Rukmini Vijayakumar Instagram – Many traditional artists improvise on stage. This tradition of improvisation is a part of the art form. Carnatic musicians do this a lot because the structure of many traditional compositions allow for personal exploration at large. As a Bharatanatyam dancer, I find this to be one of the most beautiful things about the form. Many times I go on stage with a skeletal structure that both the musicians and I are aware of. Within that structure we are allowed to create and move things around. This allows each of us as artists to be in the moment and “really listen” to one another …. Contrary to popular idea, improvisation doesn’t mean that you do whatever you want… it means that we practise so much that skill and technique have to be used alongside presence of mind to create a coherent choreographic structure at the very moment of performance . (Danced first and then added this music… so please forgive the lack of rhythmic coherence 😊) Video @vivianambrose #funfactsaboutbharatanatyam #bharatanatyam #indiandance #classicaldance #classicalindiandance #dancer #improvisation