Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance. Bharatanatyam is thought to have been
created by the Bharata Muni, a Hindu sage, who wrote the "Natya Shastra", the most
important scripture of classical Indian dance. Bharatanatyam proper is a solo dance,
with two aspects, "lasya", the graceful feminine lines and movements, and "tandava",
masculine aspect. The 3 basic elements of Bharatanatyam are Nritta - Rhythm,
Nritya - Rhythm with expression and Natya - Dramatic element.
The story, scene, costume, jewels, they are all a very important part of the dance.
The pose Gayatri is depicting here is 'dreamy'. It is usually used to show longing
for a loved one. The dancer usually wears a "sari" made from silk during a performance
or cotton during practice. The bangles are an important part of the Indian tradition and most
women have many pairs of them.