Why Our Performance-Centric Pedagogy Creates Confident Bharatanatyam Artists
Author: Gayatri Deka
Table of Contents
- The Confidence Born from a Deeper Practice
- Moving Beyond Rote Learning: Our Philosophy on Holistic Arts Education
- The ‘Why’ Before the ‘How’: Connecting with the Soul of the Art
- Nurturing the Thinking Artist, Not Just the Technician
- An Integrated Curriculum of Practice and Theory
- No Last-Minute Stress: How Year-Long Practice Aligns with Examination Goals
- The Fallacy of ‘Exam Portions’
- Our Methodology: Consistent, Cyclical Learning
- Building Deep Confidence Through Muscle Memory
- The Importance of Annual Productions and Lecture-Demonstrations
- The Annual Showcase: A Safe and Joyful Space to Shine
- Lecture-Demonstrations: Building Articulacy and Authority
- One-to-One Mentorship: The Guru’s Guidance for the Stage
- The Guru-Shishya Parampara in a Modern School
- Personalised Feedback for Performance Readiness
- A Note for Our Online Students
- Building the Future: From Dancers to Performers, Gurus, and Ambassadors
- The Pedagogy of Passion and Preparedness
The moment a dancer steps onto the stage, a transformation occurs. The nervous energy in the wings gives way to a quiet focus, the years of practice blossom into a few moments of pure, uninhibited expression. This confidence – the ability to command a stage and connect with an audience – is not born in the spotlight. It is forged, day by day, in the quiet discipline of the classroom.
As a guru who has dedicated my life to this art, I am often asked what the “secret” is to nurturing such confidence in my students. The answer is not a secret, but a deeply held philosophy, a deliberate and methodical approach to teaching that we call our ‘performance-centric pedagogy’.
This may sound like it is all about preparing for a show, but its meaning is far deeper. It means that every single lesson, every adavu we practise, every story we explore is a conscious step towards artistic readiness. Our goal is to make the stage a natural extension of the classroom, a place of joy, not a source of fear. In this guide, I want to share the core principles of our teaching philosophy at Natyam: School of Dance, to show you how we build not just proficient dancers, but confident, knowledgeable, and articulate artists ready to carry this tradition forward.
Moving Beyond Rote Learning: Our Philosophy on Holistic Arts Education
The soul of Bharatanatyam lies in its profound depth. To reduce it to a series of steps to be memorised is to miss its very essence. A true diploma in Bharatanatyam must be an education, not just a training. Our pedagogy is founded on the principle of holistic learning.
The ‘Why’ Before the ‘How’: Connecting with the Soul of the Art
I always teach my students the story, the emotion, and the cultural context behind a piece before we begin to master its intricate choreography. If a student is learning a Padam about Radha’s longing for Krishna, they must first understand the philosophy of madhura bhakti, the love between the divine and the devotee. This approach creates a powerful intellectual and emotional connection to the material. The student is no longer just executing movements; they are embodying a profound idea. This understanding is the first seed of true artistic confidence.
Nurturing the Thinking Artist, Not Just the Technician
Rote learning creates technicians who can replicate movements perfectly. A holistic approach creates artists who can interpret, feel, and communicate. I encourage my students to ask questions, to delve into the mythology, and to think critically about the characters they portray. “Why is Shiva’s dance one of both creation and destruction? What does Sita’s stillness in the Ashokavana truly signify?” By engaging with these questions, they develop their own artistic perspective and learn to infuse their dance with a unique, personal intelligence.
An Integrated Curriculum of Practice and Theory
At our school, the practical (Prayogik) and the theoretical (Shastra) are never taught as separate subjects. They are woven together in every class. As we practise the adavus, we discuss the principles of the Natyashastra that govern them. As we learn a new mudra, we explore its meaning and application (viniyoga). This integrated approach ensures that our students develop a deep and intuitive understanding of the art form’s structure, making them more thoughtful and self-assured performers.
No Last-Minute Stress: How Year-Long Practice Aligns with Examination Goals
One of the greatest sources of anxiety for any student is the pressure of examinations. My own experience has shown me that this stress is often the result of a flawed teaching method, one that we have worked hard to eliminate at our school.
The Fallacy of ‘Exam Portions’
A common approach in many educational systems is to teach a broad curriculum and then, a few months before the test, to focus on a specific “exam portion.” In the world of performing arts, I believe this is a recipe for superficial learning and immense stress. It encourages cramming rather than mastery.
