Bharatanatyam: A Beginner's Guide to Tamil Classical Dance

Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical dance forms in the world, with origins in the temple dance traditions of Tamil Nadu dating back over 2,000 years. The form was codified in the Natya Shastra, a Sanskrit text on the performing arts, and developed through centuries of temple performance and royal patronage. Today Bharatanatyam is performed on concert stages worldwide and taught in schools from Chennai to Toronto to London.

The GTA has over 20 registered Bharatanatyam academies, many founded by Tamil Canadian dancers who trained in India before emigrating. Beginner classes for children typically start at age 5–6 with basic footwork (adavus), progressing over 7–10 years to the arangetram — the formal solo debut performance that marks a dancer's readiness to perform publicly.