At the heart of Nrityagram is the philosophy that dance is a way of life, a matter of faith and belief nurtured and enriched by the souls of its own people.

Embracing Dance as a Way of Life

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble Returns to Santa Fe

by Kendra Arnold

et dance elevate your spirit. . . . Back in Santa Fe by popular demand, the internationally acclaimed Nrityagram Dance Ensemble from South India transports viewers to enchanted worlds with the sensuous flow of Odissi, the oldest of India’s classical dance forms. Ancient wisdom, sacred rituals and divine transformation are unveiled and interpreted within this electrifying dance performance. Set to an original musical score performed live with a stunning ensemble of female dancers, Surpa Sen’s compelling choreography portrays the elusive union of meaning and abstraction through the timeless tradition of dance.

Odissi dance is said to originate from the Natya Shastra, a 2,000-year-old book considered the foundation of all fine arts in India. Within this text are rules for the movement of the body, instructions for the costumes and makeup, and even discussions on the performance’s impact on the viewer. The dances are more than just about movement; they are stories based on myths and legends from thousands of years ago. Every single movement, gesture, bat of an eyelid, flick of a red-painted fingernail, and intense and purposeful glare of a directed eye are all perfectly choreographed parts of a poetic story. The costumes the dancers wear an d the precision with which their bold, black eye makeup is applied are all important to the telling of the story. The dancers are like statues coming to life, their movements juxtaposed against complete stillness between each pose — not a twitch or motion evident until the time they move again.

Although the rules are written in this two-millennia-old book, the technique is not studied from it. The mastery of dance comes from a millennia-old oral tradition, guru-shishya parampara, or guru-student tradition. It is the gurus’ responsibility to pass down not only their knowledge but the history and essence of the dance, and to ensure that it continues to reach greater heights of perfection.

Protima Gauri Bedi was a prominent model in India. At age 26, she stumbled upon Odissi dance and, instantly developing an intense passion for it, began to pursue its study. Protima’s love of Odissi inspired her to start Nrityagram in 1990. She was so enamored by it that she imagined a school for all seven forms of Indian dance:

I dream of building a community of dancers in a forsaken place amidst nature. A place where nothing exists except dance. A place where you breathe, eat, sleep, dream, talk, imagine . . . dance. A place where all the five senses can be refined to perfection. A place where dancers drop negative qualities such as jealousy, small-mindedness, greed and malice to embrace their colleagues as sisters and support each other in their journey toward becoming dancers of merit. . . . A place called Nrityagram.

The Nrityagram, literally translating to “dance village,” exists 35 kilometers out of Bangalore in South India. It is a place where women, and an occasional man, dedicate their lives to mastering the classical dances of India, with a focus on Odissi. Nrityagram is a lifestyle based on the age-old gurukul tradition. In ancient India, gurukulas were universities that taught only Hinduism. Guru is defined as “teacher” or “master,” and kul originates from Sanskrit as “his domain” and “extended family.” Quite literally, a gurukula can be understood as a place where a teacher or master is joined by extended family or dedicated students in order to conduct extensive training.

Nrityagram asks no fee, but in the tradition of this ancient lifestyle, students look after and care for their guru by growing fruit and vegetables on the land, cooking, cleaning and earning money through dance recitals, not unlike the concept of a commune in the United States. The Nrityagram community places no importance on one’s origination or social status; instead, the community is completely focused on gaining knowledge and living a sustainable lifestyle by working and sharing together.

At Nrityagram, the institution fulfills the role of the guru — as protector and as someone who makes available knowledge and experience. Students learn under the tutelage of several gurus; however, their chores in the Nrityagram community are of prime importance. Along with intensive dance training, the study of Indian literature, mythology, poetry, Sanskrit, music, aesthetics and history is required, as well as dance theory, philosophy and spiritual thought. Regular workshops are conducted in martial arts, yoga, mime, meditation and sculpture. These workshops in other disciplines help to improve stances, stamina and energy levels in the body. The trainings also inculcate an awareness of the interdisciplinary approach and an understanding of the interrelatedness of all arts and physical traditions, not only of India, but also of other countries.

