Hyderabad, Jan 16 (UNI) To enable classical dance students practice and hone their ‘adavus’ outside the classroom and provide teachers and gurus with a useful training tool, acclaimed dancer, scholar, speaker, writer and guru Ananda Shankar Jayant has conceptualised a unique web application ‘Natyarambha’ that serves as a personal Bharatnatyam coach. “The first-of-its-kind Bharatanatyam practice app, scheduled to be launched in Hyderabad on January 22, is inspired by the Prime Minister’s ‘Digital India’ initiative and aims to motivate students to practice and rehearse their basic training beyond the classroom,” says Ananda, one of India’s eminent dancers, who has been teaching and choreographing dance for over four decades. In today’s fast paced lifestyles, formal training in Bharatanatyam, by the teacher, is only feasible for a few hours a week, making practice at home by the student an imperative essential. Many students, find this difficult, for want of guidance at home. 'Natyarambha,' she says, “bridges the gap between class room training and home practice.” “It comes with detailed guidance, mnemonics, music, and visuals, replicating the format of a Bharatanatyam class, and a range of practice options that will make practice at home easy, exciting, and stimulating for students; who will now have a ready digital access similar to the dance class, that is also interactive and engaging,” says the dancer. Available across various devices, and based on an annual subscription model -- 'Natyarambha' is an online practice tool, that necessitates learning from a Guru, and yet provides linkages between the guru and home practice -- a digital access to quality practice and training modules for home practice - that will transform the teaching, learning and practice of Bharatanatyam. UNI VV JW SNU 1807