Bharathanatyam History…

Bharatanatyam is one of the eight classical dance styles of India and versions of the art form have been nurtured in the courts and Temples of Southern India starting in the ancient Vedic civilizations. The art was handed down as a living tradition from generation to generation under the Devadasi system under which women were dedicated to temples to serve the deity as dancers and musicians forming part of the elaborate rituals. These highly talented artists and the male gurus (Nattuvanars) were the sole repository of the art until the early 20th century when a renewal of interest in India’s cultural heritage prompted the educated elite to discover its beauty.

The art form was officially codified and documented as a performing art in the 19th century by four brothers known as the Tanjore Quartet whose musical compositions for dance form the bulk of the Bharata Natyam repertoire today.

Bharathanatyam has become a universal art form that is practiced and performed all over the world and has the ability to diverse stories from a multitude of backgrounds.