Bharatanatyam in Tamil Nadu

Bharatanatyam is the classical dance form associated with Tamil Nadu, danced solo and built from two halves that alternate through a recital. Nritta is pure rhythm: sharp lines, a half-sitting stance, feet striking a pattern against the drum and against the syllables called out by the teacher. Abhinaya is the storytelling half, slower and carried by hand gestures, eye movement and facial expression, usually drawing on devotional poetry. A dancer works with a small live ensemble rather than a recording, and a full recital moves from a short invocation through longer set pieces to a fast closing item. Chennai is where you are most likely to see it done well.

What you actually see

• The opening rhythm items - alarippu and jatiswaram, where footwork, line and posture are on display.
• Abhinaya passages - slow storytelling sections carried almost entirely by hands, eyes and expression.
• The live ensemble - vocalist, mridangam, flute or violin, and the teacher calling rhythmic syllables.
• Costume and makeup - stitched silk, pleated fan, ankle bells and heavy eye definition made to read from the back row.

When to go

The Margazhi season, roughly mid-December to mid-January, fills Chennai's sabha halls with hundreds of recitals a day, many of them free or cheap, and is by far the best time to see the form. Outside that window performances run year-round but need looking up. Evening start times are normal, and recitals often begin late.

Honest expectations

A full recital runs long, sometimes two hours, and if you do not know the gesture vocabulary the storytelling sections can feel static. Season venues are crowded, seating is plastic chairs and sound systems are hit and miss. The short floor shows sold to visitors at hotels are heavily abridged and usually amplified past the point of pleasure.

Nearby

Mamallapuram's shore temples and the temple towns of Kanchipuram and Thanjavur are all trips out from Chennai.