Bhava-emotion, Raga-melody, Thala-rhythm, Natyam -dance

Bharathnatyam, aptly called “the dance of the body and soul” evolved in South India  around 200BC. The roots of Bharathnatyam trace back to a 2400 years old book “The Natya Shastra”. Natya shastra is a set of rules on the performance of dance, music and theatre. Natyashastra laid the foundation of all fine arts in India.

Different Bharathanatyam styles evolved based on the Gurus and their cities. The most visible styles of Bharathanatyam are: Mysore Style, Kalakshetra Style,Pandanallur Style and the Tanjore Style. The styles are classified based on variations in movement vocabulary and teaching methodologies. The Pandanallur style is especially renowned for its masterpieces in choreography.Smt Sneha teaches in the Pandanallur style.

The complex art of Bharatanatyam involves years of hardwork, discipline and dedication. Bharatanatyam combines three aspects of dance : Nritta, Nritya, and Natya.

Nritta is a combination of vigorous, complicated rythmic footwork in the traditional half squat position along with symmetrical hand movements to enhance the beauty of the dance. Nritta is something to be seen and heard. It is simply the beauty of the movement for the eye of the beholder.

Nritya is the combination of Nritta and expression. The art of expression is called Abhinaya. The study and practice of 'Nava Rasa' is an important aspect of learning Abhinaya' in Bharatanatyam.

Natya is a drama where the dancer portrays a story or a tale through mime and facial expressions. Natya uses spoken words, expressions and actions to articulate the elements of drama.

Another distinctive feature of Bharata Natyam Dance is the use of expressive hand gestures "Hastha mudras", as a way of communication.

Bharathanatyam  is a form of artistic yoga, which synchronizes the inner biorhythms with the movements of the body. Researchers have discovered that Bharatanatyam significantly improves one's ability to control the mind. Practicing Bharathanatyam achieves distinct positive effects on both mental and physical body.