Bharatha Nattiyam. New jersey

[thanjavooran]

Had an opportunity to attend a Bharathanatiyam program on Mar 23rd, 2025, at a Senior Citizen Community in Monroe Township, New Jersey, by Rhythms NJ run by founder Guru Smt. Anusha Sivaramakrishnan.

Following are the different dance pieces, Smt. Anusha performed with her students.

Smt. Anusha started the evening on a piece on Lord Ganesha with her adult batch Sudha, Kalpana, and Bindu.

Followed by small girls who are getting ready for their Salangai Poojai in May 2025. The 4 girls ( Aarna, Aditi, Apoorva, and Sia) performed Jathiswaram and a small piece on Lord Krishna, showing how he's mischievous with his friends.

This is followed by 2 senior girls, Sanjana and
Vidhula performing a varnam piece on Lord Shiva.

Two other girls - Laya and Tara, who are getting trained for Arangetram in June 2025 - performed a couple more pieces on Lord Shiva, Lord Devi, and Lord Muruga.

The 150-minute program was full of excellent talent exhibited by young girls taught by the Guru, who was a disciple of Kalakshetra Smt. Sikkal Vasantha Kumari. Guru Smt Anusha is very strict but simultaneously very kind to her students. All with traditional Bharathanatiyam colorful costume. The hall was full of senior citizens who really enjoyed their performances and young girls maintaining perfect silence. In the end, we were served with different Indian snacks. It was an excellent evening with a feast for eyes and stomach

I need a basic clarification. As a Thanjavooran, I had many opportunities to attend Bharathanatiyam programs by divine devotees at Big temple in my childhood days. The experts, while expressing bhavam and layam, used to sing the padhams with lip movements without sound. Presently, it is generally missing in all presentations. Is there any specific reason?
Thanjavooran
24 04 2025

[rajeshnat]

Thank you @thanjavooran for writing reviews which you are doing when you are in usa . Apart from one costly arangetram that kids parents have to undergo , In chennai we have one senior old age home in ambattur doing this for carnatic music, I am not aware if this kind of oldagehome-dance combo happens in madras. Possibly lack of infrastructure when compared to CA/NJ

it is nice that kids are invited to perfrom in old age homes.. Great teachers have to first have skill and inspire . They can be strict or not strict (though i prefer to be strict). I learnt carnatic music vocal from Shri Padmanabhan in 1980s for 4 and half years . My guru learnt from musiri subramania iyer and Tiger Varadachari. . My teacher was not that strict . He outsourced lot of teaching to a veena vidwan PP Govindan who was Padmanabhan peer who was very good in playing veena but vocal , he was as good as me in veena.

By the way i used to call my guru sir and i only knew his name post 2000. I knew my guru parampara to Tiger/Musiri only after 2010 plus

Best wishes to Anusha and next gen students .

[rajeshnat]

@thanjavooran IS the township set up for indian diaspora like coimbatore/madras atulya or is that a typical amerian senior citizen community

[thanjavooran]

Shri Rajesh,
Thanks. I appreciate your Rasikathanmai as you share your views thoroughly after going through the message. It is an American senior citizen community with different nationals as noticed from gathering, all above 65 yrs.
The whole audience enjoyed every event. Your interest in fine arts whether Music, Dance, Drama is praise worthy. Again thanks for your message. I share views as message for my personal satisfaction.
Best wishes,
Thanjavooran,
25 04 2025

[rajeshnat]

Mother of all questions
Is that free or is there a basic ticketing in place.??

Minor question
Does community homes also have a podium or medai for dance . Dance surely requires more infrastructure than music. if you can share atleast one photo of audience and performers that could be a good role model for many homes to take up.