Last Updated on September 14, 2025
Traditional Indian Dance Class with Shivaangee Agrawal
Bharatanatyam is an ancient Indian dance style originating in the Hindu Temples of Tamil Nadu. Instructor Shivaangee Agrawal compares the skill level and precision of technique required for Bharatanatyam to that of classical ballet, telling us that dancers train for many decades to perfect their art. I find out later that Agrawal herself has been practising Bharatanatyam for 24 years.
Naturally, the 90-minute beginners class offered by The Place does not delve into these myriad intricacies. Active since 1888, The Place runs weekly classes in contemporary, ballet, street dance and tanz-theatre for members of the public, as well as online, children’s and over 60s classes in the Borough of Camden. In addition, it is home to the London Contemporary Dance School, which runs degree and postgraduate dance courses and to a theatre showing some of the best dance theatre in the UK. On Monday I had the chance to attend their Bharatanatyam class.
We begin in a circle and introduce ourselves. From the offset, Agrawal is very welcoming and open, and through her kind attitude creates a non-judgemental space in which we are encouraged to take breaks, drink water and listen to our bodies whenever needed. The studio itself is clean and bright, with one wall of floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Shoes and socks are taken off so as not to slip on the linoleum floors. To loosen up – physically and mentally – Agrawal bids us to walk around the room, gently weaving between fellow class members, and later, more chaotically swerving past them as the pace ramps up. I find this exercise freeing and surprisingly enjoyable, particularly when instructed to make eye contact and look at the other people in the studio with me. Observing their faces emphasises the fact that we are all in the class together, experiencing and enjoying this new way of moving.
After some deep breathing and stretching, we learn one of the foundational positions of Bharatanatyam: araimandi. This is a position in which the feet are pointed out, heels together, with knees slightly bent. From here, we learn the basic rhythm of Bharatanatyam, beat out with bare feet on the studio floor. Agrawal goes through the steps slowly and stops to check understanding and answer questions.
Though the araimandi position feels initially awkward to maintain, and the two additional hand gestures take some getting used to, the combination of the rhythm, the side-to-side movement and the hands reaching out and splaying their fingers, becomes very satisfying. One move is similar to a more rhythmic, elegant lunge whilst reaching one’s arm out, splaying all fingers as far apart as possible. This dynamic movement, changing from side to side to the rhythm of drums, is simultaneously powerful, freeing and focused. It feels as if my hands contain magical powers, and my whole body is focused and poised to connect with them.
The live music undoubtedly helps me to tap into this energy. All of Argrawal’s classes are accompanied by live music and this week’s stand-in musician plays both piano and drums.
The latter section of the class focuses on abhinaya, the storytelling element of Bharatanatyam. Agrawal offers a disclaimer that what follows is an unconventional teaching method; she seems to be doing this educational experiment – focusing on abhinaya in a beginner’s class – for the first time. Using the present heatwave, she asks us to pair up and exclaim and complain to one another about the sweat-inducing heat. This verbal expression is then gradually metamorphosed into physical expression, something which is already happening naturally as we speak. Later, when we are talking to ourselves about the heat, Agrawal notes that my eyebrows go up at a certain point in my sentence and that facial movements such as these are essential for the storytelling of Bharatanatyam. Eventually, certain phrases are linked up to various hand movements. Forefinger and thumb, for example, come together to trace a bead of sweat as it trickles down one’s face; in another move, a flexed hand imitates a swooning gesture.
I preferred the more physical, rhythmic part of the class because I felt more connected to the drum rhythms than the often melancholic and disharmonic piano tinkling which accompanied the hand movements. The phrases about the heat also became repetitive, and some of the activities could have been cut. Connecting abhinaya to the previous araimandi movements, or joining more of the technical movements together into a mini choreography, might have provided a rewarding ending to the class.
Nonetheless, Agrawal’s decision to include both physical and emotional elements of the dance form provided a more holistic understanding of Bharatanatyam.
Overall, this dance class comes highly recommended, particularly because Shivaangee Agrawal is a wonderfully welcoming and non-judgemental instructor, and it feels fantastic to experience new modes of enjoyment through movement. As mentioned earlier there are plenty of other options if you prefer another dance form.
The Place
17 Duke’s Road
London
WC1H 9PY
Shivaangee Agrawal’s Beginners and Improvers Bharatanatyam class can be booked here.
Leave a Reply