Adding muscle to Bharatanatyam | How classical dancers are taking up strength training to improve their performance
The HinduFor nearly a year leading up to her performance at The Music Academy’s Dance Festival last month, Medha Hari split her time between the dance studio, learning with her guru, and strength training with Adarsh Gopalakrishnan. Bharatanatyam dancers are increasingly incorporating strength training into their practice Changing up the routine Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest dance forms of India. “But when I look back, I suppose there was a natural, intuitive body intelligence I danced with that saved me on rigorous practice days.” It is only recently that she’s taken a leaf from the younger generation and incorporated strength training into her dance lifestyle, recognising how it can can hone the body and improve joint health. “When I was a student, the concept of a warm-up didn’t exist,” states Anita Ratnam, 69, Chennai-based Bharatanatyam and contemporary dancer, and founder of dance portal Narthaki. “I have worked with over a 1,000 dancers from across dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, and even Mohiniyattam over the last four years,” he says.
History of this topic
From academia to arangetram, Lalitha Anand’s inspiring dance debut at 57
The Hindu
From Bharatnatyam to Ballet: The Divine Role of Yoga in Indian Classical Dance
News 18
A handbook on the nuances of Bharatanatyam
The Hindu
Famous traditional dance forms of India you should know about
Hindustan Times)
One life is not enough to fully understand Bharatanatyam: Geeta Chandran
Firstpost
Bharatanatyam as a career: What all it takes to become a Bharatanatyam dancer
India Today)
Know Your Classical Dances: How Bharatnatyam, rooted in temple dances of Devdasis, contributes to nation's sociopolitical climate
FirstpostDiscover Related
)
