Tamil Nadu
Bharatanatyam
The oldest of the classical forms, and the most geometric. Straight lines, a deep aramandi, rhythm you can hear in the feet. You start with the basic adavus and build towards full items.
Bharatanatyam · Mohiniyattam · Kuchipudi
Learn classical dance from anywhere in the world.
Live classes in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi, taught from Kerala to students across India, the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the Middle East. Four classes a month. Small batches. You can start as a complete beginner, at any age.
- Four classes a month
- Small live batches
- Also taught in person in Kerala
tha thai thai thath dhith thai thai thath
3
Classical forms taught
4
Classes every month
1 hr
Every class, live
5+
Ages we teach, upward
Your teacher
Every class, taught by Arunima Raj
MA in Bharatanatyam, Kannur University · Diploma in Bharatanatyam
Arunima Raj holds an MA in Bharatanatyam from Kannur University and a Diploma in Bharatanatyam, with years on stage behind her and years of teaching since.
She teaches every class herself. No assistant teachers, and no class is ever a pre-recorded video. Each form is taught in its own grammar, and you move forward when you are ready, not when a syllabus says so.
Narthaki teaches in person in Kerala and live online everywhere else. Many of the families abroad are Malayali parents who want their children learning the real thing. Classes run in English or Malayalam, whichever is easier at home.
What we teach
Three forms, three different grammars
These are not three versions of the same dance. Each has its own lineage, its own vocabulary, its own mood, and each is taught that way from the first adavu.
Kerala
Mohiniyattam
Kerala's own form, danced slowly and in circles, with a sway that runs through the whole torso. Control matters more than speed here, and so does abhinaya: telling the story with your face and hands.
Andhra Pradesh
Kuchipudi
The most theatrical of the three. Quick footwork, rounder movement, and storytelling that is spoken or sung as well as danced, including the piece performed balanced on the rim of a brass plate.
How it works
A real class, on a screen
One hour, live over video, four times a month. Your teacher watches you dance and corrects you as you go, the same way she would standing in front of you. Theory is taught alongside the practice, and a recording of the class can follow it.
She sees you dance
Batches stay small on purpose, so every student gets corrected by name in every class.
Four classes, always
Booked at a time that works in your time zone. A five-week month still means four classes, so your fee never moves.
You know what comes next
A set path from your first adavu through to complete items, with clear stages along the way.
A recording after class
Ask and we will send you a video of what was taught that day, so you can practise against it during the week.
Theory, not only practice
Bharatanatyam students learn the theory behind the form as well, not just the steps.
Beginners are normal here
Children from about five, teenagers, and adults starting from nothing or picking it up after years away.
From the school
Classes, recitals and arangetrams
Class photographs, stage recitals, and the arangetrams our students have danced.
More on Instagram, updated as things happen.
Offline classes
If you are close by in Kerala
The same classes run at the institute in Kerala, taught face to face in small groups. Same teacher, same syllabus, just in the room.
Kerala
Message us for timings, or open the map for directions.
Begin your journey
Enquire about classes
Your name and number is enough to start. We reply on WhatsApp, usually within a few hours, and help you settle on a form and a timing.
Prefer to talk first?
+91 83048 28740Questions
Before you enquire
Can I really learn Bharatanatyam or Mohiniyattam online?
Yes, and thousands of students now do. Classes are live over video, never pre-recorded, so your teacher watches you dance and corrects you in the moment. You need a stable connection and about two metres of clear floor.
I live in the USA, UK, Canada or the Middle East. Will the timings work?
Yes. We teach students across all of those, and classes are booked around your time zone rather than ours. Most families abroad settle on a weekend morning or a weekday evening their time.
How many classes are there in a month, and how long is each one?
Four classes a month, an hour each. Some months run to five weeks. Those months still have four classes, and the fee stays the same, so nothing changes for you.
I have never danced before. Is that a problem?
No. Most of our students start knowing nothing at all, and the first classes are built for exactly that. You begin with basic posture and the first adavus, and nobody is rushed.
What age should a child start?
Around five is the usual starting point, once a child can hold attention for an hour. Teenagers and adults are just as welcome, and adult beginners are common in the online batches.
Which of the three forms should I choose?
Bharatanatyam is the most geometric and rhythmic, and the most common first choice. Mohiniyattam is slower and softer, built on control and expression. Kuchipudi is the most theatrical, with quicker footwork and more storytelling. If you are unsure, say so in your enquiry and we will talk it through.
Who actually teaches the classes?
Arunima Raj teaches every class herself. She holds an MA in Bharatanatyam from Kannur University and a Diploma in Bharatanatyam. There are no assistant teachers.
What language are classes taught in?
English or Malayalam, whichever suits your family. Many of our students abroad are Malayali children who follow along more easily in Malayalam at home.
Will I get a recording of the class?
Yes, if you ask for one. A video of what was taught that session is shared afterwards, so you have something to practise against during the week. Most students ask, and most get it.
Is it only practical, or is theory taught too?
Theory is part of it. Bharatanatyam students learn the grammar and background of the form alongside the practice, not only the movements.
Do you offer a diploma or certificate?
A diploma course is offered in Bharatanatyam. Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi and the other forms are taught as regular classes rather than as certificate courses.
Do you teach in person as well, or only online?
Both. The same classes are taught face to face at the institute in Kerala, in small groups, by the same teacher and to the same syllabus. The institute is listed on Google Maps, and we can send timings over WhatsApp.
How do I join a class?
Send your name and number through the form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp. We usually reply within a few hours to talk through timings and which form suits you.