At the heart of Nrityagram is the philosophy that dance is a way of life, a matter of faith and belief nurtured and enriched by the souls of its own people. It is believed that being a good dancer is second only to being a good human being. At the end of training, a student of Nrityagram will have not only mastered living an intensive lifestyle, they will also have achieved their goal of becoming a complete dancer and, in turn, a complete human being.

Nrityagram requires a passion and dedication toward dance that few can claim. To become a true master of classical dance, it takes years of daily training. The beginning training program is three years, and the advanced training is an additional three years. To become a guru of Odissi dance, an additional unstated amount of years is required. The schedule includes from 10 to 12 hours of training six days per week. Students must be at least 17 years old and have basic training in any dance form. But learning to be a master of Odissi dance takes more than just hours of practice; it takes a personal commitment and often giving much of one’s personal life. Those who study often do not have time for family or children — they must breathe, eat and live dance. Malathi Iyengar, director of Rangoli, an Indian dance school in Los Angeles, explains this dedication: “When you want something so passionately, you make it happen.”

Today Nrityagram runs under the direction of Surupa Sen. Sadly, only eight years after Nrityagram’s inception, Protima Gauri Bedi disappeared in a devastating 1998 South India landslide. Surupa speaks of Protima and her dedication to the study of dance: “That is how I always remember her! Dancing Odissi — with the gods. A perfect sculpture coming alive. At once sensuous and sensual. Riveting in performance, she danced as if that was all she was meant to do and as if she was the most beautiful woman alive. A perfect performer, she was in her life and on the stage much the same. Always the center of attraction. People gathered around her to be touched by her warmth, her laughter, her passion and her beauty.”

The Nrityagram Dance Ensemble allows viewers to experience a story of timeless beauty, tradition, dedication and grace. Many consider them some of the best dancers in the world. Their passion is to continue the history of this exquisite dance and strive toward perfection.

To find out more about Nrityagram, visit www.nrityagram.org.





