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.
respected anjali madame
i am learning bharatanatyam and i really enjoy it
this information is really helpful and it is explained in a simple manner which is easy to understand and helps you more.
i hope that you continue updating your site.
i am grateful that you have introduced this unique way for learning.
thank you tejaswini
Tejaswini, with so much of encouragement from people like you, I am always inspired to do more. Thank you.
Hi Anjali,
I was student of Bharatiya sangeet samiti. I have cleared five cerificate exam of that. I am interested complete my course. Right now I am in canada( vancouver). I am going back to mumbai. Could you pls. guide to complete my course.
Thanks in Advance
Ashlesha, nice to know we are from the same school. I shall mail a phone number of a friend of mine in Thane. You can contact her when you reach Mumbai. Good luck!
Hi Anjali,
Thanks so much for your prompt response regarding knee pain in bharathanatyam. I have a question about abhinaya. I feel I am too shy to fully express myself in front of my teacher. But I feel really motivated to be expressive in front of the morror. I however do not acknowledge this to my teacher or anyone else because I feel they will then pay more attention to me when I am doing abhinaya 🙂 How do you overcome this shyness ? Thanks in advance again !
Dear Rekha, it is very important to forget yourself when dancing. Just assume the character you dance. Ignore anything around you. Instead of practicing before the mirror behind closed doors practice where your members at home can see you. They are the right people who can give you a true feedback. Their words may sound critical and funny sometimes, but if you can take in a right spirit you will overcome your fear.
Hi Anjali,
You are doing a wonderful job with this website. I have learnt Bharatnatyam for over 8 years in India and am teaching kids here in the Boston area. I came across your website when I was looking for information and pictures on Bharatnatyam to send to my niece who has just started learning in the DC area. I appreciate your patience and enthusiam to compile your knowledge and present it to the world so beautifully. Keep up the great job!
Hey Niveditha, thank you for that encouraging words. Feel free to share your opinion, ideas and experiences here.
Thanks Anjali.
I have learnt dance some many years ago. I want to retsart. I am a young at heartt and looks older person In my 40’s… I want to do it slowly.
I live in rural Arizona where there is no teacher.
Can you make some kind suggestions?
I am so pleased to see your website. Thanks a million. You are so lovely.
Panna.
hey panna, you can surely practice using videos. Initially start with namaskara followed by tatta adavu. I shall soon be starting an online coaching and shall mail you with the details soon.
Hi Anjali!
Nice name! I was just browsing some bharatanatyam dance steps on Youtube. Fortunately! I found your online classes. Im so greatful. I was learning bharatanatyam in my childhood days. In fact, I love & respect bharatanatyam hearty. But could’nt continue classes for certain reasons. Im glad that I found your videos, now i can pratice all the steps & learn more from You at home itself. Once again I would love to thank you so much and wont forget to wish you Happy Diwali !
God bless!
Warm regards,
Neha Gokarn
Hi Anjali.I am a 20 yr-old girl.When i was in my 4 th grade though i had learnt a bit of this art but for just a month.But i always had this passion for learning.I am sure of re-starting it all over again.I have one question for you though.I heard Bharatnatayam helps bring grace to our basic movements like walking and facial expressions?Is it true?Also i would like to truly appreciate and all the more thank you this blog of yours.Please answer my question and do keep posting more such mudras.
Regards.
Thank you Neha and Pratusha. Wish you all a very happy Diwali. Pratusha the answer to your question is ‘Yes’.
thanks a lot for replying ot my query Anjali ma’am..one more question though..I live in thane.Is there any way you would know and suggest any dance class out here?I would be obliged if you know.
Regards.
Well Pratyusha, in thane there are couple of experienced dance teachers. Those known to me are Rakhi chikte- 98969196979 who has her classes in Naupada. Uday kumar ([email protected] ) has his classes in Brahmand complex and Rutu enclave on Ghodbunder road.
Hello Anjali,
I just wanted to tell you how much I love this website. I have always been a great admirer of Bharatanatyam and have wanted to study this great art form. Unfortunately due to various reasons, it has remained an unfulfilled wish. A month ago, I came across your site and since then, I have been studiously following your videos and memorizing steps. I can’t express the happiness I feel when I realise that I am finally able to learn something of this divine art. I am looking forward to the day when I will be able to start learning formally under a Guru, but your videos and blog are definitely a great asset in helping me undertsand the basics of Bharatanatyam.
