Beginner
Beginner classes are on Tuesday / Friday / Sunday. Their classes are typically of 1-hour duration. They learn the basic steps till Thirmanam adavus and begin margam item of Alarippu - Blossoming flower. Typically it takes anywhere between 100-150 hours of classes to learn these adavus such that the student can perform it in three speeds.
Intermediate
Intermediate classes are on Friday / Saturday. During this curriculum, students learn 'nritya' - dance & basic expressions & 'nritta' or pure dance margam items like Kautuvam, Jatiswaram, Tillana, Shabdam & simple keertanam. Depending on the student's commitment, engagement, and practice, it takes 100-150 hours of classes to learn these items. This level deepens their interest and understanding of the Classical Dance form.
Advanced
Advanced classes are typically in group of others with similar capability. They learn advanced items like VarNam - which is an item that require stamina and depth in the story telling skills and strong core; padam - intense expressive item that requires emotional strength, deeper engagement with the artform and advanced theory like the art of nattuvangam and treatises like Abhinaya DarpaNam by Nandikeshwara and Natya Shastra by Sage Bharata.
Daily schedule of Residential Gurukulam
6:00 am Wake up
7:00 am - 8:00 am Yoga
8:00 am - 9:00 am Breakfast & Get ready
9:00 am - 10:30 am Exercises / Adavus / Practical Fundamentals & Refresher Course
10:30 am - 10:45 am Juice Break
10:45 am - 12:30 pm Practicals / Stories / Q/A
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm Lunch
1:15 pm - 2:30 pm Post Lunch Rest
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Theory Class / Singing lessons
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Snack/Recess
5:00 pm - 6:45 pm Repertoire Class
7:15 pm - 7:45 pm Bhajans
7:45 pm - 8:30 pm Dinner
10:00 pm Lights Out time