ABSTRACT
Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form that originated in south India, has circulated internationally since the early nineteenth century. This chapter explores the development of the dance form in Malaysia, particularly the narrative about how Bharatanatyam has evolved from the dance of the Indian diaspora community to a dance form that is being practised by multi-ethnic practitioners in the country. Though the period from the 1920s to the immediate post-war years seem to provide a strong foundation for the development and spread of various Indian cultural forms, details about Bharatanatyam became visible in Malaya only in the 1950s. As such, female bodies were given more prominence in the Bharatanatyam dance training, marginalizing the male bodies. The two spectacle dance recitals given much emphasis in the Bharatanatyam dance training in Malaysia are the salangai pooja or gejjai pooja, mini recital and arangetram, solo recital.
