Last Updated on July 5, 2024 by Tariq
Innumerable schools in India specialize in teaching the academic disciplines you are interested in.
Finding such schools in every town or city is common.
But what if I told you that an entire village is devoted to training and performing dances?
You’ll find it fascinating, right?
So, here comes the village!
Nrityagram Dance Village: An Overview
Nrityagram was founded in 1990 by Odissi dancer Protima Gauri and is the first contemporary Gurukul (residential school) in India for Indian traditional dances.
Following the age-old Guru-shishya tradition, the residential school offers instruction in Indian classical dance styles such as Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Manipuri for seven years, eight hours per day, six days per week.
History
(Source: Nrityagram)
The renowned dancer Protima Gauri founded Nrityagram in 1990.
This dance school lies on the outskirts of Bangalore in Hesaraghatta village.
It’s a lovely spot to see dancers at practice. You can get food at the adjacent Taj Kuteeram.
Architecture
(Source: Nrityagram)
Gerard Da Cunha, a well-known architect, designed the dance school.
Located near Hesaraghatta lake, the construction is modest yet stunning, with little huts surrounding an amphitheater.
In those huts, the community organizes the dancing ceremony.
The amphitheater is a magnificent feature built of red soil.
The Team
Here’s a look at the team that’s behind the Dance Village.
Protima Gauri (aka Protima Bedi, aka Gaurima)
(Source: Nrityagram)
Protima Gauri was an excellent Odissi dancer and famous Indian model.
Protima is renowned for founding the dance academy in Bengaluru’s Hesaraghatta.
On her trip to the Kailash-Mansarovar on August 18, 1998, she died in the Malpa landslide in Pithoragarh.
Surupa Sen
(Source: Nrityagram)
She, along with being an artistic director, choreographer, and soloist, was the first pupil at the dance school where the late Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra started her Odissi training.
She also studied abhinaya under Guru Kalanidhi Narayanan and with Protima Gauri, the founder of the school.
She had previously learned Bharatanatyam as a child.
Pavithra Reddy
(Source: Nrityagram)
From a village close to Nrityagram, she (soloist) traveled as part of the outreach program in 1990.
She joined the ensemble in 1993 and mastered Odissi under Surupa Sen and Bijayini Satpathy.
Lynne Fernandez
(Source: Nrityagram)
Since 1993, she has served as the executive director and lighting director for the dance academy.
She was one of the first light specialists in India to work for significant filmmakers as both an actor and a light designer.
She has also had theatre work featured globally.
Things to do at Dance Village
The main interests in this area include a walk through Nrityagram’s botanic gardens, a visit to the amphitheater, the Yogi Center, the temple of Dedication, the cottages, the Kula, the dining hall, and the Odissi Dance Gurukul Performing Arts Centre.
(Source: Nrityagram)
Each weekend, between 50 and 200 people come to Nrityagram to observe classes and rehearsals.
To support the performing arts scene in Bangalore and Karnataka, Nrityagram is building a two-level structure to serve as a performing arts center.
It will be a fully-equipped performance hall with seating for 200 people, hosting performances every day of the year.
Initially, only weekends will be reserved for concerts, but as time goes on, more and more shows will be arranged, eventually turning the venue into a year-round venue.
Nrityagram Gurukula
The Guru-Shishya Parampara is a classic teaching system that is the focus of Nrityagram.
The Gurukula, an old Indian residential teaching paradigm where students and teachers live together in an integrated atmosphere of practice, theory, and discipline, served as the model for Nrityagram, India’s first modern Gurukul.
It’s the only institution of its sort in the world that combines ancient knowledge with modern understanding and application.
Dance Professionals
Along with Sanskrit and literature, dancers are also taught yoga, meditation, and martial arts to enhance their practice.
Jogging, pranayama, and a unique, scientific body-conditioning and training program derived from yoga, Natya shastra, kalaripayattu, western fitness techniques, and Odissi body-conditioning exercises are all part of the daily plan.
This enhances a dancer’s performance lifespan.
Dance Unlimited
People can be inspired to strive for excellence by that dance’s ability to captivate them.
