Having learnt the dance form in the traditional Guru-Shishya (Teacher-Student) mode with intimate physical lessons for 10 years, this is a question that I am trying to answer as well! But with the changing paradigms and thinking, people are trying to find newer ways to interact and help each other. The emergence of social networking sites is a case in point.
I am encouraged by the fact that there are resources that have tried to transfer knowledge on dance online and through books. A popular online resource that teaches dance is Learntodance.com. On the last count, the site has been bookmarked by 580 people on del.icio.us ! (search for dance). Another approach is a book on Bharatnatyam called “How To Bharatanatyam
The renowned Sri Devi Nrithyalaya has some good Videos and DVDs on Bharatanatyam. Interestingly, they are promising to provide an “online individual tuition” to study Bharatanatyam online. I would love to hear comments if any of you have enrolled for this course 🙂
So please stay tuned as we start the experiment on Bharatnatyam through this Blog. I intend to have a instructor style postings with Videos and images to help you get a hang of the basics on Bharatanatyam. Your comments will be a huge encouragement for me.
I must finally emphasize though that there is NO substitute to a traditional Guru to learn classical Indian dance.
Learntodance.com does not have bharatanatyam. Do you know sites that show basic Adavus or movements of Bharatanatyam online even as reference for some kid learning from a real teacher. Thanks.
Good to know that your kid has taken up Bharatanatyam, Sudha. I have also been looking around for sites with more information and images/videos on basic learning like Adavus without much success. I am creating a resource page that has some resources that I have discovered so far. Please check out and see if any of those helps you. Thanks for your interest and keep checking back. I plan to post information on basic adavus and movements here. Thanks.
I love your website it has helped me so so so so so so so so so so much i would keep on going except it would fill the whole page!
Sharmista – Thanks a bunch for your encouraging words. That keeps me going on and on and on … 🙂
Hi,
I am from India but I live in Finland I love Bharatanatyam and I know little and now
I will like to learn so that I can teach here in Finland they love to learn indian dance so please help and send me mail so that i can teach them .
hi !I love your website.My daughter has just started learning bharatnatyam at the age of 11yrs.In the UK where I live we have to travel a long distance to attend these lessons in london .But now i have discovered an excellent teacher locally who has started teaching her.My daughter at first was so confused with all the difficult names that were being taught to her ,more so because she was born and brought up here(though born in a tamil family).We came across your site and believe me she is so happy that she can turn to your website to brush up on all that she has learnt in her class .Please keep up the good work and congrats to you on your this wonderful mission.Hats Off.WE will be visiting your website frequently.
I love your comment, Bhawani! It is really heart warming to note that you and your daughter are following the dance form in spite of all the difficulties. Hats Off!
I really feel wonderful to note that this site has been helpful to your child. I shall keep the information flowing on the posts to be of more help. I would be happy to hear from you on her progress.
Thanks Again! God Bless!!
hi madam,
I just saw your videos and i’m spellbound ma’am. i feel you are blessed and tht is why you have expertised in dance especially with a wonderfull guru and to add on ,you are fulfilling your duty as a perfect student by creating this website.I hava also learnt dance but my bad luck i was not able to continue because of my studies and after my education i joined a good master and again had to leave because of job.Now i’m married and constantly travelling because of which i’m not able to proceed.I have always had an desire to learn dance and do arangetam. Now seeing your website i have a small hope tht i can also do somethng. If is just say keep it up then tht becomes too simple , i would just say at any situation please go ahead with this idea and effort and one day you will know wht a wonderful deed you have done and are doing
Thank you Ma’am
With Lots of Respect,
Anitha
Hi,
I am teaching my daughter at home. I am looking for a complete list of the mudras in order cos thats one thing I have forgotten. Help will be greatly appreciated.
Hi, Anjali, if u need any help please let me know. Glad to be of assistance to help propogation of Bharatanatyam. I have completed my arangetram and had to undergo nearly 16 yrs of training as my guru is a thorough disciplinarian! Never wore salangai till Thillana! No dance performances allowed before arangetram and so on and so forth. So I would be glad to provide any assistance you may need. Once again, the idea is beautiful and definitely I pray for the success of the blog.
