Breaking the myth of Araimandi in classical dance Bharatanatyam

Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest Indian art forms and is known for its grace, emotions, body stability, nritta and core strength of one’s body with a beautiful araimandi. What is not known is the back pain, knee pain and shoulder pain which we claim to be side effects of long-term dancing.

No, it is not. Let us look deep into the most fundamental posture ARAIMANDI. Araimandi / half-sit is the first and foremost posture to build stability. It takes core strength and stamina. A perfect araimandi posture which every Bharatanatyam dancer aims for, is a straight line foot, with wide knees and back straight to get the “perfect” diamond below the hips.

A good reason we know for the bad knees in dancing is hunching front, putting weight on the knees and weight gain, but the real reason is not every human can be the same. Aramandi requires body core strength and flexibility of the torso. For attaining straight line feet, twisting the ankles where the knees face front will result in bad ankles. Bharatanatyam classes which we used to are dance, dance and dance, where the actuality is a warmup, dance and cool down.

Twisting the foot by opening the knees from the hips (torso) where the knees and the index of the toes are falling straight with the natural spine is also a correct posture of the araimandi.

In the long process of attaining the posture, we dehumanise what our body can do and can not. At least 70% of the dancers claim to have bad knees and lower back, ending in surgery or quitting dance. The evolution of edtech platforms and bharatanatyam courses with a curriculum of warmups and cardio in every class is a good sign in the world of Bharatanatyam.

Being one of the gracious yet strict Indian art forms, following it right with steady progress will make a long-lasting dancer.

Every class structure of strarts is to start with warmups, dance and cool down. Here are a few strarts.courses children performing araimandi.

At Strarts, we understand the importance of practice in learning Carnatic music. That’s why we offer classes in our app, which allows students to learn online live, practice and revise their lessons at their own pace and on their own schedule. Our platform also includes regular tests and graded exams to help students track their progress and stay motivated in their studies. Our platform is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for students of all ages to navigate and use.

We invite you to register for a free trial class on our platform. Our trial class will give you a taste of our teaching methods and help you decide if Strarts is the right platform for your musical education. We’re committed to providing our students with the best possible education and helping them to develop a love and appreciation for Carnatic music. Artem Gracias