Korvai

A korvai is a sequence containing many different adavus. A combination of many different korvais together make a natiyam, or a full Bharatanatyam dance. Korvais should be performed according to the rhythm of the song, as in, the footwork or the steps should be done in accordance with the beat of the talam. The finale should also be in accordance with the talam. So if the korvai is being performed in Adi talam, which contains 8 beats, then it should end on the 8th beat. A korvai should end with a Theermanam and with the solkattu Tha thing kina thom or Kita thaka thari kita thom. Korvais should always be balanced on both sides, both for aesthetical reasons and so that the adavus fit in with the talam. By using the word 'balanced', I mean that the adavus or movements performed on the right side must also be performed on the left. So if, for example, you perform a Nattadavu using the right hand first, then you must make sure that you also do that adavu using the left hand. To make the korvai look attractive and visually appealing, you can start it in Vilamba kalam, followed by Madhima kalam and finish it in Thuritha kalam. This can be compared to its analogy of a new bud blooming into a mature flower. Finally, when you compose a korvai, you must remember not to have any repetitions, as in that after a pair of adavus are performed once, they shouldn't be repeated within the same korvai.

About Me

Hi! This is Madhumitha here from Norway. I'm currently a young teenager who has recently finished her Diploma in Bharatanatyam, after learning it for about 7 years, as the disciple of Ms. Prianka Sebastian. It so happens that I have a passion for writing and an interest for dancing, so I thought, why not mix them up and blend them together? And the answer I got was... a Bharatanatyam Blog!

While learning an art, one faces many internal and external struggles, which especially becomes true when someone is taking exams in that subject or is performing in front of a large audience. Having been there myself, I wondered, why not ease the burden of other fellow Bharatanatyam dancers by lending them a helping hand, by writing information related to different aspects of Bharatanatyam and by posting videos of adavus, mudras, hastas and other important movements.

And well, here it is... I hope you enjoy reading it and learn something new! 😀😉

(P.S: Feel free to leave back structured criticism in the comments below, if there's anything that you think needs improving on. I'm always glad to find a way to do better!)

Adavus

Let's begin with identifying what an Adavu is, as they are the basic components of dance.

• Adavus are made up of the union of mudras (hand movements) and mandalas (foot movements). 
• The word 'Adavu' is supposedly derived from the Tamil word 'Aadu', which means 'to dance'
• A combination of Adavus together form a Korvai, which is like a routine or a sequence of movements
• Adavus are accompanied by normal vocal solkattu, by which I mean the nattuvanar recites the verbal syllables, such as 'Theiya Thei', and plays the nattuvangam. The mridangam and the other instruments won't be used for accompanying Adavus.
• They can be present in all 3 kalams or speeds, namely Vilamba, Madhima and Thuritha
• They are like the alphabets of Bharatanatyam. 
• There used to be so many different Adavus, but now they have been shortened down and organized into specific groups, such as Tattadavu and Nattadavu, by a group of people known as the Tanjore Quartet
• As of now, there are about 12-15 groups of Adavus, depending on the style of the Bharatanatyam, such as Kalakshetra and Vazhuvoor, and the Guru.
• Some groups, such as Tattadavu, have as much as 8 different varieties, while some, such as Kartari Adavu, have just 1.

New students should first take a lot of time to master the basic Adavus before moving on to learning dances like Alarippu and Jatiswaram, as Adavus are the foundation of dance and it's always important to have a strong foundation before moving on to more complex aspects