Bharatanatyam//The Dances of the West

Through my training and Bharatanatyam as well as in various other styles of dance more common in the wester world, including Tap, Jazz, and Ballet, I have been exposed to various styles and techniques that from the outside, look nothing alike, and could not be more different. From the inside, all have a similar purpose - to allow one to express themselves. For millenia, from prehistroic times, humans have utilized dance to express themselves, and none of these forms are truly very different in thsi manner when being observed fromthe inside out.

Intesresting enough, the Bharatanatyam that many Indians see and appreciate today was revived by one of Dance's most famous connieseurs, Rukmini Cevi Arundale. Having experienced clonialism first hand, she strived to return an important element of India's background to the peninsulain the 19th century. Before learning and perfecting her Bharatanatyam style though, Rukmini Devi learned of the rigidity of dance through classical Ballet, under the legendary Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. This pair produced ballets with themes from deep within India's mythology, such as "Radha-Krishna" and produced Bharatanatyam Productions with strikingly western props and themes. 

While the two have their similarities - both codified, standard techniques to be followed, and the need  for years of preparation and practice to be performed on stage - they are still quite different.  Yet, they are also very different.

Bharatanatyam//Colonialism

After reading the Poisonwood Bible, I wanted to uncover how the gem of Bharatanatyam fared undernearth the harsh and often unreasonable commands of the British Raj (Crown).

To start off, to say that propaganda against all Indian CUlture was high at the time of British rule is a henious understatement. The british called many Classical Indian art forms, including Bharatnatayam, as crude, immoral, and barbaric, in spite of its deep-seeded, anceint origins. The devadasis which once were esteemed coutriers inthe highest palaces in India were no longer supported in fears of British reprimanding, These devadasis were forced to take up other jobs, pushing them even lower on the social ladder than before and causing the dance form to almost disappear throughout Southern India by the first quarter of the 20th century.

"In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social reformers under Western influence took advantage of these circumstances, launching an Anti-Nautch campaign to eradicate not only the prostitution that had come to be associated with devadasis, but the art itself, condemning it as a social evil. "

While the art form of Bharatanatyam is thriving in today's India, and even globally, many ideas have not. Pre-colonial ideals of devadasis and court dancers have all but disappeared, and are simply a memory in the great history of the art form. 

Bharatanatyam and Yoga

Past their similarities in cultural background/origin, there are extensive connections between Bharaatanatyam and Yoga which create a dynamic relationship between the two. Skills learned in one can be easily applied to another to harness major improvements. Primarily, Yoga is filled with asanas, or breathing excersizes, which thankfully, enhance important aspects of dance - and especially Bharatanatyam- including balance, spirituality, stamina and flexibility – the four most basic requirements for a dancer. Specifically, a Bharatanatyam can gain serious benefits from Vinyasa Yoga, which incorporates fluid movements in between poses as  a part of the yoga itself. This connectivity and fludity of movement is crucial for success in Bharatanatyam. 

Literarily, Yoga means Union. In this sense, Bharatanatyam itelf is a Yoga. A yoga of Nrittha(Emotion), Natya(Dance), Culture, and Religion. 

In the Anatomic sense, Bharatanatyam has supposedly "Yogic" and benefits. When hands are clasped in Bharatanatyam, in the Mushti Mudra, there is a closed nerve circuit. Hands placed together in "Namaskaram," or prayer,  the cranial nerve circuits are joined. Additionally, numerous Bharatanatyam mudras, includingthe Namaskara and Pataka mudra are found in Yoga, as they interact with the nervous system to evoke certain emotions in the dancer/performer.

Mudras

Mudras in Bharatanatyam are hand gestures which can have an extremely wide variety of meanings. Mudras may simply add to the beauty and form of the dance (Nritta Hastas) or can also have seperate meanings and emphasize expressions. In addition, some mudras are performed with one hand, and are called Asamyuktha Hastas, while mudras performed with two hands, and are usually combinations of Asamyuktha hastas, which are called Samyuktha Hastas- literally "Together" hand positions. Each hand gesture has a specified meaning, known as Viniyoga. The list of names for both Samyuktha and Asamyuktha Hastas are recited in a Shloka, or hymn, which lists all in order to an ancient vedic tune. In addition to the mudra, other aspects, including context and other movements are required to truly gain the entire meaning of a mudra. 

Etymologically, mudra is said to have the sanskrit root of "mud" which is said to mean "to give pelasure or delight in," quite fitting, as without mudras, the aesthetic beauty of Bharatanatyam would be greatly reduced. Since their origin in anceint India, these mudras have been used to "heal" in Vedic religions. Finally, the gestures are said to connect the emotions used in Bharatnatyam with the flow of energy in the art from, communicating ideas and presenting them in a cohesive manner.

The Prime of my Dance Career

The following is a link of one of the most important moments of my dance career - and my life, It is the Mangalam, or end of my Arangetram (essentially a graduation into the advanced levels of classical dance). I had worked for that specific moment for two years, and it is something I will cherish for  a lifetime. It not only represents the culmination of years of hard work, but also represents my ability to delve myself into my culture and heritage and pay homage to my roots. While that moment will never happen again, as I continue my career in dance, I hope to help others reach this moment through my teaching and guidance. An arangetram is awarded to a student after years of hard work and 15-16 dances. All of the skills, mindsets, and emotions that the dancer has felt until then have culminated in a show which is not meant to neesarily showcase the dancers talent, but rather, to set the first block down for a professional dancing career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UncXVmAA4hg&list=PL7DZafbo93afaR7eAQW0R1W6DgtacprXp&index=8

What have I learned from teaching??

