Questions to your Bharatanatyam teacher- PART 1

Author: Swarna

As a Bharatanatyam teacher, I have encountered a lot of questions that were/ are asked to me before a student joins the class. In this series of articles “Questions to your Bharatanatyam teacher”, there are five questions (in each) – either asked by the student or the parent along with the reply that I usually give. Let’s begin!

PARENT EDITION:

Q1: “My daughter is 6 years old and is keen on learning Bharatanatyam. When can she finish learning and do her Arangetram/ Rangapravesham?”

Teacher: Great! It is a very good decision that you found her interest in Bharatanatyam and decided to put her in a dance class so that she can learn it properly. According to me, a person never “finishes” learning any art form. Being a teacher, I still am learning!  As far as Arangetram is concerned, it might take up to 8-10 years depending on the student’s progress and the frequency of the lessons. Also, Arangetram means “ascending the stage” (Rangapravesham- entering the stage). It is a debut performance and not the end of learning!

Q2: Most of the time I am busy with work and I can’t help my 6-year-old with his/ her dance homework. Can you give more practice during class time itself?

Classroom is a place for learning and should not be considered as a place to do their homework. Any homework assigned to the child whether in school or dance class need parent supervision until he/she is independent. Students will feel more encouraged when you engage yourself in their practice sessions.  These days, many Bharatanatyam teachers provide the necessary video material to practice at home- however you really need to check if your kid is able to follow it. 15-30 minutes of practice every alternate day is more than enough for the kid.

Q3: My kid is not comfortable with “Indian wear”. Can he/ she wear western clothing to Bharatanatyam class?

Art and discipline are inseparable. Not only with Bharatanatyam, other activities like Swimming, Karate, Taekwondo, Ballet or Gymnastic lessons have prescribed attire. If your dance school has a uniform, it is advisable to wear it. Please do wear Salwar Kameez (Punjabi suit)/ Kurta Pyjama to class. For adults it is best to wear practice saree/dhoti.

Q4: My son/daughter complains of body pain, especially knee pain while dancing. Should I stop sending him/her to dance classes?

A proper warmup is a must before dancing! Some steps are simple and easy but for a few complicated ones, the body has to be prepared. You may ask your teacher to suggest few exercises and also remedies for the body pain. If it gets worse, the teacher would advise you to see a doctor to discover the true cause of the pain.

Q5: My daughter/son has been learning the same step for many classes now. Does it mean she/he is not progressing? How can I help my kid with this step?

I really appreciate that you are following up with your kid’s progress in class. Few adavus (steps) are easy to learn and execute but some are really challenging and time is needed for practice. On other days, the teacher might focus on theory lessons and other corrections pertaining to dance. If a step needs your attention, a teacher would call you personally and let you know! So do not worry about it!!

Swarna is a Bharatanatyam dancer/ choreographer/teacher and the Director of Swarna Kala Mandir. She also holds a Master’s degree in Science and Technology Communication.