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Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam, a theatrical dance form, combines two distinct modes of expression - abhinaya or dramatic representation where facial expressions and hand gestures are used to communicate ideas; and Nritta or pure and abstract physical movement.
Actual movement materials have been our starting paradigm in our attempt to unearth information about the principles and processes that govern Nritta. Our primary area of investigation was the nature of movement in space, its form, quality and dynamics. In Bharatanatyam, however, the dancer not only defines physical space with his/her movement, he/she also generates temporal spaces. In executing movements, his/her body performs dual functions by creating imaginary spaces, volumes and images beyond the confines of his/her empirical body, and generating the cyclical rhythmic structure into which they are woven. Further, the cultural memory, emotional associations and inner imagery contribute to the formation of a movement, the way it is executed and received. In this section we try to provide suggestions and indications of these complex processes through the explanations by the masters from their experience, thus locating the knowledge in the realm of practice.
The material in this section has been collated from the works and words of the masters featured in it including C.V. Chandrashekhar, Leela Samson, V.P. Dhananjayan and Shanta Dhananjayan. These artists are eminent practitioners and teachers of the Kalakshetra style whose works represent the ever-evolving nature of the form.
Units of Nritta:
Adavu is a unit of body movement that forms the basic component of Bharatanatyam. Korvai is a sequence of movement created by combining Adavus, the format in which Nritta is generally presented. While some of the Korvais are old choreographies from Kalakshetra School, others have been choreographed by the masters featured in this section. In the case of the latter, the Korvais have been classified according to the primary intention of the piece as explained by its choreographer. A third section – Explanation – contains information about the Adavus and Korvais, technique, their execution, emotional quality of the movement, and its choreographic intention. Context is an attempt to suggest underlying principles that govern the construction of Nritta as extracted from the movement material, and to situate it in the larger framework of performance and pedagogy of the style.
The research project on Bharatanatyam was supported by Daniel Langlois Foundation and the Goethe Institute / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore
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