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.
i love it
HEY, anjali mam….can u plz send me some of the basic videos of bharatnatyam, like jathiswaram, allaripu, etc. i am unable to downlod it……pleaseeeeesss…….my email id is
[email protected]
pls help me with the videos
Hi Anjali,
Dance has been my life and I had to stop for couple of years due to unforeseen reason. I thought I lost touch of dance but as I watched your blog, it helped me to refresh my memory of what I had learnt since I was 6. Dance will never die…It lives forever. Thank you for doing this for all the dance lovers.
Thank you for providing this information.
I am a Btech student and am working on a project related to Bharatnatyam dance.
I am interested in knowing how the single hand gestures meanings change with change in hand positions.
like padmakosha when near mouth could mean eating, elsewhere can have other meaning.
Could you please help me with this?
hello Anjali,
my daughter is 4 years old. Can she start dance classes at this age?
This a very useful site for working people who dont have time for regular classes becoz of commintments and family pressures. they can revise recollect and learn thorugh this site in traditional methods. bless u for such a wondeful and novel effort. pls do undate more on Charis, Sthanaka, Mandala, ura Bheda and bhru bhedas thank you
Hi Anjali,
I am 30 and just started learnign Bharatanatyam from an academy in Mumbai. Since childhood I had an inclination over the same but didn’t get a chance to learn this passion of mine. I have finished just one session and covered Tattadavu in 5 variation. Can you suggest some warm ups before practising Bharatanatyam as my legs weren’t supporting me to sit in the Aramandi posture to continue with the dance. Also was keen in knowing in how much time can one perfom the Arangetam.
http://ingeniousbharatanatyam.webs.com/
this is our project website i have given a link to your website hope u wont mind
sure shubhen. Good luck.
@sindhu, if you start now you should be able to complete one margam with adequate practice in 4yrs time. Do basic relaxing exercises followed by Tatta adavus and kuditta metta. They are great work out for the legs. Always begin dancing only after a simple warm up sessions, working your joints adequately. Else you might sprain or injure.
hai Anjali,
am learning bharatnatyam for the past 7 years, i finished ma arangetram on 20th jan 2008. i still feel tat i shud learn a lot in bharatanatyam. the style in wch i learnt was vazhuvoor stye. and nw since am in class 12 i hav been paused ma classes. ma guru is busy with ma juniors and she is nt taking a good care for us. i want to learn a lot in dance.i have no one to guide me in dance. im sure you can show me the right path.
Namskar !
Hi there Anjali and all the fans of BN.
I just want to tell, that I am a guy from germany and I learned BN for many years.
For me this exotic dance was sometimes a bit strange to me, but it`s true, one of the best exercises one could do for head and body.
All the best.
Michael
kalavardhini’s dance cd for porpadam thookye composer madurai r muradaran PLEASE LET ME KNOW RHE LYRICS AND THE CD WHERE CAN I BUY. tHAKS
this is just a query. i am 24. i would like to dance baratha natiyam for a classical song. is it possible to learn and dance to a particular song perfectly.?
Namaskar, maam…….Guru Brahma, gururavishnu, gururadevo Maheshwara…guru sakshat parambrahma..tasmaaye Shri guruve namah……..Heartly greetings on the occasion of GuruPoornima!
Charanasparsham,
Vishwa
The way you have posted resources under this blog is impressive.I am sure it would benefit and let the learners save some time too by cutting down learning time in keeping manual notes. This notwithstanding the usual benefits of having everything written down by ones own hand.
thanks a lot.a request- can the adavus be put on the bolg with dance notations?
i was wondering. can you post videos of you doing the pathaka hasta viniyoga, thripathako viniyoga and so on. it will be helpful.
thanks
sugeerthana
hi,anjali.
i really like your website.
it gives a great help for my thesis.i always refer it.
go on.give something more.
Thanks for the educational website, Anjali! I enjoy learning the dance from you.