Hi Radhini
Its great to know about your Bharatanatyam course …..a real long training. Your Guruji seems to be a perfectionist. My Pranams to him as well.
I have a resources page with links to sites that has shown all the Mudras. Do take a look at it. It might Help you. Abhinaya Darpan will be a great source reference to you.
I wish success to your daughter who has just started learning this art ……..No doubt she has a capable guru. How lucky she is, to have a guru at home 🙂
Thanks again for your desire to help ……..I will surely get back to you at some point of time. Mean while keep adding in your suggestions and thoughts to enhance the value of this blog.
Hey Anjali,
Thanks for your quick responses! really Great!My Guru is a lady. And thanks on my daughter’s behalf. I found the page with all the mudras. Thanks again. Keep In touch
Hi, Anjali, you are doing some really good work:) i have mastered all the tatta adavus and natta adavus, i saw a small section of sutral adavus on youtube by someone else, it would be maravellous if you could post what comes after natta adavus and continue this amazing work:) thank you so much you are helping so many people abroad revive culture:)
Thanks Suman, for your kind words. I appreciate your intense desire to learn. Encouragement and motivation from friends like you will only inspire me to do better. Enjoy and wish you all the success ahead.
I am so happy to find this website today. I still have to explore it, but from whatever i have seen so far …I am enjoying it. I have a 6 yr old daughter & would like to teach her Bharatnatyam. But this website will give me a chance to learn a little myself too… as I am also intersted. Keep up the good work & Thankyou for providing a wonderful resource for people abroad. I will try to make the best out of your website.
Thankyou
Seema
Hi….. Anjali
As I promised to you & myself that i’ll try to give my best. I started practising all the steps you have shared so far. I took some lessons (for about 3 years) when i was in school…but thats long ago…. and this website now gives me an opportunity to start again. I must say that you are an excellent teacher and i am happy to say that I have you as my teacher.
My daughter Aarushi would also like to say thankyou. She has also started learning from your video’s.
I’ll surely keep posting our progress & questions.
Thanks again
Hey Seema, thank you for the appreciation. And lots of love to Aarushi. Enjoy and keep writing
hi anjali,
im 16 years old and i am just wondering that is this a good age to start studying bharathanatyam?? and what are the consequences of start studying bharathanatyam in this age of 16?? thnku:)
Hi Anjali!
I found your videos and your website through Youtube. Thank you very much for uploading this type of information! I have tried looking up online resources about how to learn bharatanatyam steps before, but to no avail. Your site is extremely well-done and a great resource for someone like me that wants to pick up a new hobby!
Hi Anjali!
I’m Preeti living in north delhi. Pleasee some 1 tell me from where I can buy a Bharatnatyam Learning DVD with is cost…Please help me.!!!!!
Hello Anjali. I am very happy to have found this site and with the help of your videos I taught my daughter the Namaskaram and the That Adavu today. I just wanted to let you know that you have a student who you havent met but yet she is learning the dance from you. I learnt Bharatanatyam for some time when I was little, from Padmini Priyadarshini amma and miss Sujatha in Bangalore. I dont remember most of the adavus. I know That, natt, goodithamettu, etc,
I would really appreciate it if you could name all the adavus and explain at least briefly each of those adavus. That will refresh my memory and I can carry on to teach my daughter as much as I can. We recently moved to Surat and I have found a dance institute. I will be enrolling her in the dance school shortly but before that I thought it will be a good idea to introduce to her the basic forms. Please keep up the good work. Thank you.
Hi Naila, thanks a lot for the appreciation. I wish you and your daughter good luck for your lessons ahead.
I really will appreciate it if i can learn bharatanatyam online.
I feel that learning in a class might keep you back sometimes but please help us out here.
thank you so much.
Namaste,
Dear Anjaliji,
I’m really curious about learning this wonderful art and dancing for my home deities 🙂 I’m practicing your adavus regulary, but i dont know what should i have to learn and practice next? I really want to learn even a bit of this art online. There are few teachers in our country, but they are living 250kms away, and here only girls dance bharatanatyam.
