BHARATANATYAM

• One of the 8 classical dances of India 
• Is one of the most popular & widely performed dance styles & is practiced by male & female dancers all over the world, although it is more commonly danced by women 
• Is known for its grace, purity, tenderness, expression & sculpturesque poses 
• Originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu 
• Lord Shiva is considered the God of this dance form, often seen as Nataraja 
• The name Bharatanatyam is of relatively recent origin when performers like Rukmini Devi Arundale revived the dance form in the 20th century and set up the Kalakshetra, a renowned dance school in Chennai. 
• The original names of Bharatanatyam were Sadir, Chinnamelan and most commonly Dasi Attam. 
• A possible origin of the name is from Bharata Muni, who described it in his dance treatise, Natya Shastra. 
• The word Bharatanatyam combines ‘bhavam’ meaning expression, ‘ragam’ meaning music, ‘thalam’meaning rhythm & ‘natyam’ meaning dance