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.
The beautiful art form age old India, Bharatanatyam is known for its strong foot work highlighted by the bells on the dancers ankles. Keep it alive, spread it to the youth.
Hi i’m learning dance and i have a real problem with the standing steps to move backward for example “takita taka dimi” if you could help please or u have any video which can help me thanks a lot
Hi Anjali,
I really need advice from you. I was never encouraged by my dad to learn Bharatanayam so i could never learn. I absolutely love it so I joined the classes at the age of 29. My husband supports me for which I really feel happy. I am also a Bollywood dance performer and I do paid performances. But recently I injured my knee slightly and my knee makes a lot of grinding/crunching sounds. I am really worried that I cannot dance like other dancers…what do you think?
HI Anjalidi,
Thanks for the great work… It was my all time dream to learn Bharathanatyam but because of poverty and helpless condition of my parents I couldnt spend money on learning this great art. Now I am well educated and working as a Asst Manager in one of the IT company. Your work has made my dream come true. I tried to download the vedios but it was very slow and I couldnt download it. Do you have any DVD’s or CD’s that I can use for my learning. Its my Humble request.
Thanks
Jaya
Hi this is brindha and i wanted to learn classical dance but my friends tell me not to join because i might become fat and my butt size will increase
is it true
i wanna learn bharathanatyam so badly
pls advice
Hi Anjali,
Can u suggest me a best website to download and learn “Anghikam bhuvanam” with dance? I tried with different websites but unfortunately couldnt get the best. Or else, can u send your dance video with this song?
Thanks,
Atreya.
Thank you very much for your page!
I have a question about dancing Bharatynatyam while being pregnant. Is it safe?
Hi Anjali,
Great and Wonderful Site!. I Learnt Bharatanatyam in my childhood days for 5 years and then discontinued due to studies. This is really a helpful site to start my practice again. The explanations are really clear and helpful. Though this great art is of great interest to me, i have not taken this as a passion till today. After seeing this site, i am going to start the practice again and iam planning to become another Anjali 🙂
@Greta you have to talk to your gynecologist before you decide. Usually they say you can keep doing what you have been doing. They recommend not start any thing new.
@Brindha, This is not true , only a myth. Go ahead and learn
@Jaya,thank you. WIll have CD’s worked soon. For now many CD’s of various artists are available on kalakendra website. Check out.
@Kubera, pls consult a doctor. He should be able to guide you better. You might want increase your calcium supplements.
Anjali,
Thanks and great service!
As a further service to all, I would request you to please research and print out the original texts as it is rendered in Devanagari. The reason is that as the translations are made, and as it gets copied from one handout to another, the original word in Samskruta (‘Sanskrit’) is completely destroyed. The original word, in the absence of even one positional syllable renders a different meaning!
Even within a first word some handouts say “Nattyaa”, some say “Naatya”, some say “Natya”. Samskruta is naturally phonetic as taught in the original, but it corrupts to a different phonetics in English.
Thanking you,
Thank ou anjali now i will conmence my learnin processes:)
My daughter,she has completed her bharatanatyam now she wants go to ahead in this field so guide her.
Thanks.
hi mam….im also a bharathanatyam dancer…..wen i left 4my further studies i couldnt continue my dance…..but after seeing your video in youtube i manage to recall back what i’ve learnt…..thanx 4ur video in youtube cos it helped me alot mam…..:)
Hello madam, my self mahesha 36 yrs from Nelamangala Bangalore rural dst. karnataka, India, India. working as a Agriculture Officer. Madam it is my dream plan to make my son/ daughter as Bharatanatya dancer. i have got a daughter last month.
Since we are illetarate in this and keep searching in web from last one month. Ultimately i found u r site and i started practicing.
Thank you madam for the details uploaded which is helping me to learn and intern in 3/4 years i will be bit informative to my daughter.
once again thank madam
@Falakhee, you can decide if you want a degree in Natyam. Else you can connect with some good natyacharyas and continue your further studies. Perform as regularly as possible. Choreograph and present your work. All these might just help you get started in a dance career
Hi Anjali this is SujathaKummathiKummathi from jax.I watched the movie swanakamalam and premikudu in Telugu.in those films bhanupriya did very good bhartanatyam.i was inspired by that movie.and in the premikudu movie here did the bhartanatyam and he drew the heroine picture with the leg moments that was amazing.now I started bhartanatyam class to my daughter .
hi namaskaram,just small request i want to learn nattuvangam in talas just a simple lesson for song for 2weeks.i will stay in jeevaratnam nagar.i’m looking nearst class. pls send me mail tq.
Hello Mam
Wonderful site …thank you
Iam an amateur dancer ..I had learnt bharatanatyam since childhood and still practising …
Please suggest me a shabdam to practice and please tell me how can i download the same..
Iam a 30 year old mother from Chennai India
Thank You
please i want online varnam in adi tala.kindly for my learning.bye
i am suresh violinist playing violin from the younger age ,basically from a music family.playing for the leading dancers in chennai ,all over india and also abroad.its nice to visit ur website if there any chance pls contact me for ur upcoming evnts in this cell number
+91-9841330512.landline-+91-04442030772.tan q
with regds.Ragavardhini.[violinsuresh]
madam
i am a dancer.i visit your website regularly .i got tremendous help
from your website.you really helping people like us hugely .i want to know that how much practise a student need who started le earning bharatnatyam like me .pleas give me your detailed view on how i will practice and if you can post avideo on
exercise for stamina building and flexibility for body it will be a grate help for all of us .
take my love and regards
oindrila
Thanks a lot…. its of tremendous help for dropouts like me…. i am reliving my dream.heartful thanks
Dear Anjali,
I am 30 and have learnt basics of various dance forms like Salsa, belly dancing and bharatnatyam. But, now I want to pursue bharatnatyam and obtain certification in this dance form. The problem is that I just delivered a baby and cannot travel to attend classes. Can I do this online? I came to know about APAA from your website. Does APAA provide online certification courses? Is there a contact number ? I visited their website but could not find much information on my queries.
