Bharatanatyam is a South Indian classical dance form. It traces its roots to the temples of ancient India and has been passed down through several centuries by different gurus to their students. There are 2 main elements in Bharatanatyam. The first is pure dance (Nrita). Dancers use hand gestures with Sanskrit names and postures. Nrita combines hand gestures with footwork to form patterns of movement that are decorative and beautiful, though they do not communicate any story. The second is expressive dance (Nritya), where we interpret the lyrics of songs using hand gestures, facial expressions, and body movements.
Bollywood dance is a colorful and theatrical modern dance form seen in Indian films. It often uses both classical dance forms and western forms of dance such as hip hop, flamenco, and jazz.
I have been dancing since age 5, when I started Bollywood dance. I began to learn Bharatanatyam when I was 8 years old. I have enjoyed performing dance at Indian holidays, volunteer organizations, temples, or at family weddings.
Dance gives me joy and keeps me active!