Growing up learning Bharatanatyam, I was always taught by the “older” girls. They were a constant source of encouragement, and motivation to do better. Just the fact that someone older was giving me that much attention pushed me to try harder, to delve myself into one of the most culturally complex and deep art forms of Ancient India. Now, as one of those “older” girls, it absolutely feels different from the outside looking in. While I am not the perfect teacher, nor will I ever be, there are many things I have learned from introducing one of the most important art forms and factors of my culture into the lives of young children. I have realized

1.       A love for culture is often learned, not inherent:

a.       Many of the children are forced to be in the class, and start their dance careers with a sense of obligation, rather than want. By introducing Dance to them in a manner which appeals to their excitement, a sense of culture can easily be fostered in the children.

2.       The value of patience:

a.       When working with children, especially between the ages of 5 – 7, it is important to remember that their attention span is VERY arbitrary, and that one should not expect full attention ever. By taking a deep breath and continuing with the lesson – while attempting to make it interesting enough for young children by incorporating games and songs (something that lightens the heavy onslaught of the culture within the dance form) one can push through. The patience I have learned from being a teacher has definitely been applied in other aspects of my life – I have gained a new respect for teachers around me, and I am able to complete work with more efficiency as I drown out distractions.

3.       Someone is always watching:

a.       I remember as a child, I would always watch the older girls and follow exactly what they were doing. Now, as that role model, I attempt to carry myself in a manner similar to what I observed so long ago. I constantly hope and wish that I am making as much of an impact on the lives of the young children as those who taught me had on me.

The Natya Shastra

The book I chose for my project is the Natya Shastra. It is essentially the treatise of Indian Classical Dance, and holds all the rules for the dance form. Originally written between the 1^st century BC and 3^rd Century CE by Bharata Muni, it has codified not only Bharatanatyam, but also all other classical forms of dance in India. The version I am reading is translated by the Royal Asiatic Society in 1944. Although many mistakes have crept into the translation, for a txt that was originally written such a long time ago, it will be able to provide ample information for the ISP.  The text not only covers the core aspects of dance, but also organizes all aspects of staging, including stage-design, makeup, and music (goes into great detail about the instruments and music of the period). Originally written in Sanskrit, it is obvious that it was made solely for an elite, educated audience of Brahmins who also played a large role in religion in Ancient Indian Society. The text has 6000 different slokas (chants) which specify on everything from eye movements to neck movements, and even audience appreciation. These include:

1.     The Mythic Creation of Theatre

2.     Theatre Buildings

3.     Religious Rituals

4.     Dance

5.     Pre-Show Activity

6.     Rasa

7.     Bhavas

8.     Acting: Head and Face

9.     Acting: Hands and Limbs, pt. 1

10.   Acting: Hands and Limbs, pt. 2

11.   Stage Movement: Steps

12.   Stage Movement: Combinations of Steps

13.   Stage Movement: Gaits

14.   Areas of the Stage and Styles of Plays

15.   Voice

16.   Meter

17.   Poetic Figures

18.   Languages, pt. 1

19.   Languages, pt. 2

20.   Types of Plays

21.   Plot

22.   Mood

23.   Costume

24.   Acting: Imitation and Representation

25.   Acting: Characterization

26.   Gesture

27.   Success of a Production

28.   Music

29.   Stringed Instruments

30.   Hollow Instruments

31.   Tala (Drumming Rhythms)

32.   Songs

33.   Drums

34.   Character Categories

35.   Roles

36.   The Theatre Myth

As my presentation is on Classical Dance and not Ancient Indina Theater as a whole, I will be focusing mostly on chapters 4 – 13.  

Adavus, The Building Blocks

Adavus are he baby steps of Bharatanatyam. Any bharatanatyam dancer, at any level, is still connected by these basic steps that are drilled into muscles, from day one up until the professional level. While Adavus may just seem like the building blocks, the single steps that go into the graceful dances which make up Bharatanatyam, there is a specific, scientific reason behind these movements. Adavus are a combination of four formulaic positions. The sthanakam, or the position of the legs, the mandalam, or the body posture, chari, or the walking manner, and nritta hasta, or hand gestures. When all four are completed in complete unity, the perfect adavu is formed. This being said, there is still more codification that goes into the formation of adavus. There are ten types of adavus, each with a certain movement that they are based off of. These types are:

1.       Tatta Adavu (Tapping Step)

2.      Natta Adavu (Stretching Step)

3.      Visharu Adavu  (Intense Hand Movements)

4.      Mett Adavu (Heel Steps)

5.       Tirumanam Adavu (Concluding Steps)

6.      Murka Adavu (Turning Steps)

7.       Jati Adavu (Steps that bring of out Thaalam, or beat)

8.      Kuditamitta Adavu (Jumping on the toes, Striking the heels)

9.      Mandi Adavu (Fully Bent Knee Steps)

10.   Sarikal Adavu (Sliding Steps)

All students are expected to learn adavus before learning any dance, or any combination. This is to develop flexibility in initial stages, rather than struggling with steps later, to form the correct posture, to build up stamina, build up musicality, and be aware of the body.