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ப
ர த நி ரி த் தி ய ம் |
 Sage Bharata
About Bharata-Nrityam
Bharata -Nrityam is a dance from India, developed out of the research of dancer-scholar Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam in the 1970’s. It incorporates the dance tradition expounded in the Natyashastra, the millennia-old dramatic arts treatise written by Sage Bharata, into the contemporary style of Bharata-Natyam. This especially refers to the inclusion of the karanas, dynamic dance phrases, from the Natyashastra, which makes Bharata-Nrityam immediately recognizable as a unique art that manifests the vast aesthetics of Indian dance, has infinite creative potential, and empowers the dancer and the witness with its spiritual capacity. Natyashastra delineates a common classical--margi--tradition, which coexisted with the regional--deśi--traditions, each mutually enriching the other. However, for centuries, study of the classical tradition became obsolete. Only in the last century have scholars revived academic studies of the Natyashastra’s tradition. Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam stands out among these scholars, when, during her doctoral research at 3 temples in Tamil Nadu, she discovered that the sculptures which represented the 108 karanas, and which had been accepted as static poses till then, were actually frozen moments in 108 movement prescribed in the Natyashastra. Karana is a dynamic dance sequence, not a static pose. Embracing her unique role as Bharata-Natyam practitioner and scholar, she reconstructed the 108 karanas through meticulous research and embodiment of the Natyashastra text and began performing these in her own Bharata-Natyam practice. Dr. Padma used her pioneering research and practice of the Natyashastra's karana technique--from body part isolations to compounded leg and arm movements to karanas and beyond--to develop a unique pedagogy of Indian dance. Its expanded movement vocabulary set it apart from the prevalent Bharata-Natyam style, leading her to name it Bharata-Nrityam. |
भ र त नृ त् य म् |
"What is Art? It is the response of man's creative soul to the call of the Real." ~Rabindranath Tagore (1930)
Credit: Jen Karegeannes
Courses
Dansense offers a variety of courses including:
The traditional curriculum requires and builds discipline and enthusiasm for the art itself. Learning dance encompasses mastering theory and cultural background, as well. A student must first complete the Praveshika Certificate over 2 years. In the pedagogy of Bharata Nrityam, shlokas and exercises, prescribed in the Natyashastra, are paramount; they maintain and develop the students’ inherent flexibility. As students begin to settle into their practice of these, they begin learning the basic steps of Bharata Natyam. This method of training not only provides a solid foundation in the Bharata Natyam style, but also hones the dancer's body to easily adapt to any style of dance, be it Indian, Western or otherwise. The next 2 years, the student learns various dance items working towards a full repertoire. A salangai puja at the end of this period marks the completion of the Sangraha Certificate. Finally, the student is ready for the preparation for an Arangetram/Debut, if the student wishes to perform one.
CLICK HERE for permission to view Dansense Gallery.
Dansense offers a variety of courses including:
- the traditional Bharata Nrityam curriculum as described below,
- tailored choreography,
- the kalpana course, fostering creativity in movement (dance training not required),
- introductory lecture-demonstrations and workshops focused on specific elements of dance (abhinaya, jatis, charis, karanas...)
- 2-year Bharata Nrityam curriculum for advanced students of any dance form, leading to the study of karanas
The traditional curriculum requires and builds discipline and enthusiasm for the art itself. Learning dance encompasses mastering theory and cultural background, as well. A student must first complete the Praveshika Certificate over 2 years. In the pedagogy of Bharata Nrityam, shlokas and exercises, prescribed in the Natyashastra, are paramount; they maintain and develop the students’ inherent flexibility. As students begin to settle into their practice of these, they begin learning the basic steps of Bharata Natyam. This method of training not only provides a solid foundation in the Bharata Natyam style, but also hones the dancer's body to easily adapt to any style of dance, be it Indian, Western or otherwise. The next 2 years, the student learns various dance items working towards a full repertoire. A salangai puja at the end of this period marks the completion of the Sangraha Certificate. Finally, the student is ready for the preparation for an Arangetram/Debut, if the student wishes to perform one.
CLICK HERE for permission to view Dansense Gallery.