Namskaram !
My name is Anjali Nandan and ‘am currently in Plano,TX, USA. I have been learning Bharatanatyam from the age of 6. The learning has mostly been in Mumbai from late Smt. Madhuri Kelkar. I am a “Nritya Visharad” in Bharatnatyam from Bharatiya Sangeet Samiti.
I have got the good fortune to work along with Padmashri Smt. Hemamalini as part of various dance Ballets. It was a Divine experience working in her productions like “Mahalakshmi”, “Savitri” and “Geet-Govind”. She is a graceful and disciplined exponent of Bharatanatyam.
Apart from online lessons her school Natyam Academy in Plano, TX offers Bharatanatyam lessons to interested students in Dallas/Plano/ Frisco communities.
I am not any expert in the field having seen many greats in this art form. This Blog is a humble attempt to provide some information on the dance form as I have learnt it.
Thanks for your help and encouragement along the way!
Note (Updated Sep 21, 2009): Thanks for all the comments, suggestions and encouragement. I truly appreciate each of that. To enable a better format for our discussion, I have added forums to the website. Request you to discuss your questions and ideas there.
@Priya, please check http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2008/01/03/asamyukta-hasta-or-single-hand-gesture
and
http://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2008/02/28/samayukta-hastas-or-double-hand-gestures-in-bharatanatyam
Dear Anjali,
Thank you very much for your phenomenal efforts with this web site. My daughter has started learning Bharathanatyam and this is wonderful reference for me.
Thank you so very much again,
Sincerely,
Anu.
Thks Anjali my daughter who is doing her 5th year in
bharatanaytam, i always refer to your site incase she needs more information. your site is really a helpful for parents like me who dont know much about this dance thks once again
Hey Anjali…I have a question..I have learnt Bharatnatyam for eight years..basically completed my course from Bombay..just didn’t give my Aarangetram performance….well I do teach dance in USA, but it is bollywood style dance ..I wanted to know if there is a dvd of the entire bharatntyam dances available for me to teach bharatnatyam to my own daughter and to students…also where can I get the beats cd…during my times the teacher used to sing live to teach us the dance…Please let me know…Thanks for your help..Alpa
Hi Anjali,
I thank you for making this website. It is truely beautiful to explore and see. I have always been interested in this dance, did take some lessons when I was younger, but have forgotten most movements as I’ve grown older now. This website has everything I could ask for in answering my questions and learning this wonderful dance once again. Thank you again for making this website Anjali!
Hello Anjali,
Namasthe!! I have seen your teaching on youtube.
Superb. It is very clear. Infact I am a carnatic classical singer and teach online. I love teaching. I just went through your clips and felt like writing to you as it is great teaching to understand people like me who are not dancers.
I really enjoyed it Anjali.
Thanks!
Bharathy subrahmanyam
@ Bharathy, Thank you for your kind words. Glad to know that the videos are helpful. Also happy to meet another online teacher here. Wishing you all the best and feel free to send me your Articles related to music that can be posted on the website.
I was just surfing when I came across your blog. My daughter has been learning bharatanatyam since she was 7. Now she is studying in Australia and is still very interested in bharatanatyam. I have recommendeed her the site.
Mrs. Anjali,
Me and 2 other girls in my class would like to show our experiences in dance but I am kind of behind. We tried songs from youtube but none of them work. We want to be original. Can you please recommend some songs??
Thank You,
Shakthi (from her email)
Isha
Adithy
Mrs Anjali,
How can you do Astami?
Hi Anjali,
My daughter is 3.5 years old. I have noticed that she enjoys dancing.. Want to start bharatanatyam classes for her and I am doing the ground work of checking good schools for the same. Would you suggest any teachers in Jaynagar Bangalore, India. I want to ensure she joins the right place for coaching.
Thanks.
@sujatha, These are the address I found on narthaki.
