Rama’s Gurus
Thanjai M. Arunachalam Pillai
& Thanjai M. Vasudevan Pillai
The Thanjai or Thanjavur style of Bharata Natyam, known for its authenticity, precision, purity, grace and abhinaya has retained the tradition even to the present day. The most important aim of our academy is to preserve the authenticity of the Thanjai style through our teaching and choreography. Bharatanatyam, with all its complexity conforms to common fundamental principles as followed by the traditional teachers (Nattuvanars). The dance and music compositions for Bharatanatyam by the Tanjore Quartet who lived during the 18th and 19th centuries and many others belonging to their lineage have given us a treasure trove of lifetime learning. All of them followed a specific pattern of adavus, set of Jathiswarams, Padavarnams and Thillanas which were very popular among most dancers.
The method of teaching Adavus and dance numbers per the margam was also taught uniformly by the Thanjai practitioners. At MDA we follow in the footsteps of those great doyens of the Thanjai style of Bharatanatyam namely my Gurus Kalaimamani Thanjai M. Arunachalam Pillai & Thanjai M. Vasudevan Pillai, to impart the structured way of learning bharatanatyam. The brothers learnt Bharatanatyam in Gurukulam style for years from Thanjavur Pichaiya Pillai who belonged to the lineage of the famed Tanjore Quartette, connoisseurs of the Tanjore style of Barathanatyam. Students of MDA follow in our Tanjore artistic lineage to learn and explore the old age traditional compositions that are unique and rare combined with noteworthy select compositions of today to learn and perform a repertoire that is complex, traditional and yet modern in keeping with the times without marring the authenticity of this divine artform.
