Natta Adavu - First Step

September 5th, 2007 by Anjali

“Natta” means to stretch and so the Adavu involves some stretching compared to the Tatta Adavu we explored earlier. And compared to Tatta Adavu, the Natta adavu involves heel contacts of the feet. Thus word “Nattu” in Tamil is also referred to “Perching of heels”. So get ready for some stretching and synchronization of hands and legs! :)

The bols (sollukattu) for this Adavu is “tai yum tat ta tai hi ya ha”. You would see that the basic leg postures used in this Adavu is Ardhamandal and Alidha. Ardhamandal was used in Tatta Adavu and we will see the Alidha in the explanation for this Adavu below.

Here we go with the first step for Natta Adavu:

1. Keep both your hands stretched out in Tripataka mudra facing the floor and be seated in Ardhamandal position.

Nattu Adavu - 1

2. Stretch your right leg in Alidha position (See Below). The right leg is stretched in such manner that only the heel is resting on the floor and the toes are facing upwards.

alidha

Simultaneously turn the right arm in Tripataka mudra to face up - say “tai yum”. Note that the left arm remains in Tripataka mudra facing down.

handright

3. Bring your right leg back to Ardhamandal position with a tap and turn the right arm in Tripataka mudra downwards as in 1 above (say “tat ta”).

4. Now, repeat the steps above on the left side. Stretch your left leg in Alidha position (left leg stretched in such manner that the heel rests on the floor) and turn the left arm upwards so that Tripataka gesture face the ceiling (say “tai hi”).

5. Bring your left leg back to Ardhamandal position with a tap and left arm in Tripataka mudra downwards as in 1 above (say “ya ha”).

This completes a full set of “tai yum tat ta tai hi ya ha” and hence makes one count for the first Natta Adavu step.

Thanks for reading and I shall post the second step for Natta Adavu soon.

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Related posts:

  1. Natta Adavu - Second Step
  2. Natta Adavu - Third Step
  3. Natta Adavu - Fifth Step
  4. Natta Adavu - Twelfth Step
  5. Natta Adavu- Tenth Step

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Leave A Comment

17 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Rama Mohan Sep 6, 2007 at 5:23 pm

    Good Blog All the best

    Your blog link has been placed in my Indian bloggers list http://lifestyle-india.blogspot.com/.
    Check it in Dancers category

    http://lifestyle-india.blogspot.com/2007/09/list-of-indian-bloggers-with-different.html

    Thank you
    Mohan

  • 2 Mari-Liis Sep 8, 2007 at 12:59 am

    Keep going! Your blog is very useful.

  • 3 Rianna Oct 1, 2007 at 8:34 pm

    Hi Anjali,
    Thankyou so much for the lessons.
    I live in toronto and follow your lessons regularly.
    Can u pls. post other steps of the Natta Adavus.

    Thanks,
    Rianna

  • 4 Anjali Oct 2, 2007 at 6:56 am

    Thanks Rianna. Glad to Know that this site is helping you. Yes I will post the other steps soon followed by a Video ….. so Stay tuned.

  • 5 anu Oct 2, 2007 at 10:06 am

    dear anjali,
    My daughter sneha is studying classical dance.Barely 3 classes are over and she has been taught Nattadavu-8.She is not able to pick up.
    I have no bharatnatyam background.what is crossing the legs in this step.
    please help.

  • 6 Anjali Oct 2, 2007 at 10:19 pm

    Hi Anu, Donot worry ….Its been just 3 classes….she will pick it up with practice. I have recently posted Natta Adavu- third step. (http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2007/10/02/natta-adavu-third-step/)
    This has a photo on crossed legs. check it out. In the eight step the right leg is taken behind left like the photo. Thereafter the left leg is moved to the side and tapped. If you still have any doubts do let me know. I shall mail you directly with the explanation.

  • 7 anu Oct 4, 2007 at 10:21 am

    dear anjali,
    thanks for ur response.i could not find the natta-adavu third step.would it be possible for you to show a video-play of nattadavu-8 as u have done for ayyattam.
    i would be very grateful to you.

  • 8 Anjali Oct 4, 2007 at 7:25 pm

    Hi anu, yes i am in the process of editing videos for Tatta Adavu which will be posted by this weekend. Natta Adavu video will be done next week. Try clicking on the link below. This is the third step.
    http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2007/10/02/natta-adavu-third-step

  • 9 Meghna G Oct 18, 2007 at 1:31 pm

    Hi Anjali.

    Great job. Would appreciate should you show Natta Adavu in the video. Video presentation is very helpful espicially after watching your brilliant video performance for Tatta Adavu. It is of a great help for the begginers.

    Best wishes today & always.

    Thanks.

  • 10 Anjali Oct 18, 2007 at 8:52 pm

    Thanks a lot Meghana for your good wishes. The Natta Adavu Video is in process … so stay tuned.. …..and keep writing

  • 11 radhini Oct 23, 2007 at 2:06 pm

    Hi,
    I just watched your videos, Must say the effort is commendable. However, I have a few doubts, will be obliged if u can clarify the same:
    1. thattu adavu has 8 steps. U have mentioned only 6 here.
    2. Which pani are u following bcos the thattu adavus are different. We have learnt 4th thattu adavu as tahiya thaiya thaiya thai all on same leg. Similarly upto the 6th step, only 7th step uses both legs, but your 6th step has 7 counts. Am confused! Please clarify

  • 12 Anjali Oct 23, 2007 at 3:36 pm

    Thanks a lot Radhini for your kind words. Regarding the differences of steps ….Yes i have answered this question to some at the Tatta Adavu sixth step post. I guess we must forget about the differences and concentrate on the purpose of every Adavu. I also appreciate your concern for Anu.

  • 13 anuradha Aug 26, 2008 at 2:11 am

    hi anjali,

    u know my daughter’s name is also anjali, she is 6 years old, she is also learning bharatnatyam. u r doing a great job for people like us who do not know anything about dance. Now even I feel like learning dance. Great job. keep it up. Because, so many may be doing this bhartnatyam, but u r giving more awarness to the people. Thanks. all the best

  • 14 Anjali Aug 27, 2008 at 3:06 pm

    Thanks you Anuradha. I am glad to know this is helping you and Anjali. My good wishes are with you and your daughter.

  • 15 mahesh Oct 9, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    i just started learning bharatanatyam . and how do u do the namaskara to the guru, bhoomi ans to nataraja. wat are the basic counts .

  • 16 Sruthi Rhena Jun 2, 2010 at 6:52 pm

    Hi anjali, my name is sruthi and i just started and i don’t think i am doing it correctly, i seem to not be able to keep my feet togehter when i’m doing araimandi and not look like a duck, i always pretend i know what i’m doing but i know i don’t, any suggestions?

  • 17 Anjali Jun 6, 2010 at 1:01 pm

    @sruthi, being a beginner it will take some time for you to get comfortable with araimandi. You may want to straighten your feet as much as you can and out turn your knees. Araimandi is all about how much you knees can open up.