Anamika-Navatman classes are meant to be quality teaching programs for dancers and musicians interested in pursuing the best education they can receive. Class size is kept small, averaging around 5 students. As of now, all classes take place in Manhattan. Eventually, a pre-professional curriculum will be set up for students as well.

Classes are set up in 12 week semesters, running around $240 - $300 per semester. One make up class per month is provided for students. Students who will be taking time off for travel, etc should consult their teacher regarding their policies.

First time Anamika-Navatman students do get free trial classes, so please email classes@navatman.org if interested!

We currently offer:
Abhinaya ~ Bansuri ~ Bharatanatyam ~ Carnatic Vocal ~ Hindustani Vocal ~ Kalari Payattu ~
Kathak ~ Kuchipudi ~ Little Ustaads ~ Mridangam ~ Odissi ~ Sitar ~ Ta Dheem

Please click here for classes for children under the age of six.

Abhinaya

Advanced
"Abhinaya," as Maya says, "is both vertical and horizontal." In this unique course the dancer begins to approach abhinaya from a different angle: one that allows for exploration of one's emotions, how they are portrayed through the body, and the dancer's relationship to the external: music, lyric, and movement.

Requirements: all styles of dance are welcome, but they must contact info@navatman.org with their dance background if unsure if they are ready for this course.

Bansuri(North Indian Classical Bamboo Flute)

Beginner
Students will work on clear sound production, intonation, and basic exercises to develop proper fingering and control. THey will then be gradually introduced to the raga system of North Indian Classical music, its notation and theory, as well as some basic compositions in the fundamental talas(rhythmic cycles).

Intermediate
In the Class, Students will be introduced to more advanced compositions involving komal (flat) notes ("half holing") and different talas will be also introduced. More emphasis will be placed on developing a command over the fundamental ornaments of Hindustani music.

Advanced
Students will delve into the world of improvisation. Greater focus will be given to the structured unfolding of a raga and how to improvise within that structure. More ragas and talas will also be introduced.

Bharatanatyam

Beginner
Students will learn the hand gestures (mudras) and dance steps (adavus) of Kalakshetra-style Bharatanatyam. Classes focus on developing balance and alignment in araimandi and natyarambhe positions. Students will explore adavu groups, and learn helpful Yoga postures. Students will also learn hand gestures through chanting, as well as basic rhythmic skills. Sessions will culminate in learning short dance sequences (jathis). Younger students will experience creative teaching methods to keep motivated and excited about the style.

Beginner II
Adavus will continue to be taught. Small jathis and phrases will be introduced in this session to begin preparation for the intermediate level.

Intermediate
This class focuses on learning items from the Bharatanatyam margham, or solo performance repertoire. This includes items such as Pushpanjali, Alarippu, and Jathiswaram. Students will focus on developing rhythmic and musical skills that can be applied to the item they are learning.

Techinque and Theory (Open Level, Drop In)
The slokas, hastas, and viniyogas (uses) of different hand gestures begin to be explored here. Proper alignment, placement of the body, and different applications of the adavus reveal themselves in this class.

Adavu Workouts (Open Level, Drop In)
This class is a way for both professionals and amateurs to enjoy practice of the building blocks of bharatanatyam while working on form, strength and stamina. Set up as a cardio workout to energetic and eclectic music, the classes can function as a way to perfect technique or as a simple way to keep in touch with the dance form you love. Either way it's a fabulous workout that will leave you itching for more.


Carnatic Vocal

Beginner
Students will be taught the complete series of beginner exercises, or varisaigal, starting with the most basic ones and methodically working towards those with more complex patterns. This is the essential foundation for learning Carnatic music.

Beginner II
The varisaigal exercises will continue in the class and willl learn some simple geethams to prepare themselves for the Intermediate level. Ragams (melodic modes) and new talams (rhythmic patterns) will be introduced at this stage.

Intermediate
Students will continue practising their exercises in a variety of ragams. They will learn around a dozen geethams that will give them a flavor of a range of ragams and talams. They will also learn a swarajathi, and, if appropriate, a varnam.

Hindustani Vocal

Beginner
This stage is for those who have never been initiated into the basics of classical music. The focus will be ear training and being able to identify and sing notes in their respective place in an octave. This is called 'swar-gyan'. The notes in a song being like alphabets in a word or sentence, this is the first stage. With various note exercises, combination note patterns and possibly basic 'sargam' compositions, students should be able to grasp the notations in any given musical phrase or song, rendering them capable of singing of their free will with awareness. The aspect of Rhythm or Laya will also be brought in.

Beginner II
This stage is when students have understood the octave and note placements reasonably well. While going on to do advanced exercises, voice culture training according to the Indian traditions also assumes focus. Also, singing of compositions in various ragas begins at this stage, although with the focus still on understanding the octave and voice culture. From the basic understanding of Laya, we go into the fundamentals of Tala..

Intermediate
Once 'swar-gyan' is achieved to a reasonable degree, the concept of Raga is explored. The application of notes in a manner that makes it a Raga will be taught. At least 2 Ragas per session will be taught with as many compositions as possible to enable better understanding of the Raga as well as various talas.

Advanced
The delineation of a Raga in its fullest a form of vilambit and drut khayal with the relevant gayaki is taught in this stage. Taan and other detailed stylized aspects that are important for concert performance will be taught.