Right now, I am practicing the Visharu Adavu and am eagerly looking forward to more videos. Since I am not used to dancing much, my legs ache a lot, but I don’t care really; I feel so happy that I am finally able to learn!
Thanks a lot for all the effort that you take in educating people like me and may God bless you!!!!
Hey Ampili, I am glad that you are able to learn from the videos. Things will fall in place for the dedicated and the passionate. Good luck and thank you.
Hi!!I’m Preeti. I have done Upantya Visharad from Gandharv Mahavidyalaya. My guru is Mrs. Neha Shah. Beacuse of soem personal reson I ahd to discontinue my Visharad. I liked a lot the way you are spreading Bhartnatyam. I’m really keen to continue with my Nritya sadhana in Bhartanatyam. Can you guide for reviseing my knowledge of Bhartnatyam?
Waiting for your reply.
Thanking you,
With worm regards,
Preeti
hi anjali,
let me thnk your first for the effort u have done.I reside in USA and my daughter goes to a dance class where she come with doubts with the postures and meanings, ur site had been a great help for my daughter.thnk u once again for ur time and good work..take care
Best of Luck
Jaya
Hello Preeti, If possible get in touch with your teacher again and see how she can help you. I believe she would be happy to do so.
Hi Jaya, I am glad to know this site this helping your daughter. I wish her good luck with her lessons ahead.
Hi Anjali,
My daughter is looking for Shabdham video. Is it possbile to post it on your website.
Since you are in the U.S I just wanted to know if you would be interested in offering web based lessons for my daughter who has learnt till jathiswarams.
Hey,
i haved see your website. it’s greatfull.it will very usefull for the people who is insrested by bharathanatyam. by the way i’m a dance teacher living in france.
thanks for your wonderfull work.
Hello Mam,
Thanks a lot for your quick reply.I really gained confidence by reading your message.I will definitely put the same into action and practice,and sure it will help me a lot.I will be much oblized if you guide me in this way if i require any help in future.
Thanking you
Deepesh 🙂
hi anjali
m very thankful for u creat this blog. as i am in riyadh cant learn bharatnatyam here but now as i found ur blog it seem easy for me. i think bharatnatyam is course of up to 7 years. can u pls explain here which adavu and which hand mudra belongs to which year. i mean which steps r for which year. it will be easy .
and other thing about hand mudra can u post picture of every mudra with its name.
again i am very thankful to u. u r great.
I have been healed by this beautiful dance.
I have a cronic pain condition and this dnace helps me strech every day and I feel strong and gracegul and beautiful for once. It is a lovely thing and I hope to study it it Tamil Nadu next summer. Thanks so much for providing great refreshers!
Hi Bridget, happy to know your experiences with the art form. I wish you good luck for your lessons. Thank you.
Thanks for showing us. Please let me know if you perform in Florida.
Hi Anjali,
i have completed my nritya visharad in bharatnatyam….but i am confused whether to perform arangetam since i have finished my nritya visharad………….plz help me……..
Arangetram is said to be the first ever performance given by a student with the consent and the support the guru. Your guru should tell you if you are ready. It is one of the best opportunities you have to project your talent. Also one need not spend too much on arangetrams. It can be very simple. . Is your confusion on these lines?
hi Anjali,
My friend is interested in doing Ph. D in Bharatanatayam from mumbai, can you please help me with this?
Can you please provide us with the contact info of the place?
Nikhil Karpe.
Hi Nikhil, Dancer Sandhya Purecha i believe helps students for their Ph.D. Her contact info I got from narthaki ie
“Kala Parichay”, Sandhya Purecha
1-Maya Co-Op. Hsg. Society, 5-College Road, Behind Prabhadevi Telephone Exchange, Dadar, Mumbai 400028
Ph: (022) – 24311422 Mobile: 0-98692 05891 / (022) – 32777311
e-mail: [email protected]
Also take a look her profile in the kalakshetras website
1. http://www.rukhminidevikalakshetra.com/ProfileDet.asp?LnkCode=21
2. Her website http://www.sandhyasculturalcentre.com/index2.htm
It was a pleasure to go through your website. You are simply superb in sharing the great knowldge you have.thank you so much again.
i teach dance for little kids. I just started with thata advus.I am kalakshetra student.
