Bharata Natyam is a classical dance style that combines rhythmic footwork with mimetic storytelling to bring to life the rich mythology and enduring spirituality of ancient India.  Originating as part of the rites of worship in Hindu temples in south India over 2,000 years ago, the art was handed down as a living tradition from generation to generation under the Devadasi system, where women were dedicated to temples to serve the deity as dancers and musicians through elaborate rituals and spiritual practices.
 
As social changes came to India, through foreign influences and the passage of time, the system shifted, drawing resources away from the temple and undermining the ability of the temples to support the artists who had served the gods for millennia.  In the early twentieth century, temple dances were resurrected on the concert stage.  Bharata Natyam has since become the most popular classical dance style in India and the best known outside of India.

A performance of Bharata Natyam is an unforgettable experience.  The dancer, accompanied by melodious singing, stomps out intricate rhythms with ankle bells upon her feet.  Eyes lined in kohl reveal a kaleidoscope of mood and feeling, while her hands, with fingertips dipped in red, tell stories of heavenly beings, conveying themes about the human condition that are as relevant today as when the art form was first created thousands of years ago.  Adorned in gold-brocaded silk and ornate jewelry, the Bharata Natyam dancer becomes poetry in motion and a vehicle for the experience and expression of ecstatic grace.

View information about Ananda Natya School of Indian Dance, Ananda Natya Dance Company, and classes.

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