Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest and the most widely practiced classical dances of India. More popular in Southern India, this dance is based on Natyasastra, the treatise on Indian classical dances written by Sage Bharatha.

The term Bharatanatyam was first coined by Purandara Dasa, the master Carnatic music composer. The origin of this dance can be traced back to Dasi Attam, a dance form which once had been performed by the women dancers of the temples of South India

Thillana is performed at the end of a Bharatanatyam performance. Rhythmic yet complicated postures and movements are the hallmarks of this piece.