How to become Bharatanatyam Dancer in India

If Bharatnatyam is your first love, and you are on a discovery to know the right guidance on how to become a Bharatanatyam dancer in India? Read this Shiksha article to get a detailed guide for those who have started their classical dance journey to performing on stage. This article will help you discover proper training, key techniques, and top institutes in India for Bharatnatyam.

How to become a Bharatanatyam Dancer in India

Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical dance forms. Bharatnatyam dance form is the epitome of the most graceful classical dance forms of India and the origin of this dance form is deeply rooted in tradition, storytelling, and spirituality. 

Years of practice, dedication, consistency and love for Bharatnatyam dance form can make your presence as a professional Bharatnatyam dancer go to another level, especially during the performance. Those who are passionate about becoming a Bharatanatyam dancer, the journey usually start with formal training under a professional Bharatanatyam guru or at a reputable dance academy. Most dancers start at an early age, but it is never too late to learn with dedication and proper training. Learning Bharatanatyam involves mastering mudras (hand gestures), adavus (basic steps), abhinaya (expressions), and understanding classical music and rhythm (tala). 

To make a solid career in Bharatanatyam, one must take professional training from a well-informed and trained Bharatanatyam teacher. This will not only help them become a good Bharatnatyam Dancer but also help them develop respect and love for the classical dance form. Students who wish to pursue diploma or degree courses by getting admission to some of the top Bharatnatyam institutes in India that offers a BFA in Dance, it is better to read this entire Shiksha article. 

How to Start Bharatanatyam for Beginners?

Starting Bharatanatyam as a beginner demands the most important thing, and that is to find the right guru. Once you find the guru, you should know that the mastery over this classical dance form can not be achieved by some certification or course; you need to invest years of proper training, regular practice and love to be good at this. If you have set your mindset in this direction, then you can definitely think about enrolling in a certified dance school to study and learn the dance form at the same time, for in-depth knowledge of the classical dance form.

If you are a beginner, it is better to listen to your Guru and focus on learning mudras (hand gestures), adavus (basic steps), and rhythm (tala). If a student is consistent, patient, and wants to be good at learning they will achieve both grace and discipline. With regular practice and proper guidance, anyone dedicated to dancing can start their journey to become a professional Bharatanatyam dancer.

Top Bharatanatyam Institutes in India

Tose who are serious about building a strong foundation in Bharatanatyam, India is a home to some of the best classical dance institutes that offers degree courses, proper training, and varous performance opportunities. These Bharatanatyam schools teach traditional techniques but also help dancers to pursue Bharatanatayam seriously to make a professional career. Check out the top Bharatanatyam institutes in India, and other details.

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Essential Skills for Bharatanatyam Dancers

Here are some of the most important skills a Bharatnatyam Dancer should develop to be professionally good in their art form. 

• Rhythm and timing: Understanding tala (beats) is important to be able to learn precise footwork.
• Graceful body posture: A strong aramandi (half-sitting pose) and balanced movements are some of the important dance elements one needs to focus on.
• Expressive face (Abhinaya): One of the most important things in any dance form, especially classical dance form, is the mastery of showing emotions through eyes, eyebrows, and facial expressions.
• Flexibility and stamina: One can aonly practise and perform complex adavus and long routines if they have the needed stamina and flexibility.
• Hand gestures (Mudras): Mastery over symbolic hand signs is important becaus eit is used in storytelling in Bharatanatayam.
• Discipline and consistency: With regular practice and dedication, one can build long-term growth in Bharatanatyam.

Career Opportunities in Bharatanatyam Dance

Bharatanatyam can not be defined as a traditional Indian dance form because it is a lot more than that, it can be an amazing career for passionate, disciplined, and dedicated artists. Being a Bharatanatyam dancer, one should explore various career options in both the performance and academic fields before sticking to just one way.

Here are some of the pathways to choose from if you wish to become a Bharatanatyam Dancer in India:

Popular Bharatanatyam Exams and Certifications

Here is the list of all the popular exams and certifications one should be aware of, if they are deciding to become a professional Bharatanatyam dancer in India. 

1. State Government Exams (Junior, Senior, Vidwat Levels): This exam is conducted by state boards like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for those dancers who want to achieve official levels for classical dance proficiency.
2. Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad: This certification in Bharatnatyam will help budding classical dancers to get a structured curriculum in Bharatanatyam with diploma and degree-level certifications.
3. Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal (ABGMVM): Students who wish to get a professional degree that is recognized pan India should go for these degrees like Madhyama, Visharad, and Alankar in Bharatanatyam.
4. Kala Kshetra Foundation, Chennai: This diploma and certification program is best for dancers who are aiming for professional training in Bharatnatyam.
5. IGNOU’s Certificate and Diploma in Bharatanatyam: This is a distance learning option for those passionate students who cannot attend classes due to various reasons.
6. Private Dance Schools Exams: One can find such schools in almost every city in India to learn Bharatanatyam. It is better to get admission to some of the reputed institutions that provide certification and have their arangetram assessments as well.

Note: Arangetram is the first performance of a Bharatanatyam student on a public stage after years of training. It serves as a formal sign of a dancer's readiness to perform independently. This is a milestone achieved a students when the guru believes his/her student has mastered the needed skills and is ready to present their art confidently in front of an audience on stage.

With the rise of cultural awareness and demand for traditional arts in India and other countries, pursuing a career as a skilled Bharatanatyam dancer is a great career option. There are various exciting opportunities in cultural organisations, event companies, schools, cultural events, and international festivals to showcase your traditional classical dance form to the world. Many dancers decide to start their dance schools or academies to teach and preserve their dance form. However, there are various Bhaatnatayam Dancers who wish to pursue higher education in Bharatanatayam to become researchers, authors, or professors in universities. The flexibility of freelancing helps Bharatanatyam artists to collaborate with other talented artists, such as visual artists, musicians, and globally renowned artists as well.

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