A trivial question about Bharatanatyam.

[ganesh_mourthy]

My niece the other day was watching a dance program on TV. She is learnign dance and had just started.

She was asking me how do these dancers raise their brows alternatively which is done invariably by all the dancers beautifully.

She has been trying it for 2 days and funny to see her . her both of the brows get raised simultaneousy and she is not able to do that alternatively.

Is there a system to learn it. Or just to come by practice.

funny question , yeah? but we discuss fine arts here , threadbare

[Nick H]

As my fellow forumites know, I am not ever even likely to learn bharatanatyam, but I have a personal story about this.

Maybe I was about ten years old. I had a teacher (the headmaster, actually), who would stare at you when he was angry about something. He would finish by raising just one eyebrow, and yes, the mannerism fascinated me. I tried hard, on and off, to replicate that ability, but never could and, eventually forgot about it.

One day, some years later (I think I was about 15 then), I looked in the mirror and, without even thinking about it, raised one eyebrow. I tried the other, that worked too.

Forty years later, yes, I can still do it! And my friends tell me I should learn Bharatanatyam!

My theory is that if one succeeds in giving the brain the message that you want to do something, if it is physically possible, it will deliver.

My success in this was haphazard and undisciplined. I suspect there are yogis and practitioners of various exercises, esoteric and exoteric who practice such demands upon their brains in a vary disciplined manner and can astound us with their results. Maybe dance teachers too!

[MKM]

This may sound funny... but I learned to raise one eyebrow perhaps around age 10 also, by physically holding one eyebrow with my hand...closing that eye of course, and raising the other one. After a few times you can do it without holding it. Interestingly I had to train the other eyebrow similarly.

[ganesh_mourthy]

are there no formal methodology. all seems fluke

[vasanthakokilam]

For whatever it is worth: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=599736

[Nick H]

I can wiggle my ears too.

But I could always do that; the eyebrow thing was acquired.

Can't do the making a V with the middle fingers thing.

[manvantara]

I learn Mohiniattam - so here is my answer.

When I first started out, I could raise both my eyebrows (not as fast as required, though), my left eyebrow alone, but not my right one.

It took some practice - I had to physically raise my right eyebrow using my right hand/fingers - to "teach" that muscle to move and in a few days, was able to do it. More practice is necessary, though, to bring out the right expression alongside.

I have been learning Mohiniattam for some years now, but making my eyebrows quiver - ah, that still seems elusive.

[Nick H]

Quivering eyebrows! There's a challenge.

Maybe in some of my many idle moments...

And then people can tell me I should... but wait, no they can't, as Mohiniattam is for females only!

manvantara, I am impressed that you can accomplish such things in a matter of days; good luck with the quivering!

[manvantara]

nick, it is not that much of a challenge - try it, it's not too hard!

And my guru tells me that Mohiniattam is not for females only (when she choreographs a dance drama and has male dancers, they too do Mohiniattam, I am told, though I have never seen one so far).

[Nick H]

LOL

I am far too lazy for dance --- else it would be kathak for me!

[ganesh_mourthy]

Shed your laziness and try Kathak.

[Alka]

Can any one please provide step by step instructions on how to do hair for arangetram? I cannot find any pictures or instructions.