Looking forward to your reply,
Thanks and Regards,
Rakhi
I have visited the site first time and it is very usefull for the begnners like me. I am a 32 yrs Old woman , can i learn Bhartnatyam.
Thanks a tonnnnnn again for making such a wonderful website.
Hi Anjali.,
Wonderful Site! I really liked your page. I have a huge interest in learning Bharatnataym but i am little bit fat (80 Kgs), please tell me is weight is a matter?
Regards
Swati
Hi, we live in Dubai, my daughter age 6 has just started to learn Bharatnatyam. You videos are a real help to those who have just begun. Thank you
I also have been learning dance for a while now. I just have a question is your site on Kalkshetra style? My teacher is on vacation now and I have some questions. Please reply back as soon as possible. Thank you.
hi
my friend keep discouraging me by teelin me that this dance is good for people thin and fair and not for someone like me who is fat and dark
is this true?
i really felt deppressed about this
@ Chinnu, Ignore any advice that pulls you back. Infact after you start dancing you will discover how much you can burn calories. Any classical dance for that matter is much beyond entertainment and fitness. You will discover the joy in just being with the movements and rhythm. So please pursue natyam without any hesitation and apprehension.
@ Gaya you can put in your question on the forums of this website.
Hi Anjali,
Firstly I would like to thank u for sharing your knowledge.I am 25 years old and now have got an opportunity to explore my interest that I had from childhood…..In the meanwhile I was looking out for website that helps me to educate on “Bharatanatyam” and I am very happy that I came across your website…It is very informative and helpful.
If you could please suggest me name of the CD’s that could help me to practice “Adavus” at home with the thalas in different speed…
Thanks a ton Anjali…
Reshmi Murali 🙂
dear sister……… this work is amaging.. god bless you.
Hi Anjali,
Its fantastic to have such a website. Im impressed.Off late i had been looking for a teacher here in US. and my search ends here. Could you pls give me ur contact no?Im located in Missouri.
Thanks,
Maya
Hi Anjali Nandan
My name is Parimala and I live in Los Angeles, USA. I have learnt the basics of Bharatanatyam when I was around 12 years but I always made an attempt to at least dance what ever I have learnt .
Since I am not working currently I thought of teaching what I know to couple of kids around here and I found your website 🙂 It is really very informative and I hope to learn Bharatanatyam by my self and try to teach the kids also…Looking forward for more information and material on line from you.
Parimala.
i had learnt bharatnatyam for 2 years at nasik fm Mrs Menon. whenever i danced i was transformed to another world. it was a spiritual experience. that was some 20 years back. i am at new york now. want to start again. i was fortunate to find u online.
u have motivated me. thanks.
dear Anjali,
i had learnt bharatnatyam for 2 years at nasik fm Mrs Menon. whenever i danced i was transformed to another world. it was a spiritual experience. that was some 20 years back. i am at new york now. want to start again. i was fortunate to find u online.
u have motivated me. thanks.
Seema
dear Anjali,
i would love to be in touch with u..
Seema
me gustaria ver una demostración de la clase online, es posible?
Este verano viajo a india ire a kannur y también al ashram de amma, puedes informarme de clases de Bharatanatyan en esa zona?
Mil gracias
Hi Anjali,
I absolutely love your website! I started learning Bharatanatyam when I was 5 and continued till I went to college when I was 18 in San Diego. It’s been years since I practiced and watching your videos inspired me to get back to dancing. I just wanted to know where can I get mp3s of Alarippu, Jatiswaram and the other dances? I only have my music on cassettes and they’re all at my parent’s house!
Thanks.
@Monica, Thank you. I shall mail you the details of online class. You can ask locally once you get there for good teachers. Kerala Kalamandalam offers courses for people like you. You can inquire ..here is the link http://www.kalamandalam.org/specialtrainig.asp
@Serena, Thanks for the encouragement. You can find Jatiswaram mp3 on kalakendra. Look for the audios by artist priyadarshini govind with Ragam kalyani and Talam Rupakam. This Allarippu is a tishra Eka talam. you can find it on muzigle too.
My kid name is Shruthika, she is 3y Old, and she is interested in dance.Is 3y the right age to practice/teach Bharatanatyam ?
hi
i would like to know which style of bharathanatyam you are teaching in the videos.
Is it
1. Melattur
2. Pandanallur
3.Vazhuvoor
4. Thanjavoor
5. Mysore
6. Kanchipooram
@Brindha, I teach Pandanallur style
Hi I teach bharatnatyam. i have started recently i want my students to give exams which are government based please help me where to register for it.
mumbai- thane
Your website is really helpful, many people like it so congratulations! I am having a dance exam the day after tomorrow and I am very nervous as it is my first exam, I am not too sure what to do…have I revised enough?…how do I talk to the examiner? Can you please give me some advice?
@Soma, Go through this website and you can contact them. http://abgmvm.org/. This the official website for Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya