Do you remember your first-ever encounter with Bharatanatyam?
Was it through a live performance that you watched during the Thaipusam celebration?
Or was it through cultural events that were organised at your school or university?
Or maybe is it exactly this moment as you are reading this article?
As a Malaysian, you will have many opportunities to understand Bharatanatyam as an iconic classical Indian dance and even learn it as an absolute beginner from experienced tutors while taking dancing lessons.
In this article, we will look at some important keys to learning and mastering Bharatanatyam as an absolute beginner.
What Is The Significances Of Learning Bharatanatyam In Malaysia?
Before you sign up for your first Bharatanatyam lesson, you may want to review your reasons for learning this beautiful cultural dance.
The following points will justify your reasons as you invest your time and energy to master Bharatanatyam from scratch.
Significance 1: Cultural appreciation and learning
Even though Bharatanatyam is mostly associated with the Indian community in Malaysia, you will soon realise that it is taught and practised by many non-Indian dancers too.
Remember, if you are learning this dance as a non-Indian, you are also unknowingly contributing to the acknowledgement, appreciation, promotion, and preservation of Bharatanatyam in a multicultural society.
You also get to meet different Bharatanatyam dancers from various backgrounds too.
Image by Freepik
Significance 2: Abundance of experienced Bharatanatyam tutors
Due to the continuous effort of the Indian community in Malaysia over the years, the legacy of Bharatanatyam has been consistently taught and passed to the next generation.
This phenomenon has led to quite a number of experienced Bharatanatyam teachers and performers in different parts of Malaysia. Not only that, it has also led many establishments of institutions to learn and perform Bharatanatyam such as:
- Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysian Indian Dance Association (MIDA)
- Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center (KLPac) and others
Significance 3: Many performing opportunities regardless of your age
The third significance is strongly related to the first and second points.
In fact, Bharatanatyam is a dance that is frequently performed in many settings, be it during religious events, festive celebrations, cultural performances and even musicals.
From young kids, and young adults to even retirees, everyone can be a Bharatanatyam performer.
Don't forget to check out these ways and resources to become good at Bharatanatyam.
What Will You Learn During Your Beginner's Bharatanatyam Lessons?
Now that you have gained some insights into the significance of learning Bharatanatyam, it's time to look at what to expect from your Bharatanatyam classes.
Attires and etiquettes
The first and foremost thing that your Bharatanatyam tutor will probably cover is your practice attire and the adornments that you might potentially wear for your future lessons.
As Bharatanatyam is a performing art with strong cultural traditions, your tutor will also guide you about the etiquette of approaching this dance with respect and understanding.
Warm-up and basic movements (hands and feet)
Next, your tutor will proceed to do a couple of stretching and warm-up exercises to help your body get ready for the following lessons.
Then, you will be guided on some simple Adavu (footwork) movements, and Mudras (basic hand gestures). Be prepared to repeat these steps for a period of time before your tutor gives you the green light to advance to the next lesson.
Rhythm and beats
How you move alongside the music is also very important as you master Bharatanatyam.
Your tutor will introduce to you the concept of Tala (the cyclic rhythms of beats) to help you move in perfect synchronisation and harmony to the beats as you are dancing every time.
Expressions
Also known as Abhinaya, expressions are a core element to perfect the art of Bharatanatyam.
How you convey the message and emotions of the dance is shown through your facial expressions and how you coordinate your body movements accordingly.
Find out more about the benefits of learning Bharatanatyam.
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What Are The Important Qualities To Be A Good Bharatanatyam Dancer?
Feeling a little overwhelmed and unsure if you have what it takes to be a good Bharatanatyam dancer?
Fret not, we got you covered regarding the three key qualities that enable you to take your Bharatanatyam skill to the next level.
Quality 1: A good foundation in techniques
There is no shortcut to this equation.
You need to have precise movements, balance and expressions on stage to build a strong stage presence as you execute the dance steps for a long period.
