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.
Anjali,
It would be great if you can also post a similar video for Drishti Bhedas in Bharatanatyam.
Regards,
Sowjanya
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.
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 ..
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.
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.
@unnikrishnan, appreciate your comments and opinion.
it was helpful.
thank you anjali
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
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.
Pls throw some light on brahmaris,mandalas etc. also, anjali mam.No doubt urs is no.1 ranked website for bharathanatyam.:))
Hey Anjali,
Your website is superb! This is very helpful to me, whenever I learn dance. Thank you for posting this!
Kareena Kavith
Hi Anjali, I like your website very much. Kindly post a video of eyebrow movement with shhloka and explanation
Thank you Anjali ..Actually my daughter is learning bharatanatyam n she has completed PRARAMBHIKA n now appearing for Praveshika
thank-you soooooooooo much for this it really helped! I loved it I think this page will be a great success could you also please add the Pada,head and eye bhedas. But overall this is an amazing page that i will show all my friends. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Dear Anjali,
Hello, I don’t think you know me! But I think that you deserve a HUGE round applause for putting that peice of amazing hardwork together it is astonishingly very good. I can imagine you working really hard trying to get it perfect. :-$ :-+ 🙂 :-! Thank-you so much it helped with my ISTD Grade 1 exam!
Caringly yours sincerely
Evelyine
hai some videos are empty in ur lessons.we will happy and learn from thise videos
fantastic resoures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It helped
Really good resources that helped me pass my yearly exams in dance! You decrease the tediousness that all Barathnatyam dancers know about and help us through the difficult. This is top notch quality, and thank you once again.
Dear Aparna, Sairam, please watch the you tube video on neck movements and a lot of resources on Bharata natyam.
You will enjoy the video
Thank you for posting video of Drishti Bheda, shiro bheda and Greeva Bheda. Pl post the video of Bru Bheda.
regards
Niveditha.K. Prasad
mam i m need of a help from u
could u pls send me the mp3 of the bols of adavus if u have
thank u
Namaste Anjaliji,
Pls teach us Eyebrow movements as well as JAvaLi
TY
Hi,
Could you please tell some tips to move neck from one side to another in sundari . I tried this . But was not able to move the neck .
-Mahesh
Hi! Thank so much for creating and sharing all of this with everyone. Such a blessing. I am wondering about the neck movement Sundari. Is there a slight turn up of the chin on each side? Or is it to be very straight? Thank you so much.
Hi.. Really gud site.. Also very helpful.. Thank you so much
Thank you for posting these videos. I request you to also post the meaning of all of the neck movements. Thank you again.