Nattadavu Step 6 | Bharatanatyam Adavu | Natyakriya Episode 11

* If you are new to Bharatanatyam, I urge you to start from the beginning.
* If you haven't learned the previous steps of Nattadavu, click here & here.

Nattadavu is the 2nd set of steps (or ADAVU) in Bharatanatyam. Following the 5th step of Nattadavu, we move on to the 6th step. There are minute differences between the 5th & 6th steps of Nattadavu.

The sollukattu (सोल्लुकट्टु) or Rhythmic syllables of is - Thaiyyum That Tha Thaiyyum Thaam

Here is the video tutorial -

How to do Nattadavu 6th step - Step by step instructions -

I. Leg Movements

1. Begin by sitting in Aramandi
2. Lift you RIGHT LEG by pointing your toes and imagining that your heels are touching your behind. Place the right heel in front on you (right knee straight, left leg in Araimandi) (count 1)
3. Hit the LEFT LEG in same position. (count 2)
4. Lift and place the right leg on your toes behind the left leg in Aramandi.
5. Hit the LEFT LEG in same position as step 4.
6. From behind lift RIGHT LEG up - this time stretch your toes out while aiming the heel at your behind - place the right heel to the right side of the body - knee straight. (left leg sitting in Aramandi) (count 5)
7. Lift  RIGHT LEG up and hit back to original position. (count 6)
8. Lift RIGHT LEG up - this time stretch your toes out while aiming the heel at your behind - place the right heel to the right side of the body - knee straight. (left leg sitting in Aramandi) (count 7)
9. Lift  RIGHT LEG up and hit back to original position. (count 8)

{This was the RIGHT SIDE of the step. Repeat the same in Left Side too}

II. Hand Movements

1. Begin by placing RIGHT HAND in front of your chest, palm facing to left side in Tripathaka hand gesture and stretch LEFT HAND to left side at shoulder level. Elbows shouldn't droop.
2. As right leg moves forward, bend from your hips & take the right hand to your toes.
3. Hit leg in same position as step 2.
4. As right leg moves behind left leg, come up and lift your hands straight up above your head (palm facing left side)
5. Hit leg in same position as step 4
6. From above, take the right hand to right side palm facing up.
7. Turn palm down as right leg comes back
8. Turn palm up as right leg moves out again
9. Turn palm back down.

{This was the RIGHT SIDE of the step. Repeat the same in Left Side too}

Notes

1. Do the step in 3 speeds
2. The 2nd part of the step, viz. taking the leg to the side of the body & back is exactly like 2nd step of Nattadavu.

Hand Gestures Used in this step are -

source

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