• Three dancers, from different age groups and profiles reflect on how Bharatanatyam stayed with them through changing roles, responsibilities, and phases of life. It includes how they started, role of Guru, how dancing helped energy levels, develop focus, discipline, and inner balance with a continuous desire to learn more.

Bharatanatyam belongs to both the temple and the stage. It holds memories of ritual, the discipline of practice, and the steady tradition of the Guru-Shishya Parampara. While many see it as performance, for those who stay with it, it becomes part of their daily life.

This article looks at that quieter journey. How does it stay with a person through changing roles, responsibilities, and phases of life?

Three dancers, from different age groups and profiles, reflect on this.

1. Shanthi V, an educator heading a school in Bengaluru, speaks from a place of long association with the art.

2. Padmaja Venkatasubramani, Principal of a CBSE school in Chennai with over two decades of experience in the field of education, brings the depth achieved through years of learning and performing.

3. Ritu Sudarshan, a student of Economics, represents a younger voice, where dance continues to grow alongside academic life.

Their journeys move through different times, but remain connected in what the art has come to mean.

Beginnings and Return

The beginnings are simple, almost familiar across households.

“Initially, it was forced in by mom,” Shanthi says, “but I immediately took it. I love rhythm and music.” What followed became part of her daily rhythm. “As a student of Kalakshetra, it was an extension of school for me. I looked forward to it every day.”

Padmaja recalls being introduced to the form early. “What began as a simple after-school activity soon became something much deeper.” Watching seniors, observing their command over Adavus and Nritta, and returning to class with eagerness shaped her early years. “Looking back now, I’m truly glad I started early, ” she adds.

Ritu’s journey carries movement and return. “I started when I was five… I stopped a few times along the way… but I always returned.” That sense of return defines her relationship with the art. “I know with certainty that I would have regretted it if I had walked away for good.”

Across the three, the beginning is not what defines the journey. It is the decision, again and again, to stay.

The Guru and the Shaping of the Self

At the heart of Bharatanatyam lies the guru's presence.

“I connect my entire grooming to dance and my gurus,” Shanthi reflects. “I hold a huge respect for them and am very grateful for the passion they have kindled in me.” Her years of training in Kalakshetra and under Shri Dhananjayan forms the base she continues to draw from.

Padmaja’s learning under Chitra Visweswaran and later Vazhuvoor R. Samraj shaped not just her dance, but her approach to it. “There was always a focus not just on learning steps, but on understanding the Bhava and the soul behind the performance.” The influence extended beyond the dance space, building “commitment, humility, and the importance of lifelong learning.”

For Ritu, the relationship reflects a more contemporary rhythm, yet remains deeply personal. “Classes with her are never one-sided or monotonous… she is not just my teacher but also a close friend and an integral part of my family.”

In each case, the guru’s role continues long after formal training.

Discipline as Practice

In Bharatanatyam, discipline does not stand apart. It is absorbed through practice.

“When you love doing something, you find ways and time to do it,” Shanthi says. “Discipline comes into you even without you even realizing it.”

Padmaja echoes this experience. “Discipline and consistency never felt like something I had to consciously manage… it came quite naturally because I genuinely enjoyed dancing.”

Ritu reflects the same idea in her own way. “I never looked at dance as a chore… it was simply another part of my week.” Even through exams and changing priorities, “my dance classes never wavered.”

Practice becomes routine. Routine becomes habit. And habit quietly becomes discipline.

Expression, Energy, and Inner Space

What draws each dancer to Bharatanatyam shifts with time?

“Nritta… because it helps my energy level and rhythm,” Shanthi says, before adding, “Abhinaya… because it takes to a whole new world.”

Padmaja speaks of her connection to storytelling, where she could “immerse emotionally and connect more deeply with the audience.” Pieces like Dhikku Theriyadha Kaatil and Sri Chakraraja remain close to her memory.

Ritu sees the form as a whole. “I enjoy all aspects… each one needs the other to make the dance whole.” Speaking of Varugalaamo Ayya, she reflects on “that yearning to just be near the Lord… the sense of complete surrender in every line.”

There is also a shift in how they see the art.

“People are bolder in expressing themselves now,” Shanthi observes.

Ritu reflects inward. “Now, I see dance as a way to challenge myself… and most of all, as a way to step away from the noise of the world.”

