as a mnemonic for the steps. The Bol for Tatta adavu is “tai ya tai hi”.

Please check the animation here (courtesy library.thinkquest.org) before you read the description below. The site has a very nice representation of the steps.

1) While doing this adavu, you need to be in the Ardhamandal(half sitting) posture.

Visharu21

2) Place your Palms on the waist with the inside of the palm facing outside.

Hands Back

3) Please try to keep a practice of starting every Adavu with your right side(leg in this adavu). So first lift your right leg towards the inner thigh and then tap the floor with flat feet (say “tai ya”).

4) Once the right leg is grounded, repeat the same with the left leg (say ”tai hi”).

5) Continue the steps (“tai-ya”, “tai-hi”) till you have a good feel of the step. We would practice each step 30 times in around 3 minutes. Remember that the one tap each of left and right legs is counted as one step.

Simple Is’nt it? I shall post the details of next steps for Tatta adavu on next posts. Meanwhile look at the rest of the animation for the other steps in link.

Also Watch the Video for Tatta Adavu here.

You can hear the sollukettu here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Happy Practicing!

Related posts:

  1. More about Adavus
  2. Adavu (The initial steps)
  3. History of Bharatanatyam
  4. The Basics Of Bharatanatyam (3N)
  5. Namaskar – A Traditional way to start!

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Leave A Comment

28 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Shiva Aug 3, 2007 at 11:18 am

    Good job! Looking forward to read more… I just joined the classes and it helps to learn ahead…

  • 2 Anjali Aug 5, 2007 at 5:06 am

    Hi Shiva, Best of Luck with your classes and Thanks for the encouraging words.

  • 3 Tatta Adavu – Second Step « Bharatanatyam By Anjali Aug 6, 2007 at 5:11 pm

    [...] This is the second part of the Tatta Adavu post. As you read this, I hope you have read the first part posted earlier. If you have tried out the same as part of your current learning or online learning [...]

  • 4 Hand Gestures (Nritta hastas or Hasta Bhedas) « Bharatanatyam By Anjali Sep 4, 2007 at 7:37 pm

    [...] Gestures (Nritta hastas or Hasta Bhedas) We explored Tattu Adavu over the last few posts and this basic Adavu only had leg tapping movements. From the next Adavu, [...]

  • 5 kavita Oct 4, 2007 at 7:55 am

    Anjali!

    You are doing a wonderful service to all of us. Please continue to post and make dance simple for the numerous eager minds and budding artistes.

    Namaskarams!

  • 6 Anjali Oct 4, 2007 at 9:45 am

    Kavita, Thanks a lot for your kind words.

  • 7 Mayuri Nov 1, 2007 at 7:57 pm

    Hi Anjali,

    Thanks a lot, for reminding me my old days….now I have started practicing again…once again thanks a lot and i am looking forward for your guidance

  • 8 Anjali Nov 1, 2007 at 8:58 pm

    Hi Mayuri, yes it would be my pleasure to to help you. Thanks a lot for visiting this site.

  • 9 Anita Dec 7, 2007 at 9:34 am

    Anjali,
    Ur doing a good job. I need a favour. I want the dasavatharam song “Paal Kadal”.Is there a way to download it from the net??
    thanks.

  • 10 osandi Dec 10, 2007 at 1:52 pm

    Guru Anjali,

    It’s a pleasure to write you first. I’m from Sri Lanka. I like Bharatanatyam very much. But here we have no enough teachers and resources to learn Bharatanatyam.
    But in the morning when I’m searching for dancing lessons I found your web site and watch some of them. They are so simple and attractive, so I kindly request you more lessons of Bharatanatyam. Please update the site frequently. Thanks again.

  • 11 Anjali Dec 10, 2007 at 9:56 pm

    Hi Osandi, Thanks a lot for visiting this site. I appreciate the strong desire and efforts your are taking in learning the art. I have posted a lot of matter on the gesture, Abhinaya and some basic theory do go through them. It will improve your understanding on the subject. I shall be posting some more videos soon.

