Leela School of Dance

Dance has been traditionally limited to young learners due to its demands on physical ability, flexibility, agility, and endurance. Leela School has broken these barriers to teach Bharata Natyam to adult learners. The value of the program extends beyond dance. As Sharlini Sankaran stated, “Rediscovering Bharata Natyam as an adult and a mother, has been a form of therapy that has brought me immense emotional and spiritual growth. It's said that one of the biggest societal problems facing older adults, is loneliness and isolation. Through the Nayikas group I have found community, unconditional love, support and acceptance, and a sisterhood that goes beyond the world of dance.” Bharata Natyam is a multi-layered art form that is deeply spiritual at one level, and physically demanding at another level, with a technique that entails understanding movement, rhythm, music, literature and expression. Mastery of this art requires consistent practice and unwavering dedication, as each element builds upon the other to develop a dancer’s skill, grace, and connection to the art’s profound roots.

Through the joy of dance, music and the imagination children learn classical Bharata Natyam and dance fundamentals. Guided by the developmental stages of childhood, the Little Dancer Program supports gross motor development, listening skills, and spatial awareness while encouraging values of kindness, respect and gratitude.

Bharata Natyam is one of the most ancient Indian classical dance forms, developed and nurtured in the temples of South India. It is deeply spiritual and steeped in the religion, philosophy and traditions of India, yet continues to grow and evolve.

Students refine their skills with new varnam and narrative pieces, and are introduced to rhythm known as talam , and nattuvangam with opportunities for choreography. Reviewing all relevant pieces. We will start preparation for solo performances.

This level emphasizes complex movement patterns, expressive dance, and deeper theoretical understanding. Cementing knowledge of nritta and nritya through increased grasp of rhythmic movements and expressive ability. It is only after completing varnam , do we start talking about arangetram .

Students expand their adavu vocabulary and are introduced to narrative dance elements known as nritya , or narrative dance. Swarajati is the most difficult piece in the Bharata Natyam repertoire. It is critical at this stage to supplement in-class learning with focused practice at home. Exposure to the narrative element of Bharata Natyam through nritya pieces and class assignments. Further grounding in the dance technique in preparation for the varnam , which is the magnum opus in a Bharata Natyam repertoire.

Building on the foundation, students learn more complex adavu and deepen their understanding of dance elements. Reinforce the rigorous grammar that makes up Bharatanatyam, with continued emphasis on the need to supplement class learning with individual practice at home. Students will be learning approximately 8-10 adavu groupings in this phase which are more complex in nature. Each group consists of 4 adavus on an average. 4 classes are set aside for each adavu.

Initiation into the rigorous grammar that makes up Bharatanatyam. Emphasis on the need to supplement class learning with individual practice at home. Students will be learning approximately 8-10 adavu groupings. Each group consists of 4 adavus on average. 4 classes are set aside for each adavu.

Dance has been traditionally limited to young learners due to its demands on physical ability, flexibility, agility, and endurance. Leela School has broken these barriers to teach Bharata Natyam to adult learners. The value of the program extends beyond dance. As Sharlini Sankaran stated, “Rediscovering Bharata Natyam as an adult and a mother, has been a form of therapy that has brought me immense emotional and spiritual growth. It's said that one of the biggest societal problems facing older adults, is loneliness and isolation. Through the Nayikas group I have found community, unconditional love, support and acceptance, and a sisterhood that goes beyond the world of dance.”

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Students in the first year of the Beginner Program meet once a week. All other programs meet twice a week, including Beginner Program after the initial first year.

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Leela School has broken these barriers to teach Bharata Natyam to adult learners. The value of the program extends beyond dance. As Sharlini Sankaran stated, “Rediscovering Bharata Natyam as an adult and a mother, has been a form of therapy that has brought me immense emotional and spiritual growth. It's said that one of the biggest societal problems facing older adults, is loneliness and isolation. Through the Nayikas group I have found community, unconditional love, support and acceptance, and a sisterhood that goes beyond the world of dance.”

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.

Leela School of Dance is the foremost dance school for the art of Bharata Natyam with a nurturing and supportive teaching team with over 40 years of experience.