Our Methodology: Consistent, Cyclical Learning
Our performance-centric pedagogy rejects this idea entirely. The syllabus for the bharatanatyam diploma course is our curriculum for the entire year. What a student learns in my class in January is a foundational part of what they will be assessed on in November. There are no surprises, no last-minute portions to memorise. Every single class is a direct and deliberate preparation for their final assessment. We practise and refine the same repertoire items throughout the year, allowing the knowledge to settle deep within the student’s mind and body.
Building Deep Confidence Through Muscle Memory
This method of consistent, year-long practice builds more than just knowledge; it builds an unshakable confidence that comes from deep, ingrained muscle memory. When the time for the university examination comes, the student is not nervously trying to recall a recently learned choreography. They are ready to present pieces that have become a part of them, movements they have polished for months. The examination transforms from a stressful test into a familiar and enjoyable demonstration of their mastery.
The Importance of Annual Productions and Lecture-Demonstrations
We believe that the stage itself is one of the greatest teachers. Therefore, providing regular and varied performance opportunities is not an extracurricular activity; it is a core part of our pedagogical process.
The Annual Showcase: A Safe and Joyful Space to Shine
Every year, Natyam: School of Dance holds a grand annual production. This is a joyful, non-competitive platform where every student, from the youngest beginner to the most advanced diploma candidate, gets to experience the magic of the stage. For a young dancer, this is an invaluable experience. It teaches them about stagecraft, costumes, and the energy of a live audience in a supportive and celebratory environment. It is a huge confidence booster and a beautiful milestone that marks their progress each year.
Lecture-Demonstrations: Building Articulacy and Authority
Beyond pure performance, we also train our senior students to participate in lecture-demonstrations (“lec-dems”). This is a unique format where the artist not only performs but also speaks to the audience, explaining the nuances of the art form. This process is incredibly empowering. It forces the student to move beyond just doing the art to truly understanding and articulating it. This builds a profound level of knowledge and the communication skills essential for anyone who aspires to be a guru or a cultural ambassador.
One-to-One Mentorship: The Guru’s Guidance for the Stage
While the syllabus provides the structure, it is the personal guidance of the guru that unlocks a student’s true potential. This mentorship is the soul of our teaching approach.
The Guru-Shishya Parampara in a Modern School
The sacred Guru-Shishya Parampara is a tradition we hold dear. Even in group classes, I make it a priority to provide individual corrections and build a personal connection with each student. I need to understand their unique strengths, their personal challenges, and their artistic aspirations. This relationship, built on trust and respect, is the foundation for all meaningful growth.
Personalsed Feedback for Performance Readiness
As a guru, I see more than just a student’s steps; I see their potential and their internal blocks. As we prepare for a performance, my mentorship becomes highly personalised. For one student, we might work on overcoming stage fright. For another, we might delve deeper into the abhinaya of a particular piece to unlock a more authentic emotional connection. This tailored guidance ensures that each student steps onto the stage feeling not just prepared, but truly understood and supported.
A Note for Our Online Students
This deep level of mentorship is the core of our online bharatanatyam diploma as well. For my students pursuing their diploma in bharatanatyam distance education, every live, interactive class is an opportunity for this one-to-one guidance. The screen is no barrier to observing the details of a posture or the sincerity of an expression. Our proven method ensures that every student in our global community receives the same dedicated mentorship.
Building the Future: From Dancers to Performers, Gurus, and Ambassadors
The ultimate goal of our performance-centric pedagogy is to create something more than just proficient dancers. We aim to nurture the next generation of leaders in the world of classical arts.
- From Student to Performer: Our methodology creates artists who are not just technically sound, but are also comfortable, confident, and commanding on stage.
- From Performer to Guru: By teaching them to understand the theory and articulate the nuances of their art, we give them the foundational skills to become knowledgeable and empathetic teachers.
- From Guru to Cultural Ambassador: This entire process creates individuals who are not just masters of their art, but are also confident, articulate, and passionate ambassadors for our rich cultural heritage.
The Pedagogy of Passion and Preparedness
The confidence that radiates from a dancer on stage is not an accident. It is the direct result of a deliberate, holistic, and nurturing pedagogy. It is born from a deep understanding of the ‘why’ behind every movement. It is cemented by consistent, year-long practice that eliminates fear and replaces it with mastery. And it is polished by the personal guidance of a mentor who believes in the student’s unique artistic voice.
Our goal is not just to teach a diploma course in bharatanatyam; it is to nurture artists who will carry the torch of this magnificent tradition with confidence, intelligence, and grace.
