BHARATNATYAM DANCE
DANCES OF INDIA – BHARATNATYAM DANCE
Bharatanatyam or Bharata Natyam is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, nowadays practiced predominantly by girls. It is held as the national dance of India. The dance is accompanied by classical Carnatic music. Its inspirations come from the sculptures of the ancient temple of Chidambaram. Bharatanatyam proper is a solo dance, with two aspects — lasya, the graceful feminine lines and movements, and tandava Ananda Thandavam – Tamil (the dance of Shiva), masculine aspect – which is identical to the Yin and Yang in the Chinese culture.
Bharata Natyam comes from the words Bhava (expression), Raga (Music), Tala (rhythm) and Natya (classic Indian musical theatre). It is one of the most popular and widely performed dance styles and is practiced by dancers all over the world. The Encyclopedia Britannica states that Bharatanatyam is Sanskrit for “Bharata’s dancing”.
It includes differrent technique, Abhinaya or Natya-dramatic art of story – telling in Bharatanatyam Nritta – pure dance movements, as a medium of visual depiction of rhythms, Nritya combination of abhinaya and nritta, In the margi form nritta is composed of karanas, while the desi nritta consists mainly of adavus.