“Kinkini Nrithyashala”
Rangashree
308, 10th Main Road, III Block
Jayanagar, Bangalore 560011
Ph: (080) – 26631526
“Nritya Geethanjali”
Aishwarya Ramani
1607, 40th Cross, 18th Main
4th T Block, Jayanagar
Bangalore 560041
Ph: 9916132768
e-mail: [email protected]
“Nrityakala Mandiram”
Banumathi B
462, Rajalakshmi, 7th Cross
7th Block, West Jayanagar
Bangalore 5600082
Ph: (080) – 26765468 / 26760963
Fax: (080) -26650966
e-mail: [email protected]
hi anjali ,
i could really improve head and neck moments,
in which i was very poor
Keeping an art form alive is a prayer in itself. You are going to be a virtual guru for several generations to come and all with selfless service…. God Bless!
@ Sharmela, The blog had brought me closer to this art form. It has no doubt helped me in learning and getting closer to want I wanted. And above all encouragement from wonderful people like you, whom I don’t even know. It feels great!! Thank you and God bless !!!!
i have learned dance for more than 8 years.I like to learn more about bharathanatyam. thanks srinidhi
I was really taken with this blog, is very good, complete and interesting. Congratulations Anjali. Im a fan of onlinebharatanatyam.com
HI Mam,
I am a classical dancer,but still learning ,i have one doubt
i like to do arengetram,can u plz tell me what are the dances we need to learn for arengetram?what is the first dance we shoud do for arengetram?can u give me the list plzzzzzz mam..
waiting for your reply.
@Swathi: A format of arangetram is as follows. Allarippu or Pushpanjali. Kautukam, Jatiswaram, Shabdam or padam, Varnam, Tillana, and finally a mangalam. But then its the choice of the teacher to decide how it should be.
Namasthe,
First of all, many thanks for giving insight about this great art form thru your web site. I am also a registered member now.
May I ask for a small help ?
I need to present a paper on any of the topics for about 7 minutes, and I wanted to choose the something on bharatanatyam, since I had learned this art form for almost 5 years.. The problem is to summarise this subject.. What would you suggest like which part would be easy and presentable for a 7 minutes session. Pls help ! Thanx a lot. Siraj
@Siraj Thanks. You can take up the topic of Abhinayam focusing on hasta abhinaya and Mukhabhinaya. Talk about how hand gestures convey meaning. later show them the navarasa and how they are interrelated.
Mam,
I’ve started leaning from your site..I want to know what type of Bharatnatyam I am learning from you..well, actually I don’t know much, but many people have asked me for this..
Thank you..
Varsha
Hi Priyanka,
Do you recommend any CD’s for beginners.
I want 2 learn dis classical dance form.
thanx.
Hi Anjali,
My name is Bhavana. I live in bangalore and i am learning bharathnatyam from past 15 yrs nw. But in between i had a break for about 8 yrs since i had to go abroad. But now im back and i have taken Bharathnatyam as a profession.
I have recently started dance classes. I am also learning further to do my senior exams. But that is not enough. Can you suggest me what else i can do to improve my knowledge in dance? I want to live in dance. Im very much interested but do not know how to approach and move forward. Can you suggest me few tips?
Thank you and will be waiting for your reply.
@Priyanka, CD’s of priyadarshini govind and jayalakshmi eshwar are good for beginners.
@Bhavana, You must try and perform where ever possible. Try and choreograph your own pieces whenever you can. Secondly reading related books and poetry will help you a lot. Also teaching is another way of keeping yourself in track. learning carnatic music or vocal also helps.
@Kalpesh, Thank you
Thank you so much for your tips. If there is anything else, i will get back to you.
Bhavana
Hi anjali,
Where can i find related books and poems in bangalore to improve my knowledge in bharathanatyam? Also which CDs you recommend for me to choreograph?
I love your youtube video. I’ve always wanted to learn Bharatanatyam ever since i was a child and my parents ahve sent me to classes but ive never went to the point where i did my arangetam. Im wonder if you could help me do classes through out webcam, so that i know some what of it rather than nothing ! I also bookmarked your youtube vedio ad im going to practise it and make sure i can do it. !
@ Bhavana, check vedam books .com and kalakendra. You get books and audios on the respective sites. I am not aware of its availability in Bangalore.
@kya, sure will send you a mail regarding the classes. Glad that the videos help you to practice.
