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.
Namaste!
Your page is really marvelous
But have really a problem. there is no possibility to get some traditional audios for free. i know there are much of cd’s but i cant find anybody who has it.
so- maybe there is some fantastic person in this portal who could send me through msn some classical dance pieces (kathak style too) 😀
of course i hope that this person would like the music i can share. (i have quite large collection in different styles)
so my msn adress is [email protected]
and very big thanks to everyone !
:>>
and all my love and bliss
kaiva
hi anjali
myself divya bhatt, married and living in noida. i very much intrested in leraning bharatnatyam dance, but the problem is, that the period of 6 years for bharatnatyam is very long. now i am 28, n dont have any kid. other side i m searching a job, is it possible, what to do, just tell me.
all the very best
divya
i want mp3 song of bharanatyam
hello Anjali,
i think that your web site. It is great.
ilerned alot of the mudras and i am learning more from it. thank thank you sooo much it is very helpful.
hemamukhi
Hi Anjali
I just started learning Bharatanatyam. I am 29. My teacher said there were different styles in this. She is teaching in Tanjore style. After seeing your site, I am seeing these movements also. I have a question to you, The videos posted by you are in which style? I tried to look in this site, couldnt find it. Can you please let me know. I look forward your answer. Thanks
Hi Sangeetha
This is the pandanalur Style.
Thanks for the class. I am taking class now. I saw one site selling all adavus in DVD. I was thinking about ordering one.
I saw your adavu’s in you tube.
I am intersted in online course.
Hi Anjali,
My daughter is 4 and a half years old and I am very keen that she learn bharatanatyam. I had started learning when I was a child but could not continue since my father had a transferable job. Though we are from Kerala, we are currently living in Gurgaon. I came across your website while searching the net for a good teacher. Its very impressive what you have done with your knowledge and passion for this dance form. I would like to ask whether you know of any good Bharatanatyam teachers in Gurgaon. Thanks, Sandhya
HI Anjali,
I have written to you a couple of times in the past and I really appreciate your prompt answers and suggestions. I have a question about becoming a professional / performing artist. I am 30 years old and already have an established career in software. I have always felt very passionate about bharathanatyam and would like to pursue this at a professional / performing artist level. I am currently learning a varnam with a very good teacher in the US. I will be doing my arengetram in 1 year. My question is how do I improve myself from that point. Should I go to India on a regular basis and learn from famous gurus (in addition to learning advanced pieces and nattuvangam from my teacher here). I am planning on cutting down my hours at my present job as a software engineer so that I can pursue dance at this level. Dance is my passion and I really want to achieve my goal of pursuing this at a professional level. I will gladly dedicate 7-8 hours a day dancing or being involved in dance. Kindly advise how I should go about improving my skills in dance once I complete my arengetram. Thanks much in advance.
Hi Rekha, nice to know about you. I wish you all the best and good luck with your decision. You tend to mature as an artist when you keep performing. Perform where ever you get an opportunity. Initially you might have to give some free performances. Join the dance groups of experts.I have started realizing that the learning process never ends. As we progress ahead in arts its our contribution to the the field that matter. It could be in terms of your choreography or creating an repertoire of your own. It is much in terms of inner realization than with reference to external perfection. It is some kind of discovery that happens. Probably doing a Ph.D could help dig deeper as you could be doing your own research. I am sure your guru can guide you better.
Hi Anjali,
Really it is very much usefull website to learn dance,it helps me more to learn from this.Plz can u provide Allaripu and all junior protion online,this will help us more to learn dance.
Thanks
Prashanthini
Thanks Prashanthini,sure you would see them soon. Stay tuned.
Namaskaram Anjali Garu, I am really excited after looking your website.All the videos are so encouraging to everyone in learning Bharatanatyam. I really appreciate all your efforts. Thanks for this wonderful thought and online classes.
God bless you!
Padma, thank you. Good to know the site its helping you. Wish you good luck.
Hi Anjali Garu,
Thanks for your reply,plzz let me know how many years it will take to complete bharathanatyam.
Hi Madam.
I will not write any comments. All that i want is to know if i can seek some advise from you but Private.
thanks
Priscilla
Madam, I am Ashritha from Mumbai. I am 10 years old and am learning this dance for the last 5 years. I am enjoying the dance very much and want to be a great dancer some day. How can learn dance online from this site???
Hello Ashritha, good to know you have learned Bharatanatyam for quite some time. My best wishes are with you. I have some videos, audios and articles on this site, that serve as a reference. Also I do take one to one sessions online for those who need.