Students here gain teamwork skills as well as personal standards of excellence, worldly curiosity, and a sense of accomplishment that supports their success in life.
Residential Workshops
If you are looking for a few workshops to enroll in, here are a few that may be of interest.
Summer Dancing
(Source: Nrityagram)
Students with 5 hours of supervised lesson time each day maintain a demanding daily routine.
In addition, they receive additional assignments and are urged to engage in the practice, for which time and a studio are made available.
Additionally, kids are encouraged to use the vocabulary they learn to develop their own choreography.
Summer Fun for Kids
Several kids enroll in Nrityagram’s Summer Fun for Kids program each year to experience the Nrityagram way of life for themselves.
Although dance and theatre are the main focus, there are also nature hikes, story-telling sessions, activities, and, most importantly, lots of fun.
NG101
NG101 is designed for the younger dancers who are prepared to start their relationship with Nrityagram and deepen their dedication to dance.
City Class
(Source: Nrityagram)
For those interested in Odissi but may not be able to pursue professional dancing careers, Surupa Sen offers a training program in Bangalore – Non-Residential Training.
Sunday Class
The special Sunday Class is attended by young students from the city who are particularly interested in Odissi.
These students, aged seven to fifteen, participate in a carefully designed curriculum that equips them for advanced training if they decide to pursue it.
Address
Nrityagram,
Hessaraghatta Post,
Kodihalli Village,
Bangalore – 560088
Email: info@nrityagram.org
Phone: +91 80 28466312/3/4
How to Reach
Nrityagram is located 5 km from Hesaraghatta village and 35 km from MG Road.
There are numerous ways to get here:
Bus
At Hesaraghatta village, where buses stop, you can hire an auto-rickshaw (Approximately 100 one-way).
• Bus lines 266A, 253C, 253D, and 253E can be taken from city market.
• Take bus route 253J from Majestic.
Metro
Dasarahalli Metro Station is the closest one.
Take bus routes 253D, 253E, 253F, or 253] from Dasarahalli to Hesaraghatta village, where an auto-rickshaw may be rented (Approximately 100 one-way).
Location Map
FAQs
What is the entry fee for Nrityagram?
The entry fee is ₹100 per person (subject to change). For senior citizens and children under 12, entry is free.
What to see in Nrityagram?
There are several things to do in this area, like taking a nature stroll through Nrityagram’s garden, exploring the amphitheater, and going to the Dedication Temple and Dance Gurukul.
Who is Bijayini Satpathy?
With the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble for 20 years, Bijayini served as a principal dancer and soloist. In addition to the Yagnaraman Award in 2008 and the prestigious Nritya Choodamani title from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai, in 2011, she also got the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar in 2006.
Who are the famous Odissi dancers from Bangalore?
The Bangalore-based dancers Manasi and Raghunandan S founded and ran the Abhivyakti Dance Center. Both are well-known for their work on the Kala Sangam, an Odissi and Bharatanatyam production that has brought them both honors.
Who started Nrityagram?
Protima Gauri, an Odissi dancer, founded Nrityagram in 1990, the first modern Gurukul (residential school) for Indian classical dances in the country.
Which classical dancer established Nrityagram?
The renowned Odissi dancer Protima Gauri founded Nrityagram, India’s first dance community, in 1990.
Which classical dance is named after the village?
The village of Kuchipudi, which is short for Kuchelapuram or Kuchilapuri in the Andhra Pradesh state’s Krishna district, is where Kuchipudi originated. According to Ragini Devi, the village’s name is derived from the Sanskrit phrase Kusilava-Puram, which translates to u0022the village of actors.u0022
Which dance is based on Natyashastra?
There are two separate dancing forms mentioned in the Natyashastra. Their names are Lasya and Tandev. Tandava is associated with God Shiva’s ferocious cosmic dance of creation and destruction, whereas lasya is thought to have been created by Shiva’s wife, Goddess Parvati.
Which is India’s first classical dance?
The oldest dance form in India, Bharatanatyam, is also commonly known as the mother of all other classical dance forms. Tamil Nadu’s temple dancers developed it. Expressions, music, tempo, and rhythm combine perfectly in the dance.
