Bharatanatyam

Bharatanatyam finds its roots in the ancient temples of Tamilnadu, South of India. It is one of the oldest classical dance forms of India. The name is derived from the four components of dance in Sanskrit: "bha" from bhava meaning emotion, "ra" from raga meaning melody, "ta" from thala meaning rhythm, and "Natya" meaning dance.

Bharatanatyam finds its origins in the Natya Shastra, accredited to Sage Bharata Muni. It comprises of Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (expressive dance), and Natya (dance drama).

Bharatanatyam combines the essence of sculpture, theatre, literature, music, drama and poetry. The dance form is characterized by accurate and powerful footwork, sharp hand gestures with eloquent eye movements. It is an ensemble consisting of the Guru, singer, instrumentalists and the performer who perform on the stage. The stage is considered a sacred place, and the dancer portrays stories from Hindu mythology and other poetry.

Arangetram

Arangetram is the debut on-stage performance of a Bharatanatyam student after years of training. Arangetram is derived from the Tamil words "Arangu" which means "stage" and "Etram" means "ascending". It is symbolic of reaching a level of technical understanding and emotional maturity. This first performance follows years of training and once the time has come for a disciple, the Guru presents her student to the audience, marking the completion of the "margam". This artistic performance is the culmination of many years of dedicated hard work by both student and the Guru and is very first formal presentation of the student.

The Arangetram Margam or repertoire was designed by the Tanjore Quartet in the early 19th century. Establishing a fixed structure, the Tanjore brothers formalized the performance pattern of Bharatanatyam and arranged adavus (basic steps and the different categories of rhythm patterns that comprise the dance). It shows the growth of an dancer's skills, as it progresses from basic steps to complex movements and elaborate expressions.