The Space before the Stage

In Bharatanatyam, what happens before the performance carries its own meaning.

“I think the process by itself is a part of grooming,” Shanthi says. “It extends to other aspects in our lives, too.”

Padmaja recalls a simpler approach to preparation. She preferred “a light practice saree with minimal makeup and jewellery,” even while adapting to the demands of the stage. Yet, “once I stepped onto the stage… everything else would fade away.”

Ritu describes preparation as an inward process. “In the days leading up to the show, in my mind, I go through everything… and then right before I climb on stage, my mind goes blank. I let my body do what it has been trained to do.”

The transition is subtle. From thought to instinct. From preparation to surrender.

Body, Mind, and Balance

The physical rigour of Bharatanatyam is evident, but its effect goes further.

“An hour of dance is all I need to unwind,” Shanthi says.

Padmaja speaks of stamina, endurance, and control built over years, but also of how dance “gave me a space to express myself freely” and helped “develop focus, discipline, and inner balance.”

Ritu’s experience connects deeply with both body and mind. “I rebuilt my strength slowly, through dance.” And beyond that, “watching it calms me in a way nothing else does.”

There is also a clarity that comes with it.

“When I am dancing, nothing else exists,” Ritu says.

A Living Tradition

Bharatanatyam carries within it an ongoing connection to culture.

“God, festivals, prayers, poojas… are all through dance for me,” Shanthi reflects.

Padmaja describes a deeper engagement, where one does not merely learn about culture, but embodies it with “a sense of pride and responsibility.”

Ritu notices it in lived spaces. “Every temple I visit is a richer experience now because I can see the dance in the sculptures.”

The art remains rooted, even as lives move forward.

What Remains

Over time, Bharatanatyam becomes quieter in its presence but stronger in its influence.

“For me, it is all of it… and it’s a lifelong pursuit to learn more,” Shanthi says.

“It’s no longer just something I do—it’s something I carry with me,” Padmaja reflects.

For Ritu, it is immediate and personal. “Dance is my escape… the time I spend with it is entirely mine.”

And perhaps that is where these journeys meet.

“Passion drives discipline,” Shanthi says.

Padmaja speaks of “discipline with consistency.”

Ritu offers a final understanding. “You do the work, and then you trust.”

In the end, what stays is not only the memory of performances, but the quiet imprint the art leaves behind. In the discipline of practice, in the stillness before movement, and in the instinct to return to it, Bharatanatyam finds its place in everyday life. It may begin as something one learns, but over time, it becomes something one carries. And in that continuity, across generations, the tradition lives on.

London based dancer and chef Monisha Patil Bharadwaj wrote on her FB wall, “My Gurus at the Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natyam Kala Mandir, Mumbai taught me not just dance but also discipline, focus, respect, humility, and the many nuances of my culture.”

To read all articles by author

To read all articles on Indian Dance Forms

Author Sanjanaa V S    is the Academic Director and Trustee at Dr. GSK Group of Schools. She has experience in teaching and curriculum development in Social Sciences and Commerce and is a gold medallist in MA International Studies and a CIDTL-qualified educator. Her work focuses on mentoring teachers, strengthening inquiry-based and student-centred practices, and integrating Social Emotional Learning and dramatics into classrooms. She is committed to shaping learning environments where experience, reflection, and inclusion guide meaningful learning for both students and teachers.

Also read

1. Benefits of learning Bharatanatyam - “Mudras play a significant role in Bharatnatyam. Using mudras and expressions enhances flexibility. The various bodily movements, known as Karanas, enhance the body’s balance. The the ocular muscles are strengthened via eye movement – good for the eyes.” 

2. Bharatanatyam for Fitness-Health Benefits – “The dance uses every major muscle group. The iconic araimandi (half-sitting position), for example, is more than a pose—it’s a deep squat that activates your thighs, hips, glutes, and core. It improves posture and balance. Practicing Bharatanatyam regularly has also been linked to improved cognitive function, particularly in memory and problem-solving. It keeps the mind sharp.”

3. Intangible Benefits of Learning Dance

4. Finding my Balance – A Teen’s Journey through Bharatanatyam

5. Story of a Budding Bharatanatyam Dancer who moved from USA to India