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Technique and Gramar

Technique and Grammar of Bharatanatyam Bharatanatyam, like all classical dances, has a very evolved technique and grammar. The human body, like in all Indian dance, is regarded as a mass which can be divided into equal parts, if one were to imagine a line running vertically down the centre from head to toe.

The Bhangas or the Body Postures

Moving away from, and towards this central axis would determine all movement. There are different ways of controlling body weight.

Sama-bhanga	Abhanga	Ati-bhanga	Tri-bhanga
When one puts both feet on the floor with weight balanced on both feet equally	When the weight is more on one foot with a slight movement or deflection away from the centre	When head, torso and limbs move in directions opposed to each other	When there is an extreme deflection away from the center with a strong hip bend

In Bharatanatyam, as in most Indian dance, the body weight is pressed down to the floor, unlike ballet where one raises body weight above the floor to create a light feeling. It is always the joints which dictate movement in Bharatanatyam. The muscles follow where the joints lead. The neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, waist, knee and ankle joints are all involved and when one moves a joint, the movement that emerges makes a clear line.

The body is conceived in three units in all movements. The head forms the first unit and lateral movements of the head with the neck joints are common. The torso is treated as the second unit and is hardly ever broken up into the upper or the lower torso. The limbs (both upper and lower) form the third unit. The upper limbs (hands) follow the lower limbs and weave circles and lines in space.

Arai-Mandi - It's Definition and Role

While standing in the sampada stance, the body is erect and is neither loosely relaxed nor too tautly held. Then one turns the feet sideways and squats in a knee bend or 'plie' with both knees turned outwards. This stance is called Arai-mandi or Ardha-mandali, if one uses the classical Sanskrit term. This is the most important stance in the dance and takes long hours of practice to master. The general tendency is for the person to turn the knee forwards without opening out the stance fully, thereby making the back jut out and the body to bend forward in an awkward stance. This flaw, if not corrected in the formative years, becomes a part of the dancer and distorts the dance movement. In Bharata Natyam, the body is constantly achieving a series of triangles in space. This is the most significant stylistic feature of this dance form.

How one uses the feet is very important. The foot stamping the floor with weight equally placed on the entire foot is called tattu. One also establishes ground contact with just the heel, and the rest of the foot raised, or with just the toes with the heels raised.

Adavus - Their Classification

A whole unit of movement where feet, knee, torso, arms and hands move in a coordinated pattern called an 'adavu'. These 'adavus' form the basis for the grammar and technique in Bharata Natyam and they have to be learnt as a seried of exercises throughout the first year of training. Only after these are mastered can the dancer learn full-fledged items of dance. All the adavus are symmetrical with movements repeated on both sides of the body. Each adavu is set to certain mnemonics, or rhythmical syllables which are sounds with no meaning, but when recited are allocated with certain movements

• The first adavu is called Tattadavu where the dancer in the arai-mandi position stamps the floor with both feet, the right foot alternating with the left foot. These movements are done to various beats and tempi or speeds. They rhythmic syllables for this adavu are Tei ya tei ye.
• The next group of adavus called Nattadavu have the rhythmic syllables Tei yum tat tat tei yum ta ha. This category has several types of movements and is characterized by one leg being extended while the other remains flexed in the arai-mandi position.
• The third category of adavu Tat tai taam is a combination of flat feet and slight jump on toes. Hand movements for this can be of various types.
• The next group is the toe-heel rhythm called Tatti-Mettu adavu executed in the arai-mandi position. This again, is executed to different beats.
• Sarukkal adavu is when the foot slips on the floor to a full stretch. The rhythmic syllables are Tat tai ta ha dhi tai ta ha.
• The adavu which gives prominence to the knees is called Mandi adavu set to the syllables Tai yum tat tat tei yum tam. The knees (or knee) touch(es) the ground in this adavu.
• Paichchal adavu gets it's name from the word 'jumping' for which the Tamil equivalent is paichchal. The movement involves a jump or a leap. The rhythmic syllables for this adavu are Tat dhi taka naka jhum tari kita taka.
• Sutral adavu involves a whirl or a pirouette.
• Kuditta-Mettu adavu done to the Taiha tai hi syllables involves a short jump with both feet simultaneously. This adavu is done in the mandala posture.

