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About Me

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.

1,241 Comments

  1. Nisha Biju

    Dear Anjali,
    I am settled in UAE, I would like to get Bharatanatyam learning (Beginners)CD from you. could you please advise the details.

  2. Sita Jasti

    Dear Anjali,
    My daughter has been learning kalakshetra bharatanatyam for the past 3years. She has learned alarripu, pushpanjali and Natesha kavutam. Unfortunately we have lost our teacher and were wondering whether you would be willing to teach via Skype. Please let me know if that is a possibility. Thank you

  3. Priya

    Hi Anjali,

    My daughter has been learning bharatanatyam for the past 10 years and getting ready fir her arangetram in Sep 2016. What do you recommend for her? She is very passionate about dancing and wants to learn more.

    Priya

  4. Mithra

    Hi Anjali, i am 26 years old.I studied classical dance at the time of my schooling but it stopped because of studies.Now i really wish to continue the dance course but unfortunately i have back pain due to delivery..so i am asking you is it possible to continue or will it cause my health??Please reply

  5. priya J

    HI Anjali, Thanks for making me learn BharatNatyam thru yr online video Avadu. I have been a big fan of classical dances and keen to learn Bharatnatyam, your videos have helped me lot , request you to send me basis gesture of hands and eye for more clarification as i dont understnd other than Hindi english and a bit telgu as i been to hyderabad.

  6. Sandra Sanal

    my name is sandra. i am studying in New Indian Model,Dubai… i am in grade 7 P. could you also teah me your dance style [Bharatanatyam] Or you could come to my school if you want…

  7. Raju das kolkata north

    hi, respected anjali mam,
    my daughter (8years) has bharatnatyam started 1 year,but she was not remember of the steps after dance classes.i seeing your many more dance clips on u tube,I want to purchase your tutorial bharatratyam D V D..(full volume)mam please help me and my daughter (for her better future)

  8. Sai Likitha Siddanathi

    Hello,

    I am Likitha Siddanathi basically from India but doing job in France. I had learnt dance for 6 years in my schooling and then stopped due to my career. and now I want to continue my dance so can you give me some guidance ?

  9. Shobana Subramaniam

    Hello:
    I have a 6 year old daughter who is interested in dancing. I would like to try learning through online as it is convenient for us.

    What is fee structure and if you can provide with you class details and curriculum, it will help a lot. I do Jong know much about dancing.

    Thank you,
    Shobana

  10. Greeshma

    Hi Anjali…
    I like ur website v much and its very informative.I haven’t learnt bharathanatyam but I have a great passion on that. I used to watch lots of bharathanatyam videos. I would like to know which style of bharathanatyam is this.

  11. AKHILESH KUMAR SEN

    I liked the basic info you provided. My daughter has just started learning this dance and i am living at a place where teachers are teaching only steps necessary for their examination of Prachin Kalakendra Chandigarh but i want my Daughter must learn all the Knowledge of bharat natyam & become a teacher too please guide me & bless my Daughter with your kind Guidence

  12. Jyo

    Dear Anjali, I live in Belgium and am learning BN here. Chanced upon this website (what a treasure trove!! Kudos on maintaining this!!). Bought your DVD as well. Wondering if there’s a possibility for Skype classes/or at least fine tuning for those learning from your DVD? Kindly message me, would like to get in touch with you regarding the different possibilities. Thank you very much in advance.

  13. Jaimini govindji

    hello I am a bharatnatyam dancer and I mostly like to explore in this website. I have been learning bhartnatyam since I was 8 years old I m now 13 I m still doing bharatnatyam. I like this website as it tells me more about dances like alarippu pushpanjali thillana n I like to explore about it….. congratulations Anjali ma’am you helped me in knowing more and I still want to learn more so my teacher over here in Africa can help me till my Arangetrum………….. thank you!

  14. priya sharma

    Hi Anjali.Thanks for posting…I believe this is vazhvooor style ……my daughter has also started learning bharathnatyam excellent information thanks a ton

  15. lata nair

    Respected Ma’am, Thanks a lot for the great help and the initiative for online teaching. At the age of 40 I just joined the class and struggling to learn Adavu’s especially Nattadavu. I will go through your online messages and learn.

    Again Thanks

  16. adriana ananda

    thanks anjali for your website.I would like ask you what type or style is this barathanatyam ?,,,i know exited some ways or style but i not see difference.
    thanks again my guru ji

  17. manju

    thank you… this web site has been helping in learning simple steps and practicing the steps….

  18. Sundeep

    Hi
    Looking for some help for my 8 yr old daughter who is very much interested in bharatnatyam as a beginner . What is the best way of learning and could you provide with a CD . We live in Edinburgh ,Scotland . Thanks

  19. A curious fellow bharathanatyam enthusiast

    I am glad to see you want to spread bharathanatyam online but how convinced are you that it is the right thing to do? isn’t personal touch necessary for learning such an art that has immense history

  20. vandana

    Your videos on Adavus has been very useful for me as beginner. One of the best I could find, in fact. Very detailed explanations and demonstrations. Thank you so much.

  21. valli

    I like your website.. Thanks for the informations… do you take online classes can you give information about that please.

  22. Dr. C.P. Unnikrishnan

    Ms. Anjali Nandan,

    A commendable endeavour and service. A good humanist and teacher in one.