Frequently Asked Questions about Our Teaching Philosophy
1. What does ‘performance-centric pedagogy’ mean? Does it mean every student is forced to perform?
That is an excellent question that gets to the heart of our philosophy. ‘Performance-centric’ does not mean every student is forced onto a stage. It means that we teach with the context of a performance in mind at all times. This makes the learning practical and purposeful. Instead of abstract exercises, every lesson is a step towards artistic readiness. We see performance as a joyful opportunity to share one’s learning, and while we encourage it as a powerful confidence-builder, it is always an invitation, never a compulsion.
2. How does your ‘no last-minute stress’ approach to examinations actually work in practice?
It works by making the examination a natural part of the learning cycle, not a separate, feared event. The syllabus for the university’s diploma in Bharatanatyam is the exact curriculum we follow meticulously throughout the year. The pieces a student learns and polishes in January are the same ones they will present in their exam months later. There are no “exam portions” to cram. By the time the examination arrives, the material is so deeply ingrained in their muscle memory and artistic understanding that the event becomes a calm demonstration of mastered work, not a stressful test.
3. My child is very shy and not a natural performer. Is this teaching style suitable for them?
This pedagogy is, in my experience, exceptionally well-suited for shy children. Confidence is not a prerequisite to join; it is the most beautiful outcome of our process. By focusing on the story and emotion behind the dance (abhinaya), a shy child learns to express themselves through a character, which can feel much safer than being ‘themselves’ in the spotlight. Our regular, low-stakes, and deeply supportive performance opportunities, like our annual showcase, are designed to gradually build their self-assurance in a nurturing environment.
4. You mentioned lecture-demonstrations. What are they, and why are they an important part of your curriculum?
A lecture-demonstration, or ‘lec-dem’, is a wonderful format where an artist not only performs a piece but also speaks to the audience, explaining the concepts, demonstrating specific mudras or steps, and sharing the story’s context. I include this in our training for senior students because it is a crucial tool for their development. It requires them to move beyond just doing the art to truly understanding and articulating its nuances. This process builds immense knowledge and turns a dancer into a confident and articulate advocate for the art form.
5. How do you provide one-to-one mentorship within a group class setting for a bharatanatyam diploma course?
This is the essence of the modern Guru-Shishya Parampara. While the class learns together, my focus is on each individual’s journey. During group practice, I provide specific, individual corrections. I take moments to speak with a student about a particular challenge they are facing. I make it a point to understand each student’s personal artistic goals. It is about creating a relationship of trust and guidance that transcends the group setting, ensuring every student feels seen and personally mentored.
6. How do you build performance confidence in students taking the online bharatanatyam diploma?
Building confidence is just as important for our online students. We use technology to create a virtual stage. In our live, interactive classes, we work extensively on stage presence and expression through the camera, which is a unique skill in itself. I provide detailed, personal feedback on video recordings of their practice. Furthermore, we create virtual performance opportunities and workshops, which allow our diploma in bharatanatyam distance education students to build their confidence and connect with a global community.
7. Beyond dance technique, what is the most important non-dance skill a student learns through this pedagogy?
The single most important skill is what I call ‘confidence through competence’. It is the deep, unshakeable self-assurance that comes not from praise, but from the genuine mastery of a difficult and profound discipline. This resilience, focus, and the quiet confidence of knowing you have worked diligently to achieve excellence is a quality that my students carry with them into their academic, professional, and personal lives.
8. Why do you emphasise learning the ‘why’ behind a piece before the ‘how’? How does it create better artists?
Learning the ‘how’ – the steps – creates a technician. Learning the ‘why’ – the story, the emotion, the philosophical context – creates an artist. When a student understands why a character is feeling a certain way, their movements cease to be a mechanical exercise and become an authentic act of communication. This emotional and intellectual connection is what an audience truly responds to; it is what gives a performance its soul.
9. Is participation in the annual production mandatory for all students?
While we strongly encourage every student to participate because it is such a wonderfully positive and formative experience, it is never mandatory. Our goal is to foster a love for the art, and we respect every student’s personal journey and comfort level. The annual production is a celebration for our community, and we want every participant to be there with a joyful and willing heart.
10. How does this teaching philosophy specifically prepare a student to be a ‘cultural ambassador’?
A true cultural ambassador must do more than just dance beautifully. They must be able to represent the depth of their culture with intelligence and grace. Our pedagogy builds all the necessary facets: a deep understanding of the art’s history and theory, the ability to articulate these concepts through lecture-demonstrations, and the confidence to take the stage anywhere in the world. This holistic approach ensures they are not just performers, but knowledgeable and passionate representatives of our rich heritage.