Modern trends in Bharatha Natyam
Subashini PATHMANATHAN
|
A Bharatha Natyam student |
Indian Classical dances are considered as divine dance forms. Earlier
the Classical dance teachers firmly, adhered to the styles and to the
standards. Most of the classical dance forms adopted the Gurukula
traditions.
Gurukulam means where the students stayed with the traditional Gurus
and served the traditional Gurus, and learned and absorbed the art
forms. These traditional heredity Gurus took the dance classes without
any time limit. They not only taught the art forms, but also gave full
confidence to their students, and taught the nuances of the dances and
encouraged and gave them full confidence along with the dance training.
Selective forms
They also trained the classical music, for the selective dance form
students. The students learned the art with full dedication, devotion,
and involvement. During that period it was considered as a full time
profession.
Earlier the traditional Gurus taught the art according to the
students' talents, ability, age, and different skills. The students in
Gurukula System learnt the art under one and the same teacher, for years
together. It cherished the individual, independent, creativity, and
perfection of the students in their particular dance forms. With the
passage of time, this art form has moved to the institutions. After
moving to the institutions, the teaching methodology took a different
dimension.
In the institutions the students have both advantages and
disadvantages together. In the institutional level, they learn the art
under systematic manner, by learning the theory, practical, as well as
vocal music and instrumental music. It is praiseworthy; as yet many of
the institutions unfortunately impart theory, which are not very
relevant or much more needed to the practical side of the dancing
career.
Different aspects
|
 A
Bharatha Natyam performer |
At one institution a student is supposed to learn the dancing, under
different teachers at different stages at different years which affect
the model idea about the dance forms. At the institution the student is
supposed to learn the different aspects of dance under different
teachers. Besides these, their course is confined within a particular
time limit, and prescribed syllabus. Moreover the dance teachers try
strictly to impose their own rigid, vigorous, creativity ideas, which
blunt the own creativity of the student community and ultimately as a
results of these, the individual independent creativity ability is
limited in the institutions.
Most of the students today are learning the dance as a part time
course. Generally they attend the classes twice a week, or once a week.
Even these classes are restricted to one or two hours per week.
Now in Sri Lanka classical dance form is introduced as a subject at
school level. Most of the students take dance just as a normal subject
to gain a credit pass or to gain a distinction level, at the general
examinations, without considering the aesthetic value of the art form.
The teachers also teach the subject at a routine level without taking
much efforts or pain by following the same syllabus.
Classical music
Earlier the dance teachers were good vocalists, and they had a very
good knowledge in the Classical music. The knowledge of classical music
is very much needed for a dance teacher. Today the knowledge of
classical music is very much lacking among the dance teachers. Most of
the teachers are using the tape music or CD players for the practices,
as well as for the recitals.
Like other educational faculties distance education program has also
penetrated in the teaching technology in the dance field, which also
enables to earn a degree, or diploma in the classical dance forms.
Instead of performing the dance, the present generation students are
always keen to earn an affiliated university degree or diploma, mainly
their aim is to seek an employment.
The students who are following the distance education in dance are
learning through the printed theory materials, as well as through the CD
demonstrations. It is not a healthy method, for learning dance, because
this performing art should be learnt under the guidance of a direct
Guru. |
