The Elements

---

All Bharatanatyam dances are performed  in front of Lord Nataraja statues. All performances begin with a prayer  and initial steps marking respect to Lord Nataraja.

Bharatanatyam performers masster various facial expressions such as  joy, surprise, anger, grief, love etc which aid in the  communication of the story during the performances. 

Hand gestures and forming of different shapes by finger movements make an important part of Bharatanatyam.

Bharatanatyam performance is done in sync with soulful Carnatic music. Thalas represent eight rhythmic intervals and are usually rhyme with muvvalu.

Bharatanatya dance performance  includes carefully choreographed and well rehearsed dance performances  that utilizes all of stage space, showcasing  body maneuvers and  dance steps.

Bharatanatya performers (females) wear  silk sarees, along with  ornaments, jewelry and metallic bells on their ankles. The sarees are worn in a unique style so as to reveal creative patterns as dancers  perform various moves.

Bharatanatyam is performed both by male  and female artists.  Young girls begin to learn Bharatanatyam at an early age and gain  adequate experience and confidence to perform on large stages after  years of practice under expert Gurus. 

Bharatanathyam can be performed in a larger group or as solo performances. The sync between performers showcases the artistic flow of the story descriptions.