Starting or Restarting Your Bharatanatyam Diploma: A Complete Guide to Eligibility
Author: Gayatri Deka
Table of Contents
- Your Unique Path to the World of Bharatanatyam
- The First Steps: Why 7 is the Ideal Minimum Age to Begin
- Physical Readiness: Building a Strong and Safe Foundation
- Mental and Emotional Maturity: Cultivating the Artist’s Mindset
- The Path for Absolute Beginners: It’s Never Too Late to Start
- The Adult Advantage: Bringing Maturity and Passion to the Dance
- A Structured Start with the Prathama Level
- Continuing Your Journey: A Guide to Lateral Entry for Transfer Students
- What is Lateral Entry?
- The Personal Assessment Process
- The Importance of Recognition: Which University Boards Does IKSVV Accept?
- Why a Standardised Syllabus Matters
- Recognised Boards for Lateral Entry
- When Your Previous Training Isn’t Recognised: A New Beginning, Not a Setback
- The Rationale for Restarting from the Foundation
- Re-learning as an Opportunity to Perfect Your Art
- A Note on Location: A Diploma Course in Delhi or Online
- Your Journey is Valid
In my school, I have the immense privilege of seeing the dream of Bharatanatyam in many different eyes. I see it in the seven-year-old, brimming with an almost electric excitement as she ties her ankle bells for the first time. I see it in the thirty-year-old professional, seeking a deep and meaningful connection to her cultural roots amidst a busy modern life. And I see it in the teenager who danced years ago, whose feet still remember the rhythms, and who longs to return to the art that once brought her so much joy.
Each of these individuals comes with a unique story, but they often share the same questions, the same quiet uncertainties that can feel like a barrier to entry: “Am I too young?” “Am I too old?” “I’ve learned before, but will my previous training count?”
As a guru, I believe the path of learning is sacred and should be open to all who approach it with a sincere heart. The structure of a formal diploma in Bharatanatyam is not meant to be a rigid gatekeeper, but a well-defined path that can accommodate every dedicated student, no matter their starting point. This guide is my heartfelt attempt to answer your questions about eligibility, to demystify the process, and to show you that there is a place for your unique journey within this ancient and beautiful tradition.
The First Steps: Why 7 is the Ideal Minimum Age to Begin
One of the most frequent questions I receive from parents is about the right age for a child to begin a formal diploma course in bharatanatyam. While a love for music and movement can be nurtured from infancy, for a structured, physically demanding art form like this, there is an ideal window to begin formal training. Based on my experience and classical pedagogy, I firmly recommend a minimum age of seven years.
Physical Readiness: Building a Strong and Safe Foundation
Bharatanatyam is a practice of immense strength and grace, and its foundation is the iconic Aramandi, or half-sitting posture. This posture places significant demands on the legs, hips, and spine. Before the age of seven, a child’s musculoskeletal system is still in a delicate phase of development. Starting rigorous training too early can put undue strain on their growing bones and joints, potentially leading to injury. At seven, a child has typically developed the necessary bone strength and muscular resilience to hold the Aramandi and perform the basic adavus (steps) safely and correctly. This ensures we are building a strong dancer for life, not putting them at risk.
Mental and Emotional Maturity: Cultivating the Artist’s Mindset
Beyond the physical, there is the question of mental readiness. A diploma course is a discipline, a sadhana. By the age of seven, a child has developed the cognitive ability to follow structured instructions, understand classroom decorum, and begin to grasp the concept of patient, consistent practice. They have a longer attention span and a greater capacity to connect with the stories and emotions we explore. This maturity is crucial for a joyful and effective learning experience.
The Path for Absolute Beginners: No Prior Experience Needed
Now, let me speak directly to the adults, the professionals, the homemakers who harbour a secret dream of learning to dance. You might be thinking, “All this talk of starting at seven, have I missed my chance?” Let me be unequivocally clear: it is never, ever too late to begin your journey in Bharatanatyam. You do not need any prior dance experience to enrol in this diploma course.
The Adult Advantage: Bringing Maturity and Passion
What an adult learner may lack in youthful flexibility, they more than make up for in other, equally important areas. Adults bring a unique depth of understanding, a profound appreciation for the art’s cultural and spiritual layers, and a powerful intrinsic motivation. Your life experience enriches your abhinaya (expression) in a way a child cannot yet comprehend. Your focus is sharp, and your decision to learn is a conscious, passionate choice. These are incredible advantages.