Prajna
Hello Anjali.i have bharathanatiyam background for nearly 7 years.i have started learning from the age of 3.now i have a long break.After seeing your website and some videos im so excited to learn it again.can you plz send your videos right from the beginning jathis.since i cant get all your basic videos with continuity.it will be more helpful for me to refresh again.expecting your reply.thanks.
bhartanatyam is a good exersize
today i went to bhartanatyam dance class
hi Anjali,
I read your ,About me’.You are student of Ms Madhuri Kelkar.Did you learn in Kalyan?As I know she was staying nearby my house in Kalyan.I was a student of Mani sir and later Rajashri Sonavne.Because I heard Madhuri Kelkar’s name so many times in my childhood when I was learning.I am a nrittya-visharad from akhil bharatiya gandarva mahaviddyalaya,Miraj.
Anyaways,Its really nice to see your efforts.Its wonderful.all the best.Warm regards…aparna
@Aparna, Thank you. Happy to know that you have been in my teachers neighborhood. I grew up in Thane and she used to travel down.
thanks a lot for all the info provived. It has helped me a lot in my course. It has always been my dream to become a professional in this field. hence i’m working hard to fulfill it. Your website has given me the required info and has also encouraged me.. i once again thank you. you r doing a great job. keep it going.
with regards,
Pooja
I want nattadvu in video.please help me.
hi,anjali
i saw ur videos,i really want to learn this dance form.but the problem is my parents say that u are a boy of 15years and u cant learn it,even my relatives say that you are not a girl to learn.I need your advice to convince my mom and dad.
your sincerely
vijay
i luv thz form…..
Hi Anjali
I like your dance lessons video, it really helps me to learn Bharatnatyam dance. I always want it to learn Bharatnatyam, when I was young, but that wasn’t possible that time, because being in a big family etc. But is it possible that can you provide me your dance lesson DVD, it will be appreciated, Please e-mail it to me, and let me know how can I purchase it. Thanks Lata Ravji.
enjoyed your effort. very useful for students of the art form.
best wishes.
i am in the classical dance field for the last 32 years. (teaching, choreography, stage show etc.) now in doha/qatar. (meera nambiar in facebook)
best wishes.
@Meera, Thank you. Glad to hear words of appreciation from experienced dancers in the field.
25AUG11
From Calvin in Cairo:
I have tried to register but keep getting a notice
that I have exceeded the number of log ins and
that the info is invalid (user name and password)
What’s this????
You confirmed that my user name is Calvin
And my password is ARABESQUE.
What can I do???
Calvin W. Hodgdon
El Marg, Cairo
Hi Anjali,
Thanks, really information you gave is very helpful.
I’am 30 yrs old.now started leanrning Bharatnataym.Since childhood very interested but could not get oppurtunity to learn.Now I got good guru.
I liked the basic info you provided. My daughter has just started learning this dance.
Thanks, sithara
your blog is very helpfull. can you tell me where i can get videos of pushpanjali,alllarippu,jadeeswaram,padam and thillana.
Anjali ji you are doing a great job. You are the true devotee of our ancient cultural values….So many thanks to your parents…May Krishna bless you for their wisdom…
please visit my page…
[email protected]
[email protected]
It is very useful for my daughter and an excellent opportunity for her doing perfectly in her coming years. It is excellent thing you are doing and all our best aashirvadams to you. regards-srk(shortly)
Hi Anjali!
Really your online classes are excellent and its really helping me at right time. I’m a mother of 2 kids. I love to learn Bharatanayam from my childhood days but I couldn’t get an opportunity after marriage I came to US. Now really happy after seeing your website. Please guideme how to start step by step . Thank you so much for your workout…cheers.
hi. i want to learn bharatanatyam online. please tell me the sequence that i should follow to learn bharatanatyam
I am a choreographer for our Fall dance concert and our theme was weddings. I knew no one would want to represent Hindu culture and so I took it upon myself, loving the rich styles of Bharatanatyam and the Hindu wedding rituals!