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	At the heart of Nrityagram is the philosophy that dance is a way of life, a matter of faith and belief nurtured and enriched by the souls of its own people. Embracing Dance as a Way of Life Nrityagram Dance Ensemble Returns to Santa Fe by Kendra Arnold et dance elevate your spirit. . . . Back in Santa Fe by popular demand, the internationally acclaimed Nrityagram Dance Ensemble from South India transports viewers to enchanted worlds with the sensuous flow of Odissi, the oldest of India’s classical dance forms. Ancient wisdom, sacred rituals and divine transformation are unveiled and interpreted within this electrifying dance performance. Set to an original musical score performed live with a stunning ensemble of female dancers, Surpa Sen’s compelling choreography portrays the elusive union of meaning and abstraction through the timeless tradition of dance. Odissi dance is said to originate from the Natya Shastra, a 2,000-year-old book considered the foundation of all fine arts in India. Within this text are rules for the movement of the body, instructions for the costumes and makeup, and even discussions on the performance’s impact on the viewer. The dances are more than just about movement; they are stories based on myths and legends from thousands of years ago. Every single movement, gesture, bat of an eyelid, flick of a red-painted fingernail, and intense and purposeful glare of a directed eye are all perfectly choreographed parts of a poetic story. The costumes the dancers wear an d the precision with which their bold, black eye makeup is applied are all important to the telling of the story. The dancers are like statues coming to life, their movements juxtaposed against complete stillness between each pose — not a twitch or motion evident until the time they move again. Although the rules are written in this two-millennia-old book, the technique is not studied from it. The mastery of dance comes from a millennia-old oral tradition, guru-shishya parampara, or guru-student tradition. It is the gurus’ responsibility to pass down not only their knowledge but the history and essence of the dance, and to ensure that it continues to reach greater heights of perfection. Protima Gauri Bedi was a prominent model in India. At age 26, she stumbled upon Odissi dance and, instantly developing an intense passion for it, began to pursue its study. Protima’s love of Odissi inspired her to start Nrityagram in 1990. She was so enamored by it that she imagined a school for all seven forms of Indian dance: I dream of building a community of dancers in a forsaken place amidst nature. A place where nothing exists except dance. A place where you breathe, eat, sleep, dream, talk, imagine . . . dance. A place where all the five senses can be refined to perfection. A place where dancers drop negative qualities such as jealousy, small-mindedness, greed and malice to embrace their colleagues as sisters and support each other in their journey toward becoming dancers of merit. . . . A place called Nrityagram. The Nrityagram, literally translating to “dance village,” exists 35 kilometers out of Bangalore in South India. It is a place where women, and an occasional man, dedicate their lives to mastering the classical dances of India, with a focus on Odissi. Nrityagram is a lifestyle based on the age-old gurukul tradition. In ancient India, gurukulas were universities that taught only Hinduism. Guru is defined as “teacher” or “master,” and kul originates from Sanskrit as “his domain” and “extended family.” Quite literally, a gurukula can be understood as a place where a teacher or master is joined by extended family or dedicated students in order to conduct extensive training. Nrityagram asks no fee, but in the tradition of this ancient lifestyle, students look after and care for their guru by growing fruit and vegetables on the land, cooking, cleaning and earning money through dance recitals, not unlike the concept of a commune in the United States. The Nrityagram community places no importance on one’s origination or social status; instead, the community is completely focused on gaining knowledge and living a sustainable lifestyle by working and sharing together. At Nrityagram, the institution fulfills the role of the guru — as protector and as someone who makes available knowledge and experience. Students learn under the tutelage of several gurus; however, their chores in the Nrityagram community are of prime importance. Along with intensive dance training, the study of Indian literature, mythology, poetry, Sanskrit, music, aesthetics and history is required, as well as dance theory, philosophy and spiritual thought. Regular workshops are conducted in martial arts, yoga, mime, meditation and sculpture. These workshops in other disciplines help to improve stances, stamina and energy levels in the body. The trainings also inculcate an awareness of the interdisciplinary approach and an understanding of the interrelatedness of all arts and physical traditions, not only of India, but also of other countries. At the heart of Nrityagram is the philosophy that dance is a way of life, a matter of faith and belief nurtured and enriched by the souls of its own people. It is believed that being a good dancer is second only to being a good human being. At the end of training, a student of Nrityagram will have not only mastered living an intensive lifestyle, they will also have achieved their goal of becoming a complete dancer and, in turn, a complete human being. Nrityagram requires a passion and dedication toward dance that few can claim. To become a true master of classical dance, it takes years of daily training. The beginning training program is three years, and the advanced training is an additional three years. To become a guru of Odissi dance, an additional unstated amount of years is required. The schedule includes from 10 to 12 hours of training six days per week. Students must be at least 17 years old and have basic training in any dance form. But learning to be a master of Odissi dance takes more than just hours of practice; it takes a personal commitment and often giving much of one’s personal life. Those who study often do not have time for family or children — they must breathe, eat and live dance. Malathi Iyengar, director of Rangoli, an Indian dance school in Los Angeles, explains this dedication: “When you want something so passionately, you make it happen.” Today Nrityagram runs under the direction of Surupa Sen. Sadly, only eight years after Nrityagram’s inception, Protima Gauri Bedi disappeared in a devastating 1998 South India landslide. Surupa speaks of Protima and her dedication to the study of dance: “That is how I always remember her! Dancing Odissi — with the gods. A perfect sculpture coming alive. At once sensuous and sensual. Riveting in performance, she danced as if that was all she was meant to do and as if she was the most beautiful woman alive. A perfect performer, she was in her life and on the stage much the same. Always the center of attraction. People gathered around her to be touched by her warmth, her laughter, her passion and her beauty.” The Nrityagram Dance Ensemble allows viewers to experience a story of timeless beauty, tradition, dedication and grace. Many consider them some of the best dancers in the world. Their passion is to continue the history of this exquisite dance and strive toward perfection. To find out more about Nrityagram, visit www.nrityagram.org.