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.