  • 12 madhavi Feb 17, 2008 at 9:20 pm

    HI Anjali!
    My name is Madhavi. I learnt dance for 8 yrs and now i wanted to start again after 10 yrs. your steps and the way you have put on te website is really good. I followed your steps again. i remeber my past days in kalakshetra in chennai.
    I remember tattu aduvus have 8 variations but here you have said only six viriations…. can you please tell me the other two.
    I live here in Connecticut.
    Thanks!
    you are incredible.
    Thanks& Regards
    Mdhavi.

  • 13 Anjali Feb 18, 2008 at 4:15 pm

    Hi Madhvi, thanks for visiting. Some have asked me this question. But I donot have the answer. I was thought only six. But I have learnt the other two variation after starting this blog. Thanks to the visitors who keep adding their ideas and opinion. Go the Tatta Adavu fifth or the sixth step, we had such a discussion earlier. Once again thanks for your kind words.

  • 14 Anita M Gharat Nov 16, 2008 at 11:06 am

    u r doing a wonderful job.i m staying in dubai n just joined Bharat natyam………………
    Thnx a lot……….
    dis is helping me a lot

  • 15 Anjali Nov 17, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Thanks Anita, I wish you good luck with your lessons ahead.

  • 16 Shah Krupa Ketan Apr 3, 2009 at 2:40 am

    Your website is very helpful….I just wanted to know that in what language are our hasta Mudras? are they in Sanskrit?

    thank you onece again…you are doing a great job…

  • 17 vidhya Apr 7, 2009 at 9:36 am

    woah Anjali,this is really awesome!Get goin’,all the best:)

  • 18 Bhuvana Feb 23, 2010 at 4:27 am

    Dear Anjali,

    Im inspired by your posts. Im a Classical Bharathanatyam Dancer performing shows. I like your presentation. A good source to all of us. Keep Rocking. All the best ……

  • 19 Harika Jul 24, 2010 at 7:55 am

    thanks for your service

  • 20 poorvi May 18, 2011 at 7:29 am

    it’s good

  • 21 poorvi May 18, 2011 at 7:35 am

    i’m a dancer so i’m telling barathanatya is good.
    like all the adauv in barathanatya .
    message 2 peoples: ” learn barathanatya” please from bangalore. thank you.:-)

  • 22 gorriesshajivarghese Jun 7, 2011 at 1:04 pm

    this is awesome ! iam a classical dancer. and iam going to do BA in bharathanatyam it will be useful

  • 23 SHAMA Aug 3, 2011 at 7:37 am

    It is helping me too good and I am interested in it. Hattsoff to the creator of the dance bharatanatyam

  • 24 P.Udayakala Aug 23, 2011 at 1:48 am

    yah it is really great to know that bharatham is learnt through online… it is very nice

  • 25 belinda Oct 6, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    very happy to watch bharatanatyam online

  • 26 roshini Nov 25, 2011 at 4:03 am

    hi anjali really an awesome job its very useful bcoz iam learning bharatanatyam for 7yrs but i dont know the theory at all so i think now i will learn it thank u so much

  • 27 Amulya Apr 18, 2012 at 6:51 am

    Hi…first of all thanks alot for such an educative n detailed site…
    my daughter just started learning n this site is of more informative for me to understand n help her in practice….thanks to the team

  • 28 Shikha May 10, 2012 at 7:55 am

    Hi Anjali
    I am a cabin crew living in Singapore and just started to learn Bharatnatyam.I am 24 years old.Its been 6 classes and I still find adavus very tiring.Is it a very common problem or its my age which is a barrier because most of the times we Indians learn classical dance at a very young age.However my Guruji is very patient with me and I feel lucky to have him as a Guru.Also I love your videos.Very helpful and beautifuly done.