Bharatha Natyam is one of the oldest classical dances that originated from Tamil Nadu. Bharatha Natyam is said to be handed down from Devadasis who would perform this ancient art in temples. Dating back to the time when the Natya Shashtra was written, it is said that Bharatha Muni performed Nirutha, Niruthiya and Natya before Lord Shiva ( The Lord of Dance) and thus came the name Bharatha Natyam.
Bharatha Natyam was performed in three different banis ( styles)
Melattur, Pandanallur and Vazhuvoor according to different areas.
Today, through stylisation, three other banis are also practised: Kalakshetra, Mysore and Tanjore.
At Dartford Tamil Knowledge Centre, we follow Kalakshetra Bani, a style full of structured adavus, beautiful abhinaya and intricate footwork. Our examining board is Academy of Fine Arts London.
Academy Of Fine Arts (London)
Public Examination