Radhe Radhe 🙂
Namaste Baldevdasji. You need to start with namaskaram and then the adavus. Check the ” more about Adavus” in the Index page. This will help you. I believe if we are passionate and sincere, with gods grace knowledge will keep coming from some where.
Thank you very much dear Anjali ji 🙂 i’ll try to do the very best
hi , i love your website. i am a person who is very fond of dance,especially bharatnatyam.but i was not able to learn it untill now. i am 28years old now ,with a six month old baby boy.i used to dance at college ,with film songs.This website has uplifted my spirits.Your website provides an opportunity for people like me, who didn’t have any means to learn bharatnatyam eventhough they wanted to learn. i was planning to learn dance in UK, where I live , but couldn’t find any teachers near by.
i feel like i have a wonderful guru now.
i am extremely thankful to you for this wonderful work.
Asha, I am glad to know this site is helping you. I am also happy that you have taken up dance again inspite of the facts around you. This shows your passion. I wish you good luck for your lessons ahead.
Namaste again Dear Anjaliji,
If i sent you my video of my dance and adavus, could you say what i’m doing good and bad in dance? I’m really curious about learning dance. There is some teachers in my country, but they are living so far and they are teaching just girls.
Regards.
Radhe Radhe
Yes baldevji, you can do that. I will review it.
Thank you very much Anjaliji 🙂
I’ll buy new web cam and record my adavus. I’ll upload it to my youtube videos and inform you about it.
Regards
Radhe Radhe
hi mam.i love ur website site.it s like a dream for me to learn bhartanatyam.unfortunately i was not able to join any class till now. now i am 28 & i thought it will remain only as a dream . but you now gave me a hope i will start learning from you from tommorrow .my pranamam to you .pls do bless me.
Thanks parvati, for your kind words. I am happy that you have decided to take up dancing. See if you have some bharatanatyam classes in your city and join. Wish you good luck and success.
Namaste dear Anjaliji,
I’ve found bharatanatyam teacher in my country. But hers style is very different, i think its named Kalakshetra. Different adavu names, different adavus and so on. And her lessons are very expensive. So i decided to continue learning adavus from you. I’ll upload my adavus as soon as i’ll buy new web cam, maybe tomorow. Could you review some BN videos of my youtube friend “dugadugaduga” also? she told me that she could teach me BN, if i came to hers city.
Regards
Baladev das
Namaste again,
Dear Anjaliji, i’ve just uploaded my natta adavu video on youtube. You are alowed to watch it, so you can review it and leave comment.
Thank you very much
Regards
Baladev Das
Dear Anjaliji,
Iam a mother of nine years daughter .I love dancing but b’coz of unawareness in the youg time and anavailabilty of good classical guru i couldnt do but my daugher is interested and after a long search one teacher got ready to come in our premises to teach but my daughter learn it casuaaly . but today i felt very bed b’coz she couldnt performed upto the mark as she never practise coming home. But i WANT HER TO PUT HER FULL DEDICATION . WHEN I Want to take her practice I got stuck as ihave a very less knowledge .I dont know how many perrys are and what are they,can you help me by telling how can i gather knowledge about it or if you provide with some information on it.
This website is informative and I think it really helps me.
Dear Shamini,Good to know that you have found a teacher for your daughter. The most important thing is that your daughter must have a liking towards the dance. I hope she will do better as she matures. As far as practice is concerned she must revise her steps atleast for half an hr daily. I am sorry I have not understood the word “Perrys” you mentioned. Is she learning kathak or Bharatanatyam?
Thank you Sushma.
Does anyone know of any excellent bharathanatyam and veena teachers in London, UK?
(I must finally emphasize though that there is NO substitute to a traditional Guru to learn classical Indian dance.)
Ibelieve that learning bharatha through CD is for those who had already learned and who can understand mudras abhinayasand steps and especially one should understand the meaning of the theem selected.(i am vasanth,My daughter passed senior board exam ,stood first for the centre.This website is more useful for learners & learned equally.–Thank you.
