Within my senior thesis paper, I aim to explore the shifting influences on the South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam through an exploration of one of its offshoots in performance, a modern intercollegiate competitive circuit named Origins. Over the past century, Bharatnatyam has undergone a dramatic revitalization and reinterpretation, originally from an art form largely contained to the devadasi community of Southern India, both in patronage and performance. This transformation is largely due to cultural shifts, like the group nationalization due to the Indian Independence movement as well as the subsequent globalization of the dance form, that have demanded similar changes within the form itself. The 21st century has seen Bharatanatyam expand significantly in its accessibility and cultural relevance to populations all over the world. As a result, this global dissemination of the art form has led to novel approaches in how Bharatanatyam is both taught and performed. Through a case study of a collegiate Bharatanatyam dance team, whose members preserve their practice from a young age by choreographing and showcasing their piece in competitions throughout the United States, I hope to underscore the modernization and religious detachment of the form by way of athleticizing and streamlining Bharatanatyam into a competitive medium of art.