Bharatanatyam styles - what's the difference in technique?

Answer 1

Styles of Bharatanatyam

Bharata-natyam styles that are over 150 years old are not many. The best-known among these are:

• Melattur
• Pandanallur
• Vazhuvoor (or Vizhuvur)
• Thanjavoor (or Tanjore)
• Mysore
• Kanchipooram

The distinctive characteristics of the Melattur style of Bharatnatyam are:

• the feet are not stamped hard against the floor
• a complex variety of sounds are produced by anklets
• the items that were dedicated to medieval kings or patrons are not performed
• predominantly Vaakyartha abhinaya
• natural (spontaneous) and highly expressive abhinaya
• wide amplitude of movements
• emphasis on sringara bhakti
• emphasis on crisp adavus, accuracy of jathis / gathis,
• fluid variations of patterned korvais
• dramatic elements (characterisation) Bharata natyam
• bharatanatyam
• original methods of application of principles of "loka dharmi" and "natya dharmi"

The Pandanallur style of Bharata-natyam stresses:

• its deep sitting positions
• predominantly Padartha abhinaya
• its lasya (feminine dance style) of padams is rather slow and difficult to perform
• it is performed on three levels: in deep sitting positions, on the ground, in standing positions and while moving or jumping.

The Vazhuvoor style of Bharata natyam includes:

• wide range of dancing pace
• static postures are inserted, most often in the tillana, to break the monotony and to add the variety of rhythms
• softer facial abhinaya
• abhinaya is subtle with more natyadharmi (spontaneous expressions), so the presentation is not "overdone"
• the adavu's flow smoothly, with rare abrupt movements
• extremely elaborate movements
• deep sitting positions
• variety of positions on the floor
• rich sringar elements
• lasya dominates tandava
• the dancer's body from the waist up is stlightly bent forward
• leaps are introduced into every jati
• the jati's have more korvais (intervals), which creates a suspense effect
• performance begins with a Thodaya mangalam in honour of Lord Gnana Sabesar of Vazhuvoor
• the dancer starts the performance while entering the stage from the wings

The modern Kalakshetra style is a simplified form based on Pandanallur and, to some extent, Thanjavoor bani, as well as the European Ballet. It is specifically suited for group performances, unlike other styles that are focussed on the solo. Kalakshetra's salient features are:

• minimal lasya and a virtual absence of recaka-s
• avoidance of the sringara-specific movements of the neck, torso, hips, etc.
• movements are angular, linear, clear-cut and sharp, with a larger amplitude than in the Pandanallur style
• predominantly Padartha abhinaya
• minimal nritya (e.g. as in the Pandanallur style, the dancer mostly walks around the stage and gesticulates rather than dances)
• stiff and controlled movements without akshepa (graceful throw of limbs)
• the themes are dedicated to modern social, economic and political issues
• easier to learn for western ballet dancers

The Balasaraswati style, although derived from the authentic devadasi traditions, was still a relatively recent introduction. Note that, most recently, Dr.Padma Subramaniam's school, claiming to be the one which is the most faithfully reflects the techniques described in Natya Shastra, is called Bharatanrityam .

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Source: http://bharatanatyam.co.uk/bharatanatyam.html