DANCE (BHARATHA NRITHYAM)
Bharatha nrithyam is the ancient dance of India

DANCE (BHARATHA NRITHYAM)

What is Bharata Nrithyam?

Bharatha nrithyam is the ancient dance of India, as first described about two thousand years ago by sage Bharathamuni in a treatise on dramatic arts, and rediscovered in the last century by eminent artist and researcher Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam.

What is special about this dance?

Originally performed in temples by the Apsaras, the divine dancers, as an act of devotion to God, bharata nrithyam, like all traditional Indian dance forms uses the whole body limbs’ gestures to narrate fabulous legends from the Hindu mythology.

Here dance allied with music become a poetic language for the dancer to communicate his/her feelings to the audience, be it to describe the longing for one’s lover, the majesty of a God, or the enchantment of a landscape.

When we can fully surrender ourselves to become one with the music, movement and feeling of the present moment, then the magic of dance happens. Then there is no more intrusive “I”, but just the grace of that instant. And paradoxically, however tragic or intoxicating may be the situation we enact, deep within abides a sense of utter peace, knowing that we are but a smiling witness to all these passing events.

In this way, dance too does not end as we step off the stage or out of one hour class, and a real dancer is one who can amble in the vast drama of life with the same delighted poise...

Isn’t it too complicated?

First, nothing is too complicated when there is love.

And second, a “complicated” movement is just a conception of the mind that we should get rid of. The majority of positions we take in bharata nrithyam can be assumed by most people, even the less flexible ones.

A movement is just a defined set of positions through time and space. As such, there are neither easy nor complicated movements. There are just movements performed with or without continuous awareness of the body through time and space. If awareness is present, then any movement can be accomplished. Yet if awareness is absent, then even the most seemingly simple movement will look awkward.

But, once again, dancing is not about becoming something like a “great dancer”. It is simply about letting go of all our imaginary barriers and limitations, and celebrate life here and now.

Am i fit for joining?

The learning of bharata nrithyam is very progressive, and the basic training involves numerous exercises which are highly beneficial to health. Yet if you have any knee or back injury, then a gentle yoga (link to the schedule page) might be a better option for you to start.

Please check our Bharata Nrithyam group classes in our schedule or contact us to book for a one-to-one dance lesson.