How to Dance the Bharanthanatyam

Namaskar

• Before starting out with your sessions, do the NAMASKAR. Here the dancer bows down in respect to the following:
• Musicians
• Stage
• God
• Guru
• Audience

Adavu* Bharatanatyam blogger Shreenidhi has a posting on Adavu positions. The basic positions described are:

• ARAIMANDI– Half Seated Position.
• SAMAPADAM – Legs Together
• MANDI– Full Seated Position

Hand gestures

• Gestures are not new since you use them in your day to day activities. Take some time and think of what gesture you would use for following situations:
• To call a person
• To point at an object
• To show drinking
• Denote a snake

Tatta adavu

• The word Tatta literally means “to tap”. In this adavu, we are taught the Bharatanatyam way of leg tapping. This adavu involves only the use of legs unlike most other adavus.
• As described in earlier post “More about Adavus”, every adavu has a Bol or syllable. The Bol is used to provide a rhythm for the steps (like 1-2, 1-2-3 etc.) and also acts as a mnemonic for the steps. The Bol for Tatta adavu is “tai ya tai hi”.

Natta adavu

• “Natta” means to stretch and so the Adavu involves some stretching compared to the Tatta Adavuwe explored earlier. And compared to Tatta Adavu, the Natta adavu involves heel contacts of the feet. Thus word “Nattu” in Tamil is also referred to “Perching of heels”. So get ready for some stretching and synchronization of hands and legs! 
• The bols (sollukattu) for this Adavu is “tai yum tat ta tai hi ya ha”. You would see that the basic leg postures used in this Adavu is Ardhamandal and Alidha. Ardhamandal was used in Tatta Adavu and we will see the Alidha postures in the explanation for this Adavu.

Visharu adavu

• Visharu Adavu involves swinging of hands in different directions ie sideways, up and down. Leg movements are simple and straight in one line. A Concept of shoulder pulls is also introduced later here. This Adavu is also called as Mardita adavu or Paraval adavu. The mudras used are Alapadma, katakamukha, Tripataka and Pataka. The sollukettu or Bols for this adavu is Ta Tai Tai Ta Dhit Tai Tai Ta.

TattiMetti adavu ” means a heel contact with the floor. For Metti one must first be on the toes (either a jump on the toes or just striking a toe) and then flatten the feet while the toes are already firm on the ground. TattiMetti is one of the most important adavus and these steps are often used in Jatiswarams and Tillanas. The sollukettu is Tat Tai Ta Ha Dhit Tai Ta Ha

Teermanam adavu Dhit Dhit Tai. Some schools also use Gi Na Tom .

• Teermanam means to conclude or an ending or a final stage. Thus the steps in these adavus are used to end a dance sequence or jathis. It is done in a set of three steps or repeated thrice. Most of the time these steps are performed in the fast pace ie Dhruta kala. The bols or the syllables of this adavu is

Tai Ya Tai Hi or Tai Ya Tai Ya Tai Hi Tai Hi.

• Sarikal adavu Sarikal means to slide. Here as one foot is lifted and placed the another foot slides towards it. Then the feet takes the Anchita position where the feet rests on the heel. This position is also called as Tadittam. Then both the feet tap together with a slight jump. Bols (syllables or sollukettu) of the Adavu is