Hi,
I am male. i have learnt bhartanatyam in kalakshetra style for a while. i just have a few questoins. nowadays is it allowed for am male to dress as female in the dance. Also i like to know who to wear a bharatanatyam practise saree. thanks.
Hi Bhavana,
In bangalore few books on bhatanatyam, and a whole lot of bharatanatyam DVDS available in landmark -forum.
ihi, i am from london, and I need some rescources from you. Could you please contact me. thank you
@Kausalya. A practice saree is worn just like the normal saree. Only thing the number of pleats are less, to increase the length of the pallu, so much so that you are able to wrap around your waist once.
Hey suresh,
Thank you so much for the information. I will definitely check in forum………
Hi Anjali,
Thanks a lot for the information. just google around a bit. and found some info like follows.
Its made of cotton and worn over a salwar? ( pajama).
and in http://www.shubhanu.com/dance-costume-stitching/practice-costume/practice-costume.htm , it is mentioned the width is shorter than normal saree and the length longer.and i guess saree is worn upto the knee level.
Its been so nice to see the blog. to see it when it was hosted on wordpress to an registered domain. Great going. I guess you are doing this site with a big heart. Thanks a lot again.
Can you post JATISWARAM dance to your website and my email ID ( [email protected] )
your dance videos are adorable and amazing.
Shall I know what is your dancing style best know as, that is, is it kalasehtra style or pandanallur…..?
@Ramya, Thank you. The style is Pandanallur.
@Vaniska, site will be gradually updated with these videos. Thank you.
mam its an honour 2 gt in tch wid u.can u plz suggest me wch teacher shud i go 4 in bharatanatyam for my daughter who is 6yrs old and has performed in 1 of the anual functions.she is very eager an wants to continue with it.mam it wud b very kind of u if u so provide me wid some contacts in my email id.
mam we r settled in Gurgaon(Haryana).
Hello Anjali Nandan,
I’m Yogen from Malaysia, i’ve started my Barathanatyam classes 3weeks ago. I’m practising the 3rd variation of tattadavu at the moment. I’m a little confused of Ramya’s comments on 15june 2010. Are there different styles in Barathnatyam?
Kalasehtra style… ? Pandanallur style..?
How many styles are there in total?
How do i find out what’s the style i’m learning?
Is it rude to ask my master about the style of her teaching?
@ Auroshree, sure will send it to you.
Namaskar mam. I am 34 years old and learning Bharatnatyam from last six months. I am based in Jaipur, Rajasthan. I find your site very useful to get a better understanding of whatever I learn in my dance class. It gives valuable support to explore new horizons. Hearty thanx for being there and help people like me who find very little resources around. Please suggest me if there is some recorded material available to practice different adavus at home. Though I have got some video CDs of demo dance lessons but I want to practice in continuation. Are there recorded ‘bols’ available which I can use for repetitive practice of different Adavus. Please guide.
@Anju, I have all the bols (sollukettas) uploaded on the website. Check on Index page under Audio section. That might help. You can also download it.
Thanx mam…I downloaded it..its very helpful.It provides clear understanding but just one minute practice.I have been looking forward for a bit longer recitation..is it available anywhere!
Anju there is a cd by Madhurai Murlidaran On Adavus and korvais. Check this link
http://kalakriya.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=235&zenid=k1njfp0mgs6k26di6hpgs6aut0
Thank you for the good, clear photos of the hastas and the accessible information. This supplements my learning very well! I am a student of Soorya Dance Co, St Louis since Jan 2009.
Thanks Cherie. appreciate your support.
Anjali,
I am going to 5th grade in this fall. I have been learning Bharatanatyam for the past 2 years and recently my parents changed my dance teacher for the better attention of the teacher and my better learning. But what I learnt during the last 2 years is a little different from what my new teacher is teaching. What I learnt is tanjore style and my new teacher follows kalakshetra style. With a very little knowledge that I have your style appears to my like tanjore style. Would you please confirm if my understanding is right. As my teacher follows kalakshetra, would you please help me out with the material on kalakshetra style.
I appreciate your help and thanks in advance.