Bharatha Arangam Dance Institute (Bharatanatyam)

About Bharatha Arangam Dance Institute (Bharatanatyam)

Smt. Premini ( Bremini) Thanan, Founder and Artistic Director of Bharatha Arangam Dance Institute. A motivated dance teacher and an inspired choreographer. She has been teaching bharatanatyam in New York, New Jersey area for over 20 years and has earned the title “Natiya Kala Vithahar” and “ Natiya Kalaamani” . A lifelong student of dance, Premini started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of 4, under Kala Bhushanam Smt. Leela Selvaraja, (Disciple of Shreemathi Rukmini Devi Arundale who was a dancer and choreographer of the Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam and who laid the foundations of the legendary dance school Kalakshetra) and continued her training with NatyaKalaimani Smt. Malini Suresh, Disciple of renowned maestro Erampu Suppiah, who founded the Kalabhavanam Dance School in Kokuvil, Jaffna, Sri Lanka and performed her arangetram in front of a pack of audience at Kalaimanram, Sri Lanka. Premini was amazed at her Guru’s dedication and devotion to the art took to it even during her younger days. Her Guru’s introduced her to the stage very early, she participated in various dance dramas and thematic presentations and took many leading parts and won many dance competitions regionally and National level. After relocating to the USA, Premini had the privilege to continue her post professional training in dance under the eminent Guru Padmashree Adyar K. Lakshman Sir of chennai, who also was one of the foremost disciples of the legendary dance school, Kalakshestra, Founded by Shrimathi Rukmini Devi Arundale and it is natural that Premini imbibed the kalakshetra style of dance. And performed internationally such as Srilanka, India, Europe and most prestigious places in the USA including United Nations Headquarters, New York and Lincoln Center and CMTD, NY (Center for Traditional Music and Dance), And Yale university etc .

Programs

The classes, camps and experiences this business offers.

Beginners

The early stages of training involve learning the basic steps, called adavus, and movements of the dance. These elements are the building blocks for subsequent, more advanced, sequences of dance. The exercises condition the body from the unique postures of Bharatanatyam. They also develop the student’s sense of rhythm. Having a fit and flexible physique allows a student to learn quickly, otherwise the fitness and flexibility will have to be developed over time. Students also learn eye movements, which are done in synchronization with body movements in the dance.

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Intermediates

At the intermediate stage, students learn more advanced steps and complicated patterns of movement. They also learn the names of facial expressions, which are a distinctive feature of Bharatanatyam. The students begin learning some basic dance compositions. The choreography is simple, and there isn’t much expressive content. Examples of these items are the alarippu and jatiswaram. These items may be performed on stage during our annual function.

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Advance

These students learn the remaining dance compositions that make up the repertoire of a full Bharatanatyam recital. Although they may only learn a single instance of some types of items, the repertoire covers all the features of the dance. It includes rhythmic dance, emotional expression, and variety. The items they practice include the shabdam, varnam, padam, kirtanam, ashtapadi, javali, tillana, and shlokam. Advanced students perform Bharatanatyam on stage at various times during the year, to gain experience. They are in preparation for the arangetram, which marks their coming of age as dancers. They need to develop proficiency in all aspects of the dance.

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