I have since been told, as my heritage is of mostly Western European and Native American decent that I would be “Appropriating” Indian culture. So I decided to do a modern dance style with some BharataNatyam influence. Still got yelled at for it. In my mind the word ‘appropriating’ is stealing and disrespectful, but I have nothing but respect and love for Indian culture having been raised Buddhist. I know Hare Krishnas believe the Buddha was just an incarnation of Krishna. At my temple we were taught stories from the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita. I just wanted to know, I suppose, what your thoughts and feelings are about non Indian persons dancing BharataNatyam, Kathak, Odissi, or any other traditional indian dances and also your take on using the mudras and some of the steps and using it in another dance art form is? I would love to show you the piece when it is finished and I would like to ask you if you feel it is offensive. I am sorry but this has really bothered me and my teacher and I have butted heads so to speak about it. I in no way mean disrespect but I would like your honest opinion!
I also want to thank you for the efforts you have put in to making this available to people. I had been using the AlaPadma without realizing it’s actual meaning, so I looked it up and it absolutely means what I was using it for, which excited me and so I have been exploring your website ever since last night! I appreciate your time and efforts and thank you again from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful resource! Namasta!
Ashlie
Dear Ashlie, When ever I see a non-Indian performing Bharatanatyam, I feel inspired seeing the hard work they put forth and dedication they show towards learning it. They are ready to leave their countries come to India and learn. Amazing!!!
As far as combining two or more style are concerned, it can be very tricky. Unless you are trained in both the styles, one may not be able to give justice to both. Hence it is hard to keep up the quality with half knowledge or no training at all. Example: if I am trained in Bharatanatyam and want to use Ballet techniques, I will not be able to give justice to ballet, because of lack of training in the subject. And it might look funny too. Watch the link below, they have beautifully blended styles together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uRx-QYmizQ
Also I thank you for the words appreciation. That will keep me motivated.
WOW!!! Thank you Miss Anjali! That is exactly what I am talking about! I really was having a hard time visualizing it but they really did a fantastic job, I am incredibly impressed! You know, I’ve been looking for a few weeks now on youtube for something like and have found nothing even close! Amazing! As far as misrepresenting the dance form, I completely understand, I am in no way ready to tackle any Bharata Natyam, but feel comfortable in the few mudras I will be using, being fully aware of their meanings and general uses. You are much the reason for that! Thank you so much!
Ashlie
Pranams! I would like to have the Sanskrit slokas of the 24 Mudras in Hastha Lakshana Deepika. This is for a book we are preparing for traditional Indian Shilpakala. Can you help.
Dear Ma’m,
Thank you very very much for providing us such helpful blog with detailed explanations. Being a beginner till now I remembered everything by counts and in numbers. Your website is helping me to understand movements and also actual terminology to be used to communicate.
Warm Regards,
Sejal.
mam i m 21 year old ,doin b.tech .i stay in delhi.i have great passion for dance since childhood whether it is any kind.when i was 8 i started learning bharatnatyam but due to some reason couldn’t continue. now i want to learn classical dance can i start now?
@Poorva, Start it out with a local school nearby. Do not worry about your age.
hello,
Thanks a lot for this website. I want to practice Pushpanjali, tract Mooshikavahana. How can i purchase/download the same? I learnt Bharathnatyam from the age of 5 to 17. It’s been 5 years I am not able to go to dance class. How can I learn more ?
Waiting for your reply
24SEP11
Hello from Cairo:
Just THANKS for our videos. I am now up to visharu adavus and
still going strong.
I am wondering what school of dance you learned what we see
on the videos. Does it resemble Klalecshetra at all?
Well, back to practice
I hope to visit Indai for the Bharata Kali Conference in Madras.
My former guru was Adyar Lakshman.
Best wishes.
could u give all grade tips like theory paper
@Sahana, Click on the link of the song and you will be directed on how to download. You start by practicing what was taught to you and slowly moving to choreographing some dance pieces. That will add to your learning.
Anjali,I really appreciate your open mentality.You dance lessons are really helpful for everybody.GOD bless you more & more.Thanks.
its great to have such kind of persons like you. You will be an inspiration to the younger generations.