A Structured Start with the Prathama Level
The bharatanatyam diploma course is perfectly designed for the absolute beginner. The first two years, the Prathama level, are dedicated to building the foundation from the very beginning. Every student, whether they are seven or forty-seven, starts in the same place: learning the correct posture, the names and shapes of the mudras, and the first basic adavus. This ensures that everyone, regardless of age, builds a perfect and unshakeable foundation.
Continuing Your Journey: A Guide to Lateral Entry for Transfer Students
Life often takes us on winding paths. Many of my students are those who learned Bharatanatyam passionately for several years as a child or teenager, but had to discontinue due to academic pressures, a career move, or family commitments. For these students, the desire to return to the dance is a powerful calling.
What is Lateral Entry?
Lateral entry is the process through which a student with prior, recognised training can join a diploma course in bharatanatyam at an intermediate or advanced level, such as Madhyama or Visharad. This acknowledges their previous hard work and allows them to pick up their journey where they left off, without having to start from scratch.
The Personal Assessment Process
Acceptance for lateral entry is not automatic. It is a thoughtful process. When a transfer student approaches me, I conduct a personal assessment. I will ask them to demonstrate the adavus and repertoire items they have learned. We will also have a conversation about their theoretical knowledge. This is not a test to be feared; it is a dialogue that allows me to accurately understand their level of proficiency and place them in the appropriate year of the diploma, ensuring they are challenged but not overwhelmed.
The Importance of Recognition: Which University Boards Does IKSVV Accept?
The possibility of lateral entry depends on the standardisation of the syllabus. For a university like IKSVV to accept a student’s prior learning, it must be confident that the training they received is equivalent to its own curriculum.
Why a Standardised Syllabus Matters
Different schools and gurus may have slightly different approaches, but the core syllabus of a recognised board will cover the same foundational elements in a similar sequence. This standardisation is what makes a transfer possible. It ensures that a student moving from one recognised institution to another has not missed any crucial building blocks in their education.
Recognised Boards for Lateral Entry
While each case is reviewed individually, IKSVV typically recognises syllabi from other esteemed national boards that maintain a high standard of classical training. These include institutions such as Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Nalanda University in Mumbai, and Madras University, among others. If you have a certificate from one of these, or a similar board, the process of verifying your level for lateral entry is usually quite smooth.
When Your Previous Training Isn’t Recognised: A New Beginning, Not a Setback
Sometimes, a student may have learned for many years under a private guru who did not follow a specific university syllabus. In such cases, their training, while valuable, may not be formally recognised for lateral entry into a university-affiliated diploma. The advice is often to restart the diploma journey from the Prathama level.
The Rationale for Restarting
I understand that this can feel disheartening. However, I encourage students to see it not as a negation of their past efforts, but as an act of love for the art. The purpose of starting from the beginning is to ensure there are absolutely no gaps in your foundational knowledge, to align your technique with the specific requirements of the IKSVV syllabus, and to ensure you are perfectly in sync with the school’s bani (style).
Re-learning as an Opportunity to Perfect Your Art
Restarting is a profound opportunity to revisit the basics with the benefit of your existing knowledge. It is a chance to polish every movement, to unlearn any small, incorrect habits you may have unknowingly picked up, and to build a truly flawless foundation. It is an act of strengthening the base of your temple before you build its magnificent towers.
A Note on Location: A Diploma Course in Delhi or Online
These principles of eligibility apply equally to all our students, whether they are looking for a diploma in bharatanatyam near you in Delhi or are connecting with us from the other side of the world.
- Our bharatanatyam diploma course in Delhi, located in Dwarka, welcomes beginners, adults, and transfer students alike.
- Our online bharatanatyam diploma follows the exact same eligibility criteria and assessment process for lateral entry. A student pursuing their diploma in bharatanatyam distance education will have their prior certificates reviewed and will undergo a virtual assessment to determine their appropriate starting level.
