Dance Workshop

An Introduction to the Classical Dance of South India: BHARATANATYAM

That’s a complicated name to pronounce, but Anagha’s explanation makes everything very clear. The dance is a very narrative form in which acting, movement, and music come together beautifully. We also participated once at the Cultuurhuis, and it was a lot of fun. It’s especially great if you’re not much of a dancer (yet).

Anagha Rangarajan is a Bharatanatyam artist from Mysore, India, with a strong background in Indian classical performing arts. With experience teaching Bharatanatyam and theater classes to children in India and Dubai, Anagha combines traditional knowledge with an accessible and enthusiastic teaching style.
In addition, she has co-created theater productions and musicals for schools in Dubai, fostering creativity, storytelling, and performance. Her artistic journey has taken her to India, the United Arab Emirates, and the Netherlands, where she has performed for diverse audiences and cultural communities.

This workshop offers an accessible introduction to the basics of Bharatanatyam and is suitable for beginners, with or without dance experience. Participants will discover the distinctive movements, rhythm, and expressive language that make Bharatanatyam so special.

Special attention is given to abhinaya—the art of expression—and to the way emotions and stories are conveyed through the body and face. Participants are also introduced to mudras, the distinctive hand gestures that form an important visual language within Indian classical dance. Through movement, expression, and storytelling, participants discover Bharatanatyam not only as a dance, but as a beautiful combination of rhythm, culture, and expression.