I was wondering if you could post small pushpanjali for kids say about 3-5 minutes.thanks in advance
Thank you Smitha. Its great to have dancers from such renowned institutes on this blog. Your words are surely a motivation for me. I shall try posting some pushpanjali. Else if i find some links online on pushpanjalis I shall send it to you. Also wish you success with your newly started class.
Hi Anjali
Sorry for the delayed response.
I deeply ask for your apologies if you feel that my website is a true copy of yours.Actually, my intention is not to copy anybody’s website for my own benefit.
My true intention is to bring all bharanatyam artists/groups/dancers/Bharatanatyam Schools/academies in to one network.
In the near future, I am planning to add blog, so that users may publish their respective program mes/views on bharatanatyam on to my blog.
I will definitely invite all known bharatanatyam celebrities(including you) to add their remarks/articles to my blog.
Basic purpose of my website is to spread the oldest cultural dance form worldwide.
Once again, my apologies if you got hurt by my copying some of the contents from your website.
Regards
Shiva
Hi Anjali,
If you wish, may we exchange our respective website links to be posted on each others website.
Regards
Shiva
Hi Anjali
I was very happy by seeing all the replys in web site.& encourage the people through online . i very blank about dance and i was very interested to learn but iam handycap i could not .i want my daughter to become a dancer likeyou and My daughter has just started learning she 4 yrs has i have no idea about it can my dream come true . how should i make her practice
Bye
Nalini
hi anjali
i really appreciate you making all these videos for us i woul like to ask you will you only show the basics or will you teach us some dances to
like alarippu pushpanjali etc
please post some soon
thankyou
\best of luck
Hi Nalini
I can understand. See your daughter is just 4yrs, she has a long way to go. Right now you just need to support and encourage her. Trust her guru and give her all your cooperation. As your child gets older she will discover her own niche and let you know what she wants. Lets hope for the best.
HI cheryl,
Thanks for your support. Yes I hope I am able to do all that you have mentioned.
Hi anjili
When I was 10 years , I learnt bharatnatyam two years and stopped. Now I am 40 years. we are living in Canada, but we live far away to Edmonton. I have one grand daughter I want to teach bharatnatyam to her. I learnt in Telugu. I taught some basic steps to her. I want to teach some items also. So I request to you how to find the songs (Telugu Raa ra venu gopa bala Swarajati, alaripu jatiswaram ect., song could you please let me know how will I get that songs.
Thanks
Vijaya
Very good attempt. I am daughter and disciple of Late Swamimalai K. Rajarathnam Pillai Bharathanatyam Guru for Frontline dancers like Malavika Sarukkai, Priyadharshini Govind, Srinidhi Chidhambaram etc. I found this site really useful to suggest for my students. Please keep in touch.
Hey Vijayaji
I guess your grand daughter is really lucky to have an active granny like you. I have heard of Raa ra venugopala song in some kuchipudi dances. let you know when I find it. Allarippu and jastiswaram Cd’s are available in sites like Kalakendra.com. Though I have not personally bought them. Good luck .
Hey Jayakamalaji it feels nice to be encouraged by Gurus like you. I am glad you liked it. Thank you.
Hi Anjali,
This is a great website and I appreciate the hard work you put in this. I am a teacher myself and this website helps me in providing my students with more information that I did not learn as a student. Please keep sending such information like the other various hastas. Thanks very much.
Regards,
Sandhya.
Hello Sandhya, thanks. It feels nice when dancers themselves appreciate the work. Keep adding in your thoughts, comments and suggestions for our readers.
Hello Madam,
i’ll be greatly thankful if i could get some mp3 / songs of varnaas so that i can make my kid do this.. i had a copy of these which i lost recently…
kindly do the needful…….
thank u
Anjali,
Your efforts in promoting Bharatnatyam is incredible. I never thought that I could google for information on such a subject till a friend told me. I do not have words to express my feeling towards your kind work on this subject.
My daughter is learning Bharatnatyam from a very good teacher in gurgaon for last three years. Till now we could not help her learning at home. But you have just made this possible.
Thanks a lot & keep up the good work.
Nirmal
Hi Sreelatha
Thanks for visiting the site. I am not very clear of what you want. There are a number of Varnams. Any specific song that you are looking for?
Hi Nirmal
Thanks a lot for the encouragement. I am happy that this site is helping parents to guide their children. I wish all success to your daughter. Thanks again.