    May, you be ever blessed to continue your projects in future too.

    Prayers

  23. Saraswathi

    Hi

    Can you please share the lyrics of the Mahabharata Shabdam composed by Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan.
    Im not sure but have seen the video in you tube and the song starts like “paaviyar sabai thannil”.

    Thanks
    Saraswathi

  24. Gayathri Balasubramaniyam

    Dear Anjali,

    My daughter Shreya Balasubramaniyam learning dance through Nritya Pooja Academy and about to complete the level through this academy. She is in the 9th level and also completed third level through Gandharva exam. I would like to have proper books and cd’s of alarippu, jatishwaram, Ganesh and Natesh kavutuvam, tillana and so on everything in all ragas so i would make her to perform in all types. Please let me kow how i can try for all this .

  25. Jayasri.Vedantam

    Respected madam
    I am from Maryland I have 4 year old daughter.i am requesting to teach dance for my daughter. i want teacher like you be the guru for my daughter
    Thank you

  26. Srimala

    Hello Mam,

    I very much impressed with the amount of information that you have shared. My elder daughter, Ananya Subramanian is learning from 4yrs locally in Bangalore. It would be of great help if you could guide us with the information like: most popular examination boards, about the exams, syllabus etc. As a parent I am interested in pursuing her ambition. Please help me in this regards as I don’t know much about Bharatanatyam.

    Regards,
    Srimala

  27. sanjay basu

    my daughter sreyasee basu student of mr. samrat dutta learning bharatnatyam. she already compleated margam. she is now 19years old. how can she join your coures ? pls. suggest. we are in india. thanks

  28. Lakshana

    Learning bharatnatyam has been my greatest dream since the age of 10 ..well now I’m 14 and wish to learn bharatnatyam but have not found a teacher and i hope that you will accept me as your student …and by the way I’m from Mauritius …

  29. Shriya

    Respected Anjali maam.
    I am Shriya studying in class11 and I am giving Vid antim paper in Bharatnatyam. Since I have to collect information from net until I knew about your website, I found the task of searching in net quite difficult. Your website is a noble initiative and let me tell you as I recommended my friends, all of us surf your website. Thank you for creating this. Its one of the few websites I like. Thank you once again
    Regards
    Shriya

  30. Leena Pillai

    Hai Anjali mam,
    I am a dancer from the age of five. During my school days I had achieved many certificate in dance for bharatnatyam, folk (single), group dance, thiruvathira etc..Now I am 39 years. But I had to discontinue due to some family problems..Now I need to learn bharatnatyam and make my career as a dance teacher. Can u help me mam. I did not totally discontinue because during this period I used to teach my daughter & her friends the little that I learned. Can I learn my lessons and teach them also.I need a helpful answer from you soon mam. I want to learn from the starting itself so that if ever I teach anyone they should not blame me or get a wrong guidance. Please mam waiting for ur replies.
    Your’s faithfully
    Leena pillai.

  31. Kiki

    Hello!

    This is Kiki from Articulate, an Emmy® award-winning arts and culture show nationally syndicated on PBS. We thought you might be interested in our recent segment on the Indian dance Bharatanatyam.

    Comprised of aspects of dance and acting, Bharatanatyam is a timeless method of communicating Hindu stories and themes. Our segment features three experts who discuss how Bharatanatyam exemplifies Indian identity both at home and abroad.

    The episode was just posted online and we’d love if you could help us spread the word and share with your network. You can watch the segment here: http://www.articulateshow.org/articulate/bharatanatyam-indian-dance

    You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter (@ArticulateShow), and Instagram (@articulatejimcotter).

    Hope you enjoy it!

    All the best,
    Kiki

  32. Kavana

    Hi Anjali,
    It’s has been a great pleasure getting to know of your website. Your work is really commendable. I have learned bharatanayam during my childhood. But unforunately unable to continue. But the passion for the art form has always remained. I am presently 34. It has been a wonderful refreshing what I learnt through your website. There are two things I would like to know.
    Firstly is it possible to for you to upload an video with the warmup exercises which are performed at the beginning of a class.
    Second I had learn the dance form in Bangalore. Do the Bol or the adavus or a particular step in a adavu vary from place to place of teacher to teacher.
    I would be earger for the response. It’s nice knowing you.
    Thanks

  33. Nandhini V

    Dear Mam,

    I’ve seen ur dance. Very simple to learn from u… coz of ur explanation is awesome. May God bless u mam. I’m very interested to learn Bharathanatyam from my chilhood…but still I din get the chance for that, now I’m 30. still I eager to learn from ur videos atleast….
    Thank u mam….

  34. shabnam masoumi

    I wanted too know more about mudras from pathaka hastas and thripatka .karterimukaha and mayor hasta…. mean all of them with detail I love to learn bharatnatym

  35. Manjula

    Hello mam,
    loved your videos on YouTube, I need guidance regarding my vidwat exam that I have taken this year.. I found your videos highly professional and I would like to take online classes.. do let me know asap mam..
    Regards

  36. Narayana Meduri

    Hello,

    I really appreciate your effort. I am interested in learning bharatanatyam. I would like to learn online bharatanatyam. I don’t know where to start. Appreciate your input. Thank you!
    Best regards,
    NM
    312-841-0890

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