A-D

Abhinaya: Literally meaning "to carry forward", abhinaya is the craft of narrative and emotional communication through the use of facial expressions, hand gestures, body language, lyrical and musical content, and costumes. 

Adavu: Adavus are like the alphabets in Bharatanatyam - a set of basic movement units one is taught while starting to learn. In the way it is taught it formulates building blocks of some kind using which complex movement units are later assembled in choreographies. Read a more detailed account on Adavus by RootEd here.

Arangetram : A Tamil word referring to the official debut performance of a performing artist.

Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikeshwara : Abhinaya Darpana is a treastise on dramaturgy authored by Nandikeshwara. 

Bharata : Considered the author of the ancient Indian treatise on dramaturgy - The Natyashastra, dated approximately between 200BCE and 200 CE.

E-H

Geet Govind: The Geet Govind is a work composed by the 12th century Hindu poet, Jayadeva (Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2013, June 27). Gītagovinda. Encyclopedia Britannica. )

Guru : In this context, the term refers to the teachers of the dance form.  

Hasta: Hand gestures that are employed in Bharatanatyam both for aesthetic effect as well as to convey meaning. Read a more detailed account on hastas by RootEd here.

I-L

Jati: A standalone Nritta sequence comprising of rhythmic phrases woven together into a pattern. The duration and intricacy of a jati is determined by its placement within a composition, although the intention is to offer rhythmic respite to both, dancer and audience during compositions that have high emotive and literal value.

Kuchipudi : One of India's classical dance forms, which has its origins in the village of Kuchipudi in present day Andhra Pradesh.

M-P

Margam : The word itself means 'path'. It refers to the sequence of songs/pieces that is performed as part of a solo Bharatanatyam concert today.  

Nattuvanar : In this context, the term refers to the male teachers who formed part of the ecosystem of dance during when it was still practiced by hereditary dancers. They not only conducted the performances of their pupils by providing vocal and rhythmic accompaniment, they also taught and composed dance within the system. 

Nritta: It is one of the three main aspects of Indian classical dance forms (the other being Nritya, or interpretative dance, and Abhinaya, or the drama element of dance). It is the primary visual distinguisher of each style, thereby helping them establish a unique movement identity. Creation of geometric patterns on the floor and in space, and definition of elaborate movements for the major and minor limbs of the human body constitute the bulk of its purpose. 

Nayika: A Sanskrit term used to denote the female protagonist in dance or drama. 

Q-T

Raas Leela: A folk-dance form popular in many parts of north India (Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "rāslīlā". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Dec. 2013). 

Rasa: (Sanskrit: ‘essence,’ ‘taste,’ or ‘flavour,’ literally ‘sap’ or ‘juice’): The Indian concept of aesthetic flavour, an essential element of any work of visual, literary, or performing art that can only be suggested, not described (Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2015, October 1). rasa. Encyclopedia Britannica. Read more here. ). 

Sahridaya: The ideal spectator in Sanskrit drama. Literally ‘one of similar heart’, the sahridaya identifies closely with the representation of particular states of emotion (Rajagopalan, L., & Bharucha, R. (2003). sahridaya. In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance: Oxford University Press). 

Tanjore Quartet : Brothers Chinnaya, Ponnayya, Vadivelu and Sivanandam who hailed from Tanjavur/Tanjore, lived during the 19th century, and made seminal contributions to the field of Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Music. 

U-Z