BHARATANATYAM - A Yogic Dance Form

Dance, Music and Theatre arts hold a significant position in the records of Indian culture. According to Indian Mythology, it is believed that all of these art forms had a sacred origin and Bharatanatyam is not an exception. 

The legend of the art has its birth from Thanjavor of Tamil Nadu, situated in the South of India. The art form has attained its inspiration from the sculpture of Natraja, lord of the dance and the one representing the entire energy in the universe situated at the Chidambaram temple.

History and the Technique:

Famous as Bharatanatyam today, this dance form was previously called as "Koothu" in ancient India. It was exclusively practised by temple dancers (devadasi), which later spread across the royal court giving birth to the "Rajanartaki tradition".

Bharatanatyam dance is a seamless blend of 'Natya' (dramatic element), 'Nritta' (rhythmic elements) and 'Nritya' (combination of rhythm with expression -'Abhinaya'), which are exhibited by a zealous dancer. 

Elegant techniques underlying the Bharatanatyam Dance were reconstructed by four brothers named as the Tanjavor quartet and accomplished the art form as a manifestation of music in its visual form.

A Bharatanatyam Recital:

It is often said that Bharatanatyam dance recital is structured like a great temple. The outer hall of a temple through which we enter is compared to 'Alarippu', followed by the half-way-hall and the great hall - 'Jatiswaram and Shabdam'. Now our next move will be towards the holy precinct of the deity and it is explained by 'Varnam', which gives enough scope to the dancer to delight her self in fulfillment  Containment of the sanctum continues with the 'Padam'. The final excitement of the devotional verse breaks in with the din and bustle of 'Tillana'.

One of the most exciting aspect about this classical dance form is its purity and tenderness followed by several awestruck sculpturesque poses. This form of dance carries along with it the rich mythological heritage of India.  

Bharatanatyam and Yoga:

Bharatanatyam is often referred to as artistic yoga, because of its exquisite technique. This divine art form is known to create an individual into a complete human as it inculcates positive energy. This is because, it shapes the body, adding grace to the individual’s physical appearance and improves the mental ability by sensitizing the mind and making it alert. 
According to "NatyaShashtra", a treatise on performing arts written by sage Bharata, many facets of this Indian dance form shares similarities with the Yoga.
An association of the dynamic activity of Dance and static activity of Yoga together benefits its practitioners by helping them develop,

1. Discipline: Practicing any divine form demands discipline. Both Yoga and Bharatanatyam emphasizes on determination and dedication towards learning, which often is a secret of success.  
2. Strength, Balance and Concentration: Diverse yogic forms and Bharatanatyam are known to improve mental abilities of an individual. They bring in the ability to concentrate by strengthening the mind and improving both physical and mental balance. 
3. Stamina and Endurance: These divine arts are known to improve the stamina and endurance of an individual. They will not only improve the ability of an individual to remain active for a longer duration but will also slow down the process of ageing.
4. Relaxation and Right attitude: Regular practice of Yoga and dance would reduce the levels of physical, mental and emotional stress. They stabilize the mind and help us develop a right thought - action - reaction and finally a right attitude.

Finally they both help us find the right path to lead our lives enjoy a dignified, joyful and a beautiful life filled with health and happiness.