Then there are also korvai adavus and adavus which are used as complete units in various dances. It is important to remember that adavus differ from tradition to tradition. Some schools of Bharatanatyam use more of some adavus and less of others as the convention goes.

Teermanams and Sollus

When several 'adavus' are strung together to make a sustained dance sequence, it is called a 'teermanam'. In Bharatanatyam, teermanams have the rhythmic syllables (called 'sollu') recited by the conductor as (s)he wields the cymbals. (S)he forms a very important part of the accompaniment for the dance. Usually the Guru recites the 'sollus'. but one can also have a specialist in Nattuvangam (art of recitation of teermanams) playing the role. This is a highly specialized aspect of the dance.

Nritta, Nritya and Abhinaya

Bharatanatyam has two broad classifications called 'Nritta' and 'Nritya'.

Nritta	Nritya	Abhinaya
Dance numbers or 'Nritta' items are purely decorative and they exhibit the beauty of form, grammar and technique in the dance. Here rhythm and movement are ends in themselves and there is no thematic element involved. It is what is technically known as 'pure dance'.	'Nritya' items on the other hand are built around a theme and the dance narration involves intricate hand gestures and facial expressions which help communicate the message to the audience.	This method of conveying the words of the song through mime and hand gestures is called 'Abhinaya'. Abhinaya and Nritta combine to make Nritya. Abhinaya again, a highly specialized part of the dance, comes from the total involvement of the dancer, body and mind.

Hand Gestures and Their Symbolisms

Hand gestures play a very special part in Bharatanatyam, as they do in all the Indian classical dance styles. There is a vocabulary of hand gestures which are called 'hastas'. In the nritta items, hand gestures become just an ornamentation, giving the dance more visual beauty. but in the abhinaya items when the works of the song are interpreted by the dancer through mime, the hands play a major role. Each hasta stands for certain ideas and the language of hastas is so complete that even ideas like father, mother, and other relationships, cardinal directions, sun, moon, a wave, a door opening and closing, can by portrayed. There are special ways, for instance, of depicting the Gods through particular hastas. This highly stylized gestural language has to by mastered by one to be a good dancer.

There are single and double hand hastas. The single had hastas are called 'Asamyuta hastas' and the double hand hastas are called 'Samyuta hastas'. The hastas used for pure dance are called 'Nritta hastas'. 'Nritya hastas' on the other hand are more than purely decorative. Each nritya hand symbol represents certain definite ideas, and these are the gestures used in abhinaya. Refer to appendix II and III for the 'Asamyuta' and 'Samyuta' hastas.

Abhinaya

Abhinaya comprises four basic aspects:
Aangika -Which stands for body movement
Aaharya -Which represents costume, jewelry, make-up, etc.
Vaachika -Which stands for speech, which in Bharatanatyam would refer to the song and its words.
Saattvika -Which is the expression of psychic states associated with emotional conditions.
Each one of these aspects has its contribution to make in abhinaya.

Nava-rasas

With the help of these hand gestures and facial expressions, the dancer creates different moods which are called 'Rasas' which means 'essence or aesthetic joy'. Best described as 'moods', the rasas are categorized under nine heads referred to as Nava (meaning nine) rasas. They are tabled below.

Sringara Love	Hasya Humour	Karunya Pity, compassion, sorrow
Raudra Anger	Veera Valour, heroism	Bhayanaka Fear
Bheebhasta Disdain, revulsion	Arbhuta Wonder	Shanta Tranquility, calm, peace

"Yatho hastha tatho drishti, Yatho drishti tatho manaha, Yatho mansa tatho bhavo, Yatho bhavas tatho rasaha"

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