: A "blossoming" piece that warms up the dancer's body through rhythmic neck, eye, and limb movements.

: The basic rhythmic unit of Bharatanatyam, involving a specific posture and movement of the legs, hands, and torso.

Dancers communicate through , which is divided into four types:

Rhythmic syllables spoken in a specific tempo (Tala) e.g., Ta-Ka-Thi-Mi. Korvai: A sequence of Adavus set to a particular tala.

: Pure Nritta. It contains no expressive storytelling (Abhinaya), only intricate combinations of Adavus and Jatis. 3. Shabdam

The modern format and structure of the Bharatanatyam performance (the Margam) were systematized in the 19th century by four brothers known as the Tanjore Quartet: Sivanandam

The opening item, designed to invoke blessings, focusing on neck, eye, and arm movements, moving from simple to complex.

It contains no expressive elements ( Abhinaya or lyrics). It is pure Nritta set to a specific Raga (melody) and Tala (rhythm cycle). 7. Short Biography: The Tanjore Quartet

: The roots of the dance are found in the Natya Shastra , an ancient Sanskrit text on the performing arts written by Sage Bharata.

Grade 3 theory also introduces a more detailed classification of the human body as an instrument of dance, based on the Abhinaya Darpana (The Mirror of Gesture) by Nandikeswara. Students learn that the body is divided into three main parts:

: A technical piece involving complex footwork and melody ( swaras ). 5. Expressions and Emotions

: 28 single-hand gestures (e.g., Pataka, Tripataka, Ardhapataka).