Kalari Payattu

Beginner I
The student will be introduced to body conditioning exercises of this martial arts dance form, such as stretching, basic hand and leg techniques, stances, and stepping. This exposure gives the new students a better foundation in order to enter into the next level in Kalaripayattu and focuses on achieving the skill to adopt certain stances which are broadly classified into two - 'Chuvattu and Vadivu'. Chuvadu is a position of the feet while Vadivu is a position of the posture of the body.

Beginner II
After the completion of the first level, a Kalaripayattu trainee moves on to Meipayattu (meaning the use of body). It is a series of exercises designed to achieve peak physical fitness and flexibility of the body. They include specific exercise for legs, hips, hands and the torso.

Kathak

The material from both the Jaipur and Lucknow Gharanas will be taught in the class. Also, both the rhythmic and expressive aspects of Kathak will be equally emphasized.

Beginner
The basic Tatkar (footwork), movements, and chakkars (pirouettes) of Kathak will be introduced in this class. The students will also learn the technical aspects of Kathak such as That, Aamad, Sada Tukdas, Natwari Tukdas, Gat, and Baant in Teental (a rhythmic cycle of 16 beats).

Beginner II
Several sequences utilizing the different kinds of chakkars and tatkar will be taught at this level. In addition to the above, students will also be taught a Vandana designed for the beginner class.

Intermediate
Students will continue practicing their essential movements and will build on their repertoire by learning Chalan, That, Aamad, Tukdas, Paran, Chakkardar Tukdas, Gat, Gat-Bhav, and Paltas in Tal Teental. Students will also be introduced to Tal Jhaptal, a rhythmic cycle of 10 beats. In addition to the above, Jatis, and Guns will be taught, in order to build a good rhythmic foundation.

Kuchipudi

Beginner
The beginner level Kuchipudi class will initiate students to the Kuchipudi dance and to basic rhythm and footwork. Students will learn and master fundamental Kuchipudi dance steps i.e. Asamyutha hastas (including Hasta Viniyogas), Pada Bhedas and Samyutha Hastas. Theory / history of Kuchipudi will also be introduced in the beginning of every class.

Beginner II
The fundamental kuchipudi steps will continue. Styling of steps (more complex bends, eye movements, etc) will be added at this stage. Short sequences will be learned in preparation for the intermediate level.

Mridangam (South Indian drum)

Beginner
The classes will focus primarily on playing mridangam, the primary percussion instrument in classical south indian (Carnatic) music. Students will also receive instruction on the fundamentals of Carnatic rhythmic cycles and konnokol (the art of vocalizing mridangam syllables). At the end of the course students should be able to perform a short solo on the mridangam. 

Beginner II
At this point, complex exercises will begin to be taught and all the notes of the mridangam should be learned. A concentration on speed and tonality will begin at this level.

Odissi

Beginner
Students will learn the fundamental principles of Odissi in the style of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, including the basic steps in the two distinctive positions – Chauka (the square stance) and Tribhangi (the three-bend stance). These will be woven together with traditional hand gestures, walks, turns, neck, eye and head movements in a simple choreography – Sthayi (traditional pure dance sequence) – to create an enjoyable practice for young beginners with the aim of exposing them to the experience of performance and ensemble work. Students will also learn to chant the basic eight beat bols, and learn about the history of Odissi.

Beginner II
The Chauka and Tribhangi steps set to eight to ten beat cycles will be introduced and added to the Sthayi choreography. Torso movement will be taught at this stage for each of the ten basic Chauka and Tribhangi steps. Students will also learn the choreography for a Vandana (hymn) as an introduction to Mangalacharan, the traditional invocatory piece which forms part of the Odissi repertoire.

Intermediate
Mangalacharan's rhythmic sequence of steps forming the Bhumi Pranam (salutation to Mother Earth) and Trikhandi Pranam (three-fold salutation to God, the Guru, and the audience) will be completed. This class will focus on learning the basic items of the Odissi repertoire – Batu Nritya and Pallavi (pure dance sequences), and Moksha (the dance of salvation which concludes a performance).

Sitar

Beginner
Students will be introduced to basic sitar techniques with emphasis on tone production and proper fingering. The techniques learned will be applied to two ragas, one based on a pentatonic scale and one on a heptatonic scale. Compositions set to teentaal will be taught as an introduction to the rhythmic aspect of Hindustani Classical music..

Intermediate
Students will be introduced to the fundamental aspects of alap and jor. One morning, afternoon and evening raga will be taught as a means to appreciate bhava. Compositions in Jhaptaal and Ektaal will be taught to further rhythmic fluency. Attendance at concerts will be required to broaden the student’s music vocabulary.

Advanced
Students will be encouraged to develop improvisatory skills through tankari and raga-vistar. Advanced meend technique will be explored and the concentration will be on preparing two ragas for performance.

Veena (South Indian Stringed Instrument)

Beginner
The focus will be on developing a balance between the two hands and fingering techniques. Students will get to know the instrument and its importance and start to learn to sign while playing the instrument. They will learn Mayamalavagoula Raagam and its Swarasthanas, Sarali varusas in Mohana raaga, and Hindola raagam/Sankarabharana raagams will be taught as well in different speed structures.

Intermediate
Students will focus on geethas and be introducted to more raagas. Thristhavi notes will be taught (low and high pitch notes) as well as more techniques to play the veena. Gamakas, Adi Tala Varnas and Keertanas will be taught as well as their structural composition.