The Tanjore Bani hails from iconic village of Tanjore in the state of Tamil Nadu. 

 

Nattuvanar Shri. Ellappa Pillai belongs to the family of musicians of Kanchivaram. His tradition hailed from Ashwadhati Pacchamuthu Mudaliar, who is said to have made horses dance. At the age of 5, Ellappa studied music under his grandfather, Parasuram Mudaliar, who was a well-known vocalist. Then at the age of 9, he came to his maternal uncle, Tiruvengada Mudaliar, to study dancing. Tiruvengada Mudaliar was the descendent of Ashwadhati Pacchamuthu Mudaliar, and an adept in the arts of dance and music. He taught Ellappa dancing and the art of nattuvangam. By the time, Ellappa was seventeen, he started conducting dance recitals. 

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Ellappa came in contact with Kandappa, one of the descendants of the famous Tanjore Quartet. At that time, Kandappa was training the renowned dancer Balasaraswati. He was fond of Ellappa's pleasing voice and knowledge. Ellappa joined Kandappa's troup and imbibed the Kandappan style of the Tanjore School. Ellappa eschewed the finer aspects of Kandappa's tradition and emphasized the precision of the basic stances, the rhythmic tempo and the subtleties of abhinaya. He too studied abhinaya from the famous Chinnayya Naidu. 

 

Shri. MD Venkatesh was one of the well known disciples of Nattuvanar Shri. Ellappa Pillai and carried on this wonderful Tanjore Bani for generations to come.

 

Both Shri. Ellappa Pillai and Shri. MD Venkatesh were perfectionists and would teach a single adavu to the students even for a couple of months till they perfected it. They were keen that the students know Tamil and understand the lyrics of the songs they performed. Both would insist the students utter the jathis with proper intonation and appropriate stress on the sound of the words. They also encouraged the students to watch as many dance performances of luminary dancers to gain knowledge and inspiration. 

 

 

Elements of the Tanjore Bani:

1. Each foot is firmly beaten on the ground 

2. In the araimandi position, the feet are slightly towards the front like in ‘V’ shape

3. Insist on angashuddam (correct angles and postures while dancing)

4. The students are encouraged to enjoy the dancing

5. All adavus should first start from the right side

6. The usi (missing a fraction of a beat) is done as nattadavu

7. Thattimetu is done by stamping both legs before lifting the heel

8. Students are encouraged to watch the senior students class and observe

9. While dancing the nritta or performing abhinaya, the line of the song is first danced on right and then repeated on left with single hand and then double hand

10. The natyarambam is full stretch of the hand

11. Abhinaya is not very intense. Movements flow gracefully into one another

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Description of Ellappa Pillai is borrowed from “Bharata Natyam: Indian Classical Dance Art”, Marg Publications, A Division of Tata Sons Limited