Quality 2: Patience and dedication
Remember, behind every effortless performance is an endless amount of practice and repetition. Commitment is the ultimate deciding factor in shaping you to become a great Bharatanatyam dancer.
It's important to be mindful that dancing is an ongoing discovery about yourself and the art. Don't give up when the going is tough. Dedicate your time to refine your skills through practice, learning and feedback from your tutor.
Quality 3: Adaptability, teamwork and flexibility
Bharatanatyam is actually a very dynamic performing art. Over the years, there has been various fusion and modification of different choreographies.
As a good dancer, you should possess the adaptability to learn different choreographies for traditional and contemporary Bharatanatyam pieces. Not only that, there will be occasions where you need to perform solo, with a partner or even in a group.
This is when teamwork comes into the picture. You need to make sure that you are dancing in harmony when it involves a partner or a group. You should not view it as a time to compete to see who is the better dancer but instead, see it as an opportunity to complement one another during each collaboration.
Whenever you feel that there are different opinions arising between you and your team, make sure you discuss it together with your tutor with an open mind to see how to bring the best out of everyone involved.
A good Bharatanatyam dancer ought to be a good multiplayer too.
Explore various Bharatanatyam lessons that you can take according to your learning level and preferences.
Can You Pursue Bharatanatyam Professionally At The Undergraduate Level In Malaysia?
Malaysia is one of few countries that provide an inclusive and comprehensive learning environment for Bharatanatyam at different learning levels.
Whether it is at dancing schools, private tutoring or even performing arts institutes, Bharatanatyam is taught to students of all backgrounds and ages.
For those of you who are interested in pursuing dancing as a future career and are particularly passionate about Bharatanatyam, you can consider enrolling in a Diploma in Dance followed by the Bachelor of Dance at the Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA).
The Bachelor of Dance (Honours) at ASWARA offers two specialisations which are the Bachelor of Dance with Honours (Performance) and Bachelor of Dance with Honours (Choreography).
Under the programme modules, students can choose to major in a variety of traditional dance including Bharatanatyam.
Do take note that the duration of this undergraduate programme is 3 years.
Upon graduation, you can become a full-time performer or start teaching at various educational institutions locally or abroad.
Be inspired as you read about the experiences of these famous Bharatanatyam dancers in Malaysia.
Image by Freepik
How Can You Find An Experienced Bharatanatyam Private Tutor Near You?
You have now looked at the timeline of learning Bharatanatyam that you can experience as a beginner to an advanced learner.
You should know by now that there are endless opportunities and possibilities.
The question now is how to kickstart your Bharatanatyam learning journey well.
You might want to do some research on the nearest dancing academy or ask for some recommendations from your acquaintances who have learnt Bharatanatyam previously.
If you prefer to take personalised and flexible Bharatanatyam lessons, we have the perfect solution for you!
Introducing to you, Superprof!
Superprof is a tutoring platform that connects students with the perfect tutors across a wide range of subjects regardless of their learning level and geographical location.
At Superprof, you can meet tutors who offer lessons at your homes physically or through online tutoring.
To find an experienced Bharatanatyam tutor near you, you just need to key in your current physical location and the subject that you want to learn in the search box of the Superprof Malaysia homepage. Likewise, you can also indicate that your preference for online tutoring in the same section.
You can further refine your search through the filtering tabs in terms of your maximum budget as well as your learning level.
For example, once you have indicated your maximum budget for your lessons (RM50 an hour), you will only be directed to the tutors' profiles that offer their lessons within that range. That way, you can find the perfect tutor that matches your preferences with maximum efficiency in the simplest manner!
Then you can proceed to contact your desired tutor after reviewing their basic information and performing experience. Remember to read through the reviews of their past students (if any) to learn more about their teaching style and methodology.
Have an overview of the basic steps of Bharatanatyam as you prepare for your first lesson with a private tutor at Superprof.
What are you waiting for? Turn your first encounter with Bharatanatyam into a memorable learning experience in just a few steps! Begin your Bharatanatyam learning journey with Superprof today!
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