Thanks for you so useful site. I teach Bharatanatyam and one of my pupils discovered your site, I’ve told them to watch your videos to improve their practice. I’m only sorry my english is too poor to thank you the way we should !
Regards
Yvon
Hey Yvon, I am glad you liked it. Thank you.
Hi Anjali di
Today is my day one with you (virtual mentor). I am really glad that I found you, otherwise learning Bharatnatyam would have been an unfulfilled dream.
Felt like saying thank you. I will get back to you as soon as I learn at least the first four variations ( Day 1)
Warm Regards
Megha
Hai Anjali ji,
My name is Divya. And i have learned dance for few years.Did my Arangettam. I was not lucky enough to continue my dance classess because we shifted to Australia. It was very painful for me. Because…….. DANCE is my passion.Can’t express it in words.Itz beyond anyone’s imagination.I simply Love classical dance forms.My parents were getting upset, I was becoming gloomy day-by-day. And they were planning to send me back to India during vacation,so that i can continue with my classess. But after finding ur website…O GOD.. i can’t tell how happy iam.Itz like getting rain in Desert.
Thank you soooooooooo much Anjali ji.You are doing a wonderful job 🙂 Hope to see more videos in future for jyathiswaramm, padham, varnnam and all.
Thank You
Love , Divya
Takecare.
Hello Megha, I am happy that you are learning from this site. Thanks
Hi Divya,
Really nice to know about you. Hope you find somebody to continue your lessons. Wish you good luck. Thank you very much for your motivating words.
hai anjali,
A very good website,..i jus happened to see it by luck i guess,its really wonderful.I learnt classical yrs ago and even did my aragetram but couldnt continue due to my studies,..atleast now i hav a chance to keep in touch with the steps and dance.hats off to u anjali.my best wishes forever.
Hi ,Anjali ,
My daughter , Dhwani , is 13 yrs old and is learning Bharatnatyam since she was 4 yrs of age. She completed her Arangetram last year in June and is currently doing her Volume 2. She has been learning the Kalashetra style . She has also been giving her Gandharva exams .She is very keen on her dance and wishes to complete all five volumes. Her Guru was Shalini Sharma a disiple of Guru Ravi Sharma. She is currently doing Volume 2 with Guru Ravi Sharma. But being in a city like Mumbai and with today’s culture , things are getting more commercialised. I really wish that she has a better Guru in future and if possible a private Guru. Can you give any references specially since you have doen your courses from Mumbai . Also I understand Hema Malini does not have any dancing school in Mumbai , but due to your experience with her , can you guide if she has any schools or private classes where she teaches or her senior student steach Bharatnatyam under her guidence. Thanking you .
Regards
Avani
Dear Anjali,
I want to know the difference inbetween Pandanallur, Thanjavur and Adyar style of Bharatnatyam Style. I was said to have learning Thanjavur style of Bharatnatyam. Please let me know the difference.
Sincerely,
Lalitha S.
Hai Anjali ji,
Thanks 4 ur reply. Yea i found someone… and itz u Mam. Now am refreshing my steps through this site.
Thanks,
Divya
hey i am also a classical dander .
can tell me where is youe classes in U.S.A please……..
THANKS……………
You are great. No words to describe. I too learnt dance but life did not give a chance to continue. Now trying to do it but has forgotten many. You are helping to remember them. Seeing your videos i corelate what i learnt. It makes me go to my old days. Thanks for this. I can see the passion you have for dance.
Thanks
Uma
Lover of Bharatanatyam
Namaskar Anjali!
I am an African Drummer who turned Latin Drummer and then Latin Dancer. I have been teaching Yoga since I was a teen. Now in my adult life, I have found my way to this glorious expression of devotion and myth through dance. Though challenged by it, I love the beauty and practice. I thank you for your site and the information here as I am not able to be with my teacher every week. You are most informative and your love for Bharatnatyam fills me with the motivation to practice!
Really good job Anjali!!Came across one of your videos in youtube…Goodluck.
Hello Avani,
Good to know about your daughter who have been learning dance for quite some time. I would suggest not to change teachers if she is able to learn and give exams. As you know Hemaji does not have any classes. But her students do have their own dance schools in Thane and Dahisar.
Hello Lalitha,
This is the order of styles. Tanjaore – Pandanallor – Kalakshetra – Adyar. Tanjaore is the ancient and propagated by the Tanjaore quartets. The contributions of their student Meenakshi sundaram pillai from pandanallor, a great natuvanar, came too be know as Pandanallor bani. Rukmini Devi a disciple to Meenakshi Sundaram pillai founded the Kalakshetra style. And finally Adyar lakshman an alumini of kalakshetra. His students call it as the Adyar Style.
