Explore India and its multiple cultures and the art they produce. Listen to experienced musicians perform tabla beats, learn about the Bharatanatyam dance, and catch a movie produced by Bollywood, one of the largest centers of film production in the world.
Ever hear a song where you can feel the emotion of the singer? In classical North Indian music, the singers train for years to emote feelings like sadness, happiness, or calmness. Join Kiran Ahluwalia in a singing lesson focused on raags, a range of musical scales that are the building blocks for classical North Indian music. She’ll guide you up and down one raag, so that you, too, can sing with emotion.
Bharatanatyam is a form of classical Indian art that, when translated into English, signifies the combination of expression, rhythm, music, and dance. In this video, get an introduction to a few foundational Bharatanatyam postures and dance steps (Adavus). Watch as teaching artist and dancer Deepa Mani performs the steps to a traditional song, showing how facial expressions, hand gestures, and footwork can tell a rich story.
Bharatanatyam is a form of classical Indian art that, when translated into English, signifies the combination of expression, rhythm, music, and dance. Bharatanatyam dancers use gestures and expression to tell stories about love, hate, power, or something as simple as the weather. In this video, join teaching artist and performer Praneetha Akula as she demonstrates how hand gestures and footwork can tell a story about rainfall. By the end, you’ll have the tools to dance a story about your day!
The dhol is a loud and festive drum that comes from the Punjab region in South Asia. You can learn some dhol rhythms even if you don’t have a drum! Join musician Sunny Jain as he demonstrates how to use your voice as a dhol. You’ll learn some essential dhol rhythms and put them together for an improvised performance.
This 3-part audio series explores different aspects of Indian music: Indian musical instruments; the styles of music across India; and what makes Indian music unique—and where it is going
In this 6-8 lesson, students will create mandalas using mathematical concepts and skills. They will explore symmetry as well as the natural and man-made shapes found in mandalas. They will design a mandala, then analyze other students’ creative work for style and message.
The music of India is diverse, but there is still a distinct “sound” that makes Indian music unmistakable-- use this resource to learn the basics of Indian music.
Learn about traditional Indian Bharatanatyam dance from the Ragamala Dance company
Ragamala Dance introduces students to Bharatanatyam, a traditional dance form from south India.
Falu writes and performs "indie Hindi" music—a blend of rock and Indian styles—exploring the many regions, languages, cultures, and traditions in India. Using Indian rhythms, vocal styles, and percussion alongside modern instruments such as electric guitars, Falu celebrates how music can beautifully express both difference and connection across cultures.
