Bharatanatyam has a wide variety of forms and styles which have been developed over time. The main styles in Bharatanatyam include the Tanjore style, Mysore style, and Kalakshetra styles.
Let’s understand each of these Bharatanatyam styles one by one
Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam Style
The pioneer of developing this new style in Bharatanatyam is credited to Rukmini Devi Arundale. This dance style was adopted from that of Pandanallur in 1936. Kalakshetra constituted of group performances in this specific dance style along with that of the fusion of ballet dancing style.
The dance form holds in appeal in performing the postures in a ballet form along with the angular or linear body postures.
Tanjore Bharatanatyam Style
This is a different style in Bharatanatyam and is this dance form is initiated with an Alaripu. This form of dance includes more devotion to that of religious deities. This is the religious descent of the Bharatanatyam forms which were done in the traditional temples.
The main pioneer of this dance form is Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai. Gives significance to Abhinaya. This also performs this dance form in a precise manner, soft leg movements and prominent facial expression.
Mysore Bharatanatyam Style
This form of Bharatanatyam has its elegance and charm. This style of Bharatanatyam focusses on the angular dance moves, expressiveness in the dance performance and also gives importance to the lyrical arenas of this dance form. Jetti Tayamma is the main pioneer of the dance form. The love and sensuality aspect has also been improvised in the dance form which has also been known as the Astapadis. This is derived from the Sanskrit verses of the Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda of the 12th century.
