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.