I can not thank you enough for you establishing this web site, it is exactly what I need to supplement the training I get from my dance guru. My daughter and I do not have any Indian heritage, but have been attracted to this dance style and taking lessons for a number of years. My daughter is now 19, and started dancing bharta natyam 10 years ago (after attending an international dance festival). I started dancing about 5 years ago (I am only 58 years old a retired social worker). My daughter has a photogenic memory when it comes to dance movement, but unfortunately, I do not. Trying to find resources to supplement my training has been difficult,.One of the best I have found is a book by Sunil Kothari called Bharta Natyam, published by Marg Publication. My daughter says I am addicted to dance, but I say, it’s a good addiction. Any way, having to make alterations on my daughter’s costumes & due to the difficulty of obtaining dance costumes (plus the shipping & handling fee of approx $100.00, 2 to 3 months to for it to arrive, and outfits not fitting like they are suppose to – my experiences & reports from other people) I decided to figure out how to make one myself and after a year of experimenting I have finally come up with a pattern (it’s like a template with instructions). I have also been able to make the orange flowers out of silk ,one wears in the hair & most recently the bells one wears on the ankles for performances (made out of leather & suede with 14 mm bells from India) I am calling my business Jaya Lakshmi Designs & a couple of weeks ago registered my business. (I have been sewing for over 40 years) Also, a couple of months ago, I was able to purchase kanjupuran silk from Nalli Silk & Sari in Canada, for an extremely reasonable price. Now I am looking for the zari borders, do you have any ideas? (At the present I am using a sari to make the outfits) I live in Michigan. Any way, keep up the good work you are doing on your web site
Hello Linda thank you. I am amazed to know your passion towards this art. I wish you good luck and success ahead. I think zari borders are available on Ebay and some online stores. Also get in touch with an Indian store close to your place and find out if they could help you.
tell me some sites to learn bharatnatyam online..!
Vanakkam Anjali….
Learning bharatanatyam has always been a childhood passion for me. i’m mesmerised each time i watch a performance and would love to learn to dance like that some day. Problem is that i in my 30’s… most people i’ve spoken to say that’s harder to learn once you’re older than a teeneger. is this true?
Hi Leena, I believe there is no age to start learning. Most of the obstacles are just in our minds. Let go and plunge into what you love. I am sure you will enjoy. Moreover dance could severe as a great work out to you. Also just don’t compare yourself with any other dancers of your age or younger to you. You are your only benchmark. Your focus and sincerity are the most important factors. I wish you good luck.
I too have learnt Bharata Natyam in a dance school, as it is too far and I have new obligations, I am very interested in getting new ideas for developing my knowledge about B. and find an online teacher to improve my skills.
Best regards
Sreelatha Vijayananda
HI ANJALI……….I AM A DENTAL SURGEON BY PROFESSION……….I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TO DANCE.ALL FORMS OF DANCE.,KATHAK, BHARATNATYAM,WESTERN FREESTYLE,SALSA……..I HAVE A SPECIAL LIKING FOR THIS FORM OF DANCE………I LIVE IN NORTH INDIA, THERE IS NO FORMAL TRAINING IN BHARATNATYAM HERE………….I DO MANY STAGE PERFORMANCES HERE……EVERYONE APPRECIATES MY DANCE A LOT…….BUT I CONSIDER MYSELF “JACK OF ALL DANCES….MASTER OF NON…” I WANT U TO ADVICE ME OF HOW TO GET STARTED……I WANT TO FORMALLY LEARN BHARATNATYAM….IS THERE A BOOK I CAN REFER TO LEARN IT…???OR VCDS…??
Hello Dr Neelam. Really nice to know about your interest in dance. Which part of North are you from? Being in India I would suggest to go to a guru and learn. I am also starting my online interactive classes from 22nd Dec. If you are interested i can mail the details. There is an instructional book on basics by jayalakshmi eshwar called “Bharatanatyam how to “. It is also accompanied by Cds that demonstrates all the basic steps clearly. There are clips available on youtube check. You can buy it from her site itself ie Abhinayaa.com.
Anjali,
I am so astonished seeing this site. I am very fond of bharatanatyam from childhood. But i did not get a chance to learn it because of lack of resources, time whatever. I am so pleased to see this site and several videos in you tube. Infact I started practicing this you dont believe. I am glad to go through this course online atleast.
Hoping more support from your side
Sowjanya