Bharatanatyam Abhinaya - Demonstration & Recital Videos - 2 DVD Instructions & Performance
This Bharatanatyam Abhinayam 2 DVD pack unfolds the aesthetics and applications of Abhinaya, an exciting component of Bharatanatyam, the Indian classical dance. It provides interesting insights into Angika, Vachika, Aharya and Satvika Abhinayas besides a fine exposition of its fresh and fascinating aspects like Loka Dharmi, Natya Dharmi, Bhavas, Rasas, Sanchaaris- to name a few.
Presented by ‘Nrithya Choodamani’ Priyadarsini Govind, the distinguished Bharatanatyam Dancer and packed with lively line-to-line demonstrations of lyrics by young Bharatanatyam students, it attempts to provide a comprehensive view of Abhinaya.
Further value additions come in the form of a typical bharatanatyam classroom session where the Guru (teacher) and the disciples have a one-to-one discussion on the significance and subtleties of Abhinaya. And what’s more, you have Smt. Kalanidhi Naryanan, an authority on Abinaya sharing her rich expertise with the viewers.
The ‘Recital’ DVD is a collage of seven dazzling Bharatanatyam demos by Priyadarsini Govind and her disciple set to lilting compositions by eminent lyricists.

Bharatanatyam Abhinaya - Recital
This DVD presents a collage of 7 dazzling demos by ‘Nrithya Choodamani’ Priyadarsini Govind, the distinguished danseuse and her disciple set to some lilting compositions by eminent lyricists.
Each item is introduced by the danseuse herself detailing its significance, subtleties and the meaning of the lyrics so that the viewer gains a comprehensive view of Abhinaya.
An ideal learning tool for the serious students of Bharatanatyam as well as a collector’s item for connoisseurs.

Bharatanatyam Invocatory Items
Demonstration & Recital of Pushpanjali & Alarippu, Kavuthuvam & Thodayamangalam, Mallari

This twin DVD Pack unfolds the aesthetics and applications of invocatory items in Bharatanatyam, an ageless dance form of India known for its beauty and variegated splendour; it treats the viewer to some fresh and fascinating aspects of Pushpanjali & Alarippu, Kavuthuvam & Thodayamangalam, Mallari backed by a neat, learner-friendly format.

This product contains one DVD and one Audio CD.
About the DVD
The adavu demonstrations in this DVD are based on distinctive Adavu styles as mandated by the two well-known schools namely

• Kalakshetra

• Vazhuvoor

Here, theory and techniques behind each Adavu are slickly explained & demonstrated by Shajilal (Kalakshetra), Bhargavi Gopalan (disciple of Smt. K J Sarasa) and Apoorva Jayaraman (disciple of Smt. Padmini Ravi). These young and vivacious dancers also show variations in Adavu execution that lend the recital the variety and verve.
This DVD, with its form and content, stands as a glorious testimony to the imaginative excellence inherited by these artistes from their respective Gurus.
An ideal learning tool for those serious students of Bharatanatyam.

Demos on:

Bharatanatyam Ashtanayika - Abhisarika

This DVD regales you with a delectable fair of Nayikabhava with an exposition on Ashtanayikas- the heroines categorized by the natyashastras under 8 different heads according to their emotional status.
In an exhaustive and aesthetic manner it presents the mindset, moods, conflicts, cogitations, tempers and tantrums of Abhisarika, the heroine who defies all accepted norms and ventures out to meet her lover at a predetermined place.
The highlight of this product is a classroom session involving Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, ('Maami' to her students), the greatest Abhinaya exponent of our times & a bevy of her senior students comprising Jayanthi Subramaniam, Bragha G Bessell and Ramya Harishankar
'Choodare', a Kshetrayya padam forms the pivot of maami's engaging elucidation of Abhisarika. In a pleasant departure from convention, instead of one, the demo is done by three dancers with each expressing a particular rasa.
In a long, no-holds-barred discussion, the attributes of each nayika are analyzed threadbare by the Guru who compares and contrasts Abhisarika with other nayikas to bring out the subtle differences between them.

The lively and informal student-teacher interaction is marked by enlightening digressions that cover different heroines, different contexts and a host of padams and javalis from the repertoire of well-known composers.

It brings into focus not only the intricacies of ayikabhava, but also the unique teaching methodology of Kalanidhi maami and the intensity of Guru-Sishya relationship which is the cornerstone of our culture.
Maami provides some practical tips for teachers and also students at different levels- beginners, those reasonably well-trained and foreign students who are not very familiar with our cultural milieu.
There is a wealth of information on how to approach the composition, understand its meaning and the mood it portrays before actually getting down to performance.

Bharatanatyam Ashtanayika - Kalahantarita

This DVD regales you with a delectable fair of Nayikabhava with an exposition on Ashtanayikas- the heroines categorized by the natyashastras under 8 different heads according to their emotional status.
In an exhaustive and aesthetic manner it presents the mindset, moods, conflicts, cogitations, tempers and tantrums of Kalahantarita, the heroine who defies all accepted norms and ventures out to meet her lover at a predetermined place.
The highlight of this product is a classroom session involving Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, ('Maami' to her students), the greatest Abhinaya exponent of our times & Jayanthi Subramaniam, her distinguished disciple.
'Maanini Vinavey', a padam by Karveti Nagar Govindaswamy forms the pivot of maami's engaging elucidation of Kalahantarita. Then follows a sprightly demo of this padam by Jayanthi Subramaniam.
In a long, no-holds-barred discussion, the attributes of each nayika are analyzed threadbare by the Guru who compares and contrasts Abhisarika with other nayikas to bring out the subtle differences between them.

The lively and informal student-teacher interaction is marked by enlightening digressions that cover different heroines, different contexts and a host of padams and javalis from the repertoire of well-known composers.

It brings into focus not only the intricacies of ayikabhava, but also the unique teaching methodology of Kalanidhi maami and the intensity of Guru-Sishya relationship which is the cornerstone of our culture.

Maami provides some practical tips for teachers and also students at different levels- beginners, those reasonably well-trained and foreign students who are not very familiar with our cultural milieu.
There is a wealth of information on how to approach the composition, understand its meaning and the mood it portrays before actually getting down to performance.