Learning in Chennai

• Information for students

1. General classes for children and adults
2. Arangetrams
3. Intensive courses
4. Certificate course (non-graded)
5. Certificate course (graded)
6. Diploma course (graded)
7. Workshops

Learning over the Internet

1. Videoconferencing sessions (online)
2. Alternative option (offline)

Information for the students

• Unlike many other schools, SDN provides its students with the music records so that they can additionally practise the items at home or even perform these items on the stage when they are performing without a live orchestra.
• The choreography of each item may be modified according to the student's capacities. Sometimes it implies that the music too has to be modified. It is easy to implement in case of a live orchestra, but a custom-made audio would have to be recorded if the student wants to perform with a CD
• Most students studying at SDN are learning the dance as a hobby, etc. Those who plan to become professional dancers have to possess certain qualities and have to request additional feedback from the guru whenever they want more corrections.
• A 10-minute item can be learnt in a few days, but it may take many months or even years of hard practice to bring its performance onto a professional level. How fast a student learns depends on the student's natural abilities and on how hard he/she practices.

General classes for children and adults

Children above 5 years old as well as adults can join the regular classes conducted at 3 different levels:

• beginner
• intermediate (for the students who completed their Salangai Puja)
• advanced (pre- and post-arangetram level students)

At present the classes are held in KK Nagar and in Villivakkam 3 times a week.
Each class is 2-3 hours long.
Language of instruction: Tamil and English.

The tuition fees vary from depending on the class level and the student's family's income. Currently, the minimum fee is Rs.400 a month in the beginners class. Some highly talented and dedicated students are attending the classes for free, although our capacity to accomodate more such free students is very limited due to the necessity to repay the loan taken to buy our own dance studio. Click here if you would like to help more of such highly talented students to attend the classes.

Arangetrams

Arangetram is the guru's endorsement of the student's reaching a relative mastery level, although the complexity of the items performed in the arangetram's margam depends on the student's age. You can view the online videos of the arangetram recitals performed by an 11-year-old dancer and a 12-year-old dancer of Sri Devi Nrithyalaya.

The choice of the arantegram items demonstrates the guru's ability to bring out the student's best aptitudes. Preparation for an arangetram usually takes over 5 years, although in some cases it can take less time. The guru has to dedicate considerable time for the one-to-one classes, give special training sessions for the student and conduct several rehearsals with a live orchestra.

The arangetram costs vary depending on the student's preferences and his financial resources. Many highly talented students from low-income families cannot afford it. Click here if you would like to help more highly talented students to be able to give their arangetram performance.

Intensive courses

Some learners, especially those coming to Chennai for a short time, would like to attend a certain custom-built course that would fit their requirements, which means that the core of such programmes are individual classes, although the student will be welcome to attend the group classes as well. Smt.Sheela Unnikrishnan decides what things can be taught by her assistants, and what things have to be taught by Smt.Sheela Unnikrishnan herself. The tuition fees may be either time-based (i.e. hourly fee) or item-based (i.e. per-item fee), and vary depending on the course type and the student's financial resources. To support the home practice, the students are allowed to videotape the item he/she is learning

Certificate course (non-graded)

This is a foundation course and covers all the essentials, both theory and practice. The standard course consists of 2 modules (Level 1 and Level 2) and lasts for 2 years.

Level 1 includes the basics:
Adavus: Tattadavu, Nattadavu, Martita, Gudithadavu, Mandi, Korvai
Items: Alarippu, Pushpanjali

Level 2 includes the intermediate items:
Jatiswaram, Kouthuvam, Sabdam, Padam, Ashtapadi

After each year the student receives a Certificate of Attendance.
The course fees vary depending on the student's financial resources.

Certificate course (graded)

The course is the very similar to the above except the fact that the student is required to pass a formal examination after each year. Such a course is suitable for those students who are not satisfied with the certificate of attendance and would like to receive a certificate where their proficiency level would be stated. This course is a pre-requisite for attending the diploma course. The course fees vary depending on the student's financial resources.

Diploma course (graded)

This intensive 2-years course is developed for those who consider becoming a professional dancer or a dance instructor. The pre-requisite for attending the diploma course is the successful completion the Certificate Course Level 2.

The Diploma course includes:
Thodaya Mangalam, Varnam, Padam, Javali, Tillana

The course fees vary depending on the student's financial resources.

Workshops

Click here if you would like to invite Smt.Sheela Unnikrishnan or her senior assistants to conduct a workshop that you are organizing.