CBSE Class 11 Bharatanatyam Dance (code 057)
Chapters: 2
1. Bharatanatyam Theory
History · Themes · Repertoire and features
- Indian Classical Dance – Indian classical dance grew from ideas written in the Natya Shastra (by Bharata, about 2,000 years old) and the Abhinaya Darpana (by Nandikeshvara). Every form mixes three parts: nritta (pure rhythm), nritya (dance with feeling) and natya (drama). Eight forms are widely recognised: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya. Dancers express through four kinds of abhinaya (angika, vachika, aharya, sattvika) so that the audience feels one of nine rasas.
2. Bharatanatyam Practical
Basics · Adavus and items
- Classical Dance Technique – Good classical technique rests on five things: a stable base posture (samapada, aramandi/mandala, chauk), clear body lines (such as tribhanga), clean footwork kept in time at single, double and quadruple speed, a firm sense of tala (the beat cycle, with sam and khali), and precise hand gestures (hastas). Warm-up, eye and neck exercises, turns (chakkar, bhramari) and safe practice tie it all together.
- Adavus and Items in Bharatanatyam – An adavu is the basic unit of Bharatanatyam: a set body position, footwork and hand movement done to rhythm syllables (sollukattu). Most adavus are danced in aramandi (half-sitting). Tattadavu strikes the floor; nattadavu stretches the heel. Each is practised in three speeds (1, 2 and 4 steps per beat). Adavus join into korvais (patterns that land on the first beat), and korvais build items such as alarippu (in tisra eka, 3 beats), jatiswaram and tillana. Adi tala (8 beats) and rupaka tala (6 beats) are kept with claps, finger counts and waves.