Silambam is a unique dance school that was started as an alliance of Shree Bharatalaya, a leading institution of fine arts in Chennai, India. This close tie not only helps to maintain the rigor and discipline present at Shree Bharatalaya, but also gives students at Silambam the spiritual background and high standards needed in this dance field.

Silambam represent many age groups, nationalities and religious backgrounds, a reflection of the multicultural crossroads that is Geneva. In addition to regular classes, visiting teachers from Shree Bharatalaya give workshops yearly. These have included in the last two years, Aruna Subbiah and Priya Murle. Many of the students at Silambam have also taken intensive courses at Shree Bharatalaya.

Another aspect of the uniqueness of Silambam is that it is part of a network of dance schools around the world run by former students of Shree Bharatalaya. These include schools in the

• United States - in Columbus, Ohio run by Smitha K. Magal
• Singapore - run by Priya S. Dixit
• India - in Coonoor run by Nalini Prakash
• India - in Chennai run by Shylaja Ramji
 

Margam- The Complete Bharatanatyam

Silambam has produced a double CD recording of Bharatanatyam compositions, sponsored by the Ethnographical Museum of the town of Geneva. Compositions of Padmasri Vidwan Madurai N. Krishnan were chosen representing a Margam, or complete sequence of Bharatanatyam compositions from the Todaya Mangalam to the Thillana. This is the first time in Europe that such a complete recording of Bharatanatyam music has been recorded. Manjula has presented excerpts from this unique double CD recording on the Swiss television and the Swiss radio.

For further information regarding this recording, please e-mail Manjula directly.