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ப
ர த நி ரி த் தி ய ம் |
 Sage Bharata
(installed at Bharata-Ilango Foundation for Asian Culture, Chennai)
About Bharata-Nrityam
Bharata -Nrityam was developed out of the research of dancer-scholar Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam in the 1970’s. Its pedagogy incorporates the movement vocabulary and technique delineated in the Natyashastra, the millennia-old dramatic arts treatise written by Sage Bharata, into the more recently codified dance form Bharata-Natyam. It is this inclusion of the karanas and their components 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. Padma Vibhushan Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam's research in the temples of Tamil Nadu resulted in the rediscovery that the 108 karana sculptures, which had led to the prevalent thinking that karanas were static poses, were actually frozen moments in 108 dynamic movement phrases prescribed in the Natyashastra. Embracing her unique role as dance 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 karana technique in the Natyashastra--from body part isolations to compounded leg and arm movements to karanas phrases and beyond--to develop a unique pedagogy of Indian dance. Its expanded movement vocabulary set it apart from contemporary Bharata-Natyam, leading her to name it Bharata-Nrityam. |
भ र त नृ त् य म् |
"Art...is the response of man's creative soul to the call of the Real." ~Rabindranath Tagore (1930)
Under the direction of Sumana Sen Mandala, Dansense has promoted Indian dance arts for more than 20 years. Dansense is unique because of its focus on Bharata-Nrityam pedagogy, in which Sumana specialized under the guidance of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. A thorough and disciplined teaching style, enhanced by an MFA degree in Dance, guides students to an holistic understanding of Indian dance with a firm grounding in Natyashastra theory and Bharata-Natyam. Sumana dedicates herself to nurturing students' creative skills and helping them adapt their education to their personal experiences, while acknowledging the traditions that have scaffolded the artistic expression of the dance form. The hallmark of Dansense, beyond its unique pedagogy, is its engagement with community to use Bharata-Nrityam in collaborations to center voices that are silenced and in producing works that are more accessible in non-traditional spaces.
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.