Nattuvangam

Tamil

Conducting the recital with cymbals and spoken syllables.

RhythmBharatanatyam

Meaning

Nattuvangam is the art of directing a performance: keeping tala on a pair of small cymbals while reciting the sollukattu aloud, cueing dancer and musicians and holding the whole recital together. The person doing it is the nattuvanar, traditionally the dancer's own guru.

Related words

SollukattuThe spoken rhythmic syllables dancers move to.TalaThe rhythmic cycle a piece is set in.JathiA passage of pure rhythmic dance.TihaiA phrase repeated three times to land on the first beat.KorvaiA rhythmic composition, usually stated three times.SamThe first beat of the rhythmic cycle.

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