Off-campus opportunity to learn Bharatanatyam

Updated on: Monday, July 19, 2010

Patronage has been on the rise for the Bharatanatyam programmes offered in the off-campus mode by the Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, Tiruchi, in association with the Bharathidasan University.

Enrolment in the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), and Diploma in Bharathanatyam programmes offered by the three institutions through various off-campus centres has risen to 256. These programmes are also offered as concurrent degree for students of regular colleges.

The most attractive feature is that one can undergo the bachelor and master degree courses and get the university degree in the Gurukula art from wherever they are, without having to attend college. The late Rev. Msgr. S.M. George, the Founder and the first Director of this Kalai Kaviri off-campus degree Programme, and the Founder of Kalai Kaviri Cultural Undertakings, were instrumental in pioneering and revolutionising the concept of promoting the fine art forms beyond the campus barriers.

The programmes suit the requirements of Bharatanatyam performers, directors of dance academies, dance teachers, school teachers, and professionals in various fields, irrespective of age. For instance, Vaijayanthi Mala from Madurai doing her second year M.F.A., is 56 years old, said Rev. Fr. L.Anthuvan, the present Director of the Kalai Kaviri and the Off-Campus programme. Among the 587 students who were admitted to these courses in the past six years, 207 students were from Tamil Nadu, 177 from Puducherry, 65 students from Karnataka, 10 students from Maharashtra, 72 students from Sri Lanka, nine from Europe (U.K., Germany and Denmark) and six from U.S. and Canada.

So far, 91 Diploma students in five batches, 31 BFA students in three batches, and 98 MFA students in the four batches, have graduated, Fr. Anthuvan said.

The institution provides exhaustive study material as CDs (audio and video) and printed books. Efficient teaching in the contact classes, and the assignments, seminars and dissertation work that are given to the students, determine the high standard of this programme that has the flexibility of the distance education mode and the rigours of a regular course. The institution has Co-ordinating Study Centres in Tiruchi, Chennai, Coimbatore, Puducherry, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Nilambur and Mumbai in India; Colombo and Jaffna in Sri Lanka; Muscat in Oman; Denmark; Bradford in United Kingdom; Connecticut in USA; and Toronto in Canada. Reputed Cultural centres and art centres in India, Sri Lanka, USA, Dubai, U.A.E., Mumbai and other countries seek to be recognised as co-ordinating centres for the Kalai Kaviri Off-campus Degree Programme. Special considerations offered by this programme depict the keenness of the Bharathidasan University and Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts have for recognising the talented and proficient art-lovers with authentic university degrees.

Eligibility norms are as under:

* A graduate in any other discipline with proficiency in full Maargam (practical and theory) in Bharathanatyam, (but does not have a Diploma in Bharatanatyam from any university or government institution), can take a ‘Special Eligibility Test' both in theory and practicals, conducted by the Kalai Kaviri Off-campus Degree programme, and pass the same and join M.F.A. directly in the same academic year.

* B.F.A. and M.F.A. courses in Bharatanatyam can be done concurrently or simultaneously by students undergoing other UG or PG degree courses in other disciplines in regular colleges.

* Even those who have not passed Plus Two, but have passed Class X, if they have a Diploma in Bharatanatyam according to the specifications of the university or if they have 10 years' experience in teaching Bharatanatyam, can join BFA.

* Those with a pass in Plus Two and working as dance teachers with 10 years of teaching experience in Bharatanatyam, can join the second year of the 3-year BFA degree course in the Lateral Entry mode.

Interested candidates can visit www.kalaikaviri-offcamp.com for more details and download application forms. For more details, candidates can also ring up the coordinator (0091-94435-31412) or the college office (0091-431-2401010), fax: 0091-431-2461515. Email : [email protected].

Off-campus opportunity to learn Bharatanatyam

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