Hello Divya,
God bless you and wish you all the best. thank you.
Hello Sonali,
Good to know you are a dancer too. I am in Arkansas, US. I only provide online one to one sessions currently. Thanks
Hello Preethi/Uma
Thank you for your kind words. happy to know the site is helping you. God bless!
Hello Amy
Nice to have such a talented a artist on this blog. Glad to know this site is helping you. I wish you good luck with your endeavors. Thank you.
Hi Hemalatha Gunasekaran
Thank you. God bless you.
Hi, Anjali!!!
Im just started my Bharatnatyam lessons in Moscow, Russia. Your site is very useful for me as a beginner and it is great that you have some pages in russian.
Im very curious about your interest to russian.
Thak you for information and videous.
Hello Maria, Thank you. I am glad you found the site helpful. I am greatfull to Nina, one of our readers from russia who is helping me with the Russian translation.
Anjali,
I have found some news from Hema Malini which might be of interest:
http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=113695
quote
“I love dancing and I can’t live without it. For this I do at least two-three shows in a month and for each show I’m on the stage for minimum two hours. Each show requires rigorous rehearsals. So that’s how I remain fit,” “Apart from that I also do yoga and some exercises. You have to live a different kind of life; you have to sacrifice a lot of things. You cannot have things like tikki, jalebi and so on; you can see them but not eat them,”
end of quote
Next time can you add the bhedas too i learn bharatnatyam and i am a bit confused with the bhedas a nd please do this as soon as you can because it is my grade 1 exam in a few days
P.S. Please please add the bhedas ( with the pictures)
Thanyou to you Anjali (chechi i don’t know how to call you)
that i have learned my mudras now my mudras are more easier than usual and this website you’ve made is very helpful.
P.S. Thank You and provide us the pages of BHEDAS too!!!!
Hello Crissy, Thank you. Stay tuned and I shall posting the Bhedas gradually and as soon as I can.
Hi anjali,
Great work. Very informative.
Thanks.
Hi Anjali,
Vey informative website.
Is there any adavu called “Korvai Adavu”?
Thanks
Jayanthi
today is Women’s Day. I congratulate you, Anjali. Be always as beautiful,graceful, and kind as you are now. Thank u for this site 🙂 My best wishes to you!!!
Hey Jai
Thank you Jayanthi. Korvai’s are the combination of different adavus put together. In other words it is the stringing of various steps to form a sequence. So Korvai adavus may have steps form different adavus blended together. We can say that a jati is a combination of different korvais ending with a Teermanam.
Hi Ksenia,
Thank you for your greetings. Wish you the same and God bless you !
Anjali,
I am interested in getting some more info on your dance classes. Do you have any DVDs with all of your classes together?
Dear Anjali,
Im a MCA graduate.Ive been learning dance for the past one year. And, i had the burning desire to learn dance, from my childhood. But unfortunately, dint had proper guru. Im much impressed by this blog, and the way u respond, and the documentation of ur site, its really inspiring. Your dedication, simplicity, and interest is great. I would like to know more about Mandi Adavu. And by the way, will it be difficult for me to progress in natyam, as im grown-up, and my muscles became tight.. Of course, it was relatively bit tougher for me to learn till now. But, i managed to progress. And, now really struck with this Mandi Adavu. But i definitely dont want to give up. Well, waiting for ur response.. Thanks alot.. Keep going..
Hi Preeya
I have mailed you some info on my online classes. I shall be soon coming out with my DVD’s. Shall let you know then. Thanks.
Hello Siva Shankari
Good to know about you and your passion for bBharatanatyam. I am aware that mandi adavus are slightly difficult for adult students like you. But keep practicing and do not struggle or get stuck with this adavu much. There is a lot more beyond mandi adavus you can learn and do in natyam. Dancing in itself is a good exercise. With practice you will be at ease with it. Enjoy your journey
dear anjali,
My 7 yr old daughter started her first class in Bharat natyam yesterday and i was just googling to have some infm..
You have done great job and all the best in life.
As its said, knowledge is to spread and not to keep it to yourself.
God bless,
usha
Thank you Uma. I wish all the best to your daughter. And God bless you too.
Nice videos Anjali. I was on google for lookout for Bharatnatyam teacher, for my daughter who is in 7th grade in Saudi arabia (Dhahran). It was then I came up on ur site. I think till we get a teacher( if we are lucky), she can refresh her steps from the videos. You have done a awesome job. Keep up your work. Incase, you have any contact info for any teachers through ur network, please email me at [email protected].