BHARATANATYAM

One of the most renown and popular art forms in the whole of India is 'Bharatanatyam'. Originating from the south of India, Bharatanatyam is a style of dance that has a story to tell from the ancient epics written by famous authors from the period of B.C. It is deemed to be one of the most spectacular forms of dance and has lately spread far and wide to large parts of the world. Bharatanatyam, is the style of dance that is traditionally performed in many parts of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu. Being one of the oldest, most treasured forms, Bharatanatyam was initially called 'Sadir' and performed by many solo artists. It was a bit later that it started drawing the attention of many and became the only art form in which people enacted various stories in the form of dance dramas. This tradition, still continues in Tamil Nadu and has gained more popularity than ever. This field of dance has given birth to some of the most mind-blowing artists of today, such as Smt.Anitha Guha, Smt. Leela Samson and several other shining personalities.

Bharatanatyam first came about when a need for entertainment arose when there was no knowledge of technology among the people that lived then. It has grown so many branches, and into one humungous tree since then. Bharatanatyam style is noted for its fixed upper torso, legs bent or knees flexed out combined with spectacular footwork, a sophisticated vocabulary of sign language based on gestures of hands, eyes and face muscles.The dance is accompanied by music and a singer, and typically her guru is present as the director and conductor of the performance and art. An entire set of items learnt together in Bharatanatyam terms is called a 'Margam'. Bharatanatyam is still a dance form that many are in wonder of and some are fortunate enough to learn. It will grow to greater heights and spread across the globe completely, being the most challenging yet beautiful art form there is.
By: Shruti Venkatesh