Your Journey is Valid
Whether you are seven or seventy, a complete novice or a returning dancer, there is a valid and respected path for you within the world of Bharatanatyam. A structured diploma course is designed to welcome you, to meet you where you are, and to guide you on a journey of artistic and personal growth. Do not let questions of eligibility hold you back from taking the first step. Your unique journey in dance is waiting to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions about Diploma Eligibility
1. Why is 7 considered the ideal minimum age to start, and what are the risks of starting a child too early?
I recommend starting at seven because it aligns with a child’s physical and mental development. Physically, their bones and muscles have gained the strength needed to safely practise the foundational Aramandi (half-sitting) posture without risk of strain. Mentally, they have developed the attention span and maturity to follow instructions, understand classroom discipline, and begin to connect with the art form’s stories, ensuring their journey starts with joy and safety.
2. I am an adult with no dance background. What unique advantages or disadvantages might I have starting a diploma course now?
It is never too late, and adults bring incredible strengths to their learning. Your primary advantage is your life experience, which allows you to connect with the emotional aspect of abhinaya with a depth a child cannot. You also bring a mature focus and self-motivation. The main challenge may be physical; it might take a little more patience to build the deep flexibility required, but with consistent practice, it is entirely achievable.
3. Do I need to have a certain level of fitness or flexibility before enrolling in the beginner’s (Prathama) level?
No, you do not. Please do not let this be a barrier to starting. The Prathama level of the bharatanatyam diploma course is designed to build your fitness, flexibility, and strength from the very beginning. We start with fundamental conditioning and exercises that prepare your body for the demands of the dance. You come as you are, and the training itself will sculpt you into a dancer.
4. If I have learned Bharatanatyam for several years but never took an exam, can I get lateral entry?
This is a common situation. While your years of dedicated practice are incredibly valuable, formal lateral entry into a university-affiliated diploma typically requires a certificate from a previously recognised board for standardisation. In this case, I would conduct a personal practical assessment to understand your proficiency. This helps us decide the best path for you, which may involve starting at Prathama to align perfectly with the IKSVV syllabus.
5. My child has a certificate from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. At what level can they join the IKSVV diploma course?
This is an excellent foundation. Recognised national boards like Gandharva Mahavidyalaya often have syllabi that align well with the IKSVV curriculum. The exact entry point would be determined after a practical assessment where we map the levels and repertoire your child has completed against our diploma structure. For example, a student who has completed the first few levels of Gandharva may be well-suited to start at the Madhyama (intermediate) level here.
6. I learned Bharatanatyam as a child but stopped 15 years ago. Is it better to restart from the beginning or try for lateral entry?
It is wonderful that you are returning to the art! The best path forward is a personal one. Muscle memory is a powerful thing, and you will be surprised how much your body remembers. I usually recommend that returning students join the Prathama level for a few months. This allows them to gently reawaken their skills, polish their foundation, and regain confidence before we jointly decide if a lateral entry into a more advanced level is the right step for them.
7. Are the eligibility and assessment criteria for the online Bharatanatyam diploma different from the in-person course in Delhi?
No, they are exactly the same. We uphold the same standards for all our students, regardless of their location. A student applying for lateral entry into our diploma in bharatanatyam distance education programme will have their prior certificates reviewed and will undergo a virtual practical assessment. Our commitment to authenticity means every student, whether online or in our Delhi studio, is on the same recognised path.
8. Is there a formal entrance examination to get into the diploma course?
For beginners enrolling in the Prathama level, there is no competitive entrance exam. The requirements are meeting the minimum age and having a sincere passion to learn. For students seeking lateral entry into higher levels, the personal practical assessment serves as a placement evaluation to ensure they are placed in the correct year, but it is not a competitive test to gain admission.
9. The blog mentions a multi-year commitment. What happens if I need to take a break for a year due to personal reasons?
Life is unpredictable, and we understand that. A key advantage of a university-affiliated course is its structure. A student can typically defer their annual examination for a year with the university’s permission. You can pause your training with our school and, when you are ready to return, you can rejoin your batch and continue your journey.
10. If my previous training isn’t from a recognised board, why is it necessary to start from the beginning?
I encourage students to view this not as a setback, but as an opportunity to build a flawless foundation. Starting from Prathama ensures that there are no gaps in your knowledge of the specific IKSVV syllabus and our school’s bani (style). It allows us to perfect every single adavu and theoretical concept together, ensuring that when you progress to the advanced levels, your base is unshakeable. It is about ensuring quality and integrity in your final diploma qualification.