Greeva Bheda or Neck movements

February 12th, 2010 by Anjali

Neck movements are an integral part of most indian classical dance forms. If performed in a smooth and delicate manner it increases the quality of both Nritta and Abhinaya. The grace emerging out of Attami’s plays a very important role in communicating an idea in abhinaya pieces or as an ornament in Nritta. Like Gamakas are to carnatic music,  neck movements are to Bharatanatyam.

The four types of neck movements mentioned in AbhinayaDarpanam are:-

1. Sundari : Here the neck is moved from side to side. It is also called as Attami.

2. Tirashchina: Here neck is moved in a V-shape.

3. Prarivartita: Here the neck is moved in a Semicircle or moonlike shape.

4. Prakampita: Here the neck is moved forward and back.

The Sanskrit verse (shloka) for Greeva Bheda is

“Sundari cha Tirashchina tathaiva Parivartita

Prakampita cha bhavagnair gneya greeva chaturvidha”

Watch the video below to see how neck movements are done and can be practiced.

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9 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Sowjanya Mar 3, 2010 at 7:27 am

    Anjali,

    It would be great if you can also post a similar video for Drishti Bhedas in Bharatanatyam.

    Regards,
    Sowjanya

  • 2 adriana Huaiquinao Apr 29, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    hi,Im from Chile,recently found your site,it has been wonderful.To learn very much.I study dance,I danced Barathanatyam but with choreography my authorship,because he had not knowledge. that you are delivering.Iam devotee of krishna,Iwould like to ask ,how you could guide me to make a hobby of krishna?.Thank you for this knowledge and I have learned a lot whith you.

  • 3 vaishnavi May 12, 2011 at 3:23 pm

    Hi,
    You are my guru right now.Not just for me,many people who dint get chance to learn bharatanatyam. I must say you are doing an extra-ordinary job.Please keep doing it .
    It will also be useful if you can put the meanings of these slokas,so that it will be very easy and meaningful to learn it.
    Thanks a lot for your good work ..

  • 4 C.P.Unnikrishnan Aug 5, 2011 at 4:01 am

    Your stress on minimising the body movements while doing greeva bhedas is absolutely right. But when you do the ones after Sundari, the sundari movemnet is repeated and you move your body to execute the V or the Half moon shapes. It’s quite an anatomical confusion when one talks about Sirobheda and Greevabheda separately. Some part of one Head/Neck) moves when the other one moves. But the torso can be kept steady. Head-Neck movements cannot be separated 100 % is the inference. That’s how the vertebrae and skull are aligned.

  • 5 C.P.Unnikrishnan Aug 5, 2011 at 4:04 am

    Despite whatever qns I ask, the content you have put on the web is commendable beyond words. The toal committment and caution on maximum academic structuring are very conspicuous. I have visited similar other sites. But I would, undobtedly rank this site as 1.

  • 6 Anjali Aug 5, 2011 at 5:39 am

    @unnikrishnan, appreciate your comments and opinion.

  • 7 avanishah Feb 25, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    it was helpful.
    thank you anjali

  • 8 Soundarya Apr 6, 2012 at 2:56 am

    Hey Anjali,
    I am doing my grade 1 exam soon and it would be great if you uploaded the leg positions (not the movement eg. jumping)
    please help.

    Regards Soundarya

  • 9 Soundarya Apr 6, 2012 at 2:58 am

    Hey Anjali,
    I am doing my grade 1 exam soon and it would be great if you uploaded the leg positions (not the movement eg. jumping)
    please help.

    Regards Soundarya.