Arul Francis

🪔 About

Arul Francis is a dedicated exponent of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, and a direct disciple of the esteemed Pandanallur C. Subbaraya Pillai. He is based in San Francisco, USA, where he imparts the rich traditions of the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam. This particular style holds significant renown within the classical dance world, largely due to the ancestral dance-teaching family from the village of Pandanallur. This lineage includes prominent gurus such as Minakshisundaram Pillai, his son-in-law Chokkalingam Pillai, and his grandson Subbaraya Pillai, all of whom are celebrated as leading teachers of the Tanjore Quartet dance compositions. This esteemed family has been instrumental in training many famous dancers and legends in India. Arul Francis's teaching repertoire faithfully adheres to the works of the Tanjore Quartet, encompassing foundational elements like alarippu, jathiswaram, and varnam, as well as expressive padams, all taught in the manner he learned from Subbaraya Pillai. He conducts Bharatanatyam classes for both children, starting from age 8, and adult beginners in a dance studio located in downtown San Francisco. These classes are typically held on Sunday afternoons. The training program is comprehensive, designed to span eight years, culminating in an arangetram, which is a solo debut performance. The initial year of instruction emphasizes the development of a proper araimandi, or half-sitting posture. Students are expected to achieve a satisfactory araimandi to progress to the second year. The complete set of adavus, the fundamental movement units of Bharatanatyam, is taught over three years. Progression beyond the third year requires students to demonstrate the physical stamina and competence to perform the full set of adavus proficiently and without interruption.