Adavu form the basis of the nritta technique of Bharatnatyam. Each group is distinctive for its initial starting position and the manner in which the foot, the calf, the whole leg is used. Different family traditions and oral traditions grouped adavus into major categories. Most family traditions considered nine major groups. Each of these is again subdivided into several units which can be used singly or in combination. The adavus are set in sequential time and they can be utilised within a metrical cycle; a tala, in a number of ways, giving rise to new varieties. Most of these major categories of adavus begin and return to the ardhamandali or the ukkaramandali position. They begin from a movement of stasis, go through a sequence of movement and return to another moment of stasis as if it is movement frozen in time. Symmetrical patterning of movement is essential. The training begins by executing a movement first by  right foot and then by the left foot. This principle is essential so as to repeatedly remind both the dancer and the spectator of the juxtaposition of stasis and dynamics. One half of the body is static, the other half of the body is in movement.

The first of these adavus is known as the ' tatta adavu' suggesting flat foot contacts in the basic ardhamnadali position.

The second variety of the adavu is known as 'tei yum dat ta, tei yum ta ha'. This group is known as the 'nattu adavu'. It also begins from the second position of the ardhamandali. i.e. knee and foot outturned but it explores space through extension of legs. Thus its chief feature is the alidha sthana where one leg is bent, the foot of this leg is flat, the knee is outturned, the other leg is extended out, first to the right and is then brought back to initial position. This is repeated with the right leg and foot in stasis, and left leg extended. Later each leg is turn is extended to front and is brought back behind the static leg. 

The dancer begins by first holding the ardhamandali position and then extends one leg to one side along with an extended arm. The heel touches the ground and the toes are up. This leg is brought back to position and the same is repeated to the other side. After directions to the right and left are explored, directions front and back are explored. Now one leg is extended to the front and then contracted and brought behind the static foot. In other varieties of this group, space is explored with the arms, also, varying levels are explored; in one such variety the hand touches the foot of the extended leg at the ground level and is taken back to the head level. The nattu adavu gives the dancer the possibility of exploring space while being in place. Along with the beautiful clear leg extensions, the torso is used as one unit and the extended and contracted arms follow the leg movement.  

The third group is 'tat tai tam'. The dancer begins from the basic ardhamandali. A combination of foot contacts is explored. There is initially a flat foot, then a slight jump on the toes and a return to the flat foot i.e., a combination of stamping of feet, jump on toes and toe-heel movements are introduced for the first time. This group is then a combination of both tattu and nattu. Also in this group, levels are introduced. There is the standing, there is the demi-pile or adrhamandali and and there is the outturned kneeling. One of these varieties include jumping on both toes slightly in the initial ardhamandali position followed by the right foot and then the left foot stamping the ground.  There is also the slight jump on the toes followed by stamping of both heels on the ground. After exploring different foot contacts in the ardhamandali position a combination of these foot contacts and leg extensions is executed. This is further developed in another variety where beginning with the ardhamandali, there is a leg extension in the alidha, a turning in place around the fulcrum of the body, followed by a leg extension. Arms move in diagonal patterns. This group of adavus enables the dancer not only to explore immediate space in place by the movement of her legs, torso and arms, but also enables her to explore space through half turns and juxtaposing symmetrically the lower half and the upper half of the body.

The fourth variety is the 'tei hat tei hi'. Here, the distinctive feature is the slight jump on both toes followed by stamping of both feet together. There are a number of ways to execute this and some of the lovely rhythmic sequences of Bharatnatyam with extended arms and closing arms are done in this adavu. A sub-division of this group is the sliding or the slipping sideways of both the feet in an erect position. Here, the dancer does not execute the movement in the ardhamandali position, but glides in an erect posture sideways and then uses the heel-toe movement rather than the toe-heel movement. The final sequences of the 'tillana' done in the third tempo are usually built on this adavu.

The fifth group is the 'tat tei ta ha'. Here the dancer learns a variety of permutations and combinations which she can use in all the different types of the Indian tala system, namely the jatis. The first subdivision is usually stamping of the right foot and then the left foot, followed by a jump on the heels, on the third beat, and stamping of only the right foot on the fourth beat. This is repeated by beginning the sequences with the left foot. The building of complex rhythmical structures from this basis gives much of the particular style and flavour of Bharatnayam.

The sixth group has two varieties and is known as the 'tei tei ta' adavu. In this, the dancer tries to build up movement by the use of only one foot or leg in groups of three beats. 

The next group known as the 'di di tai' has nearly 16 varieties and is another example of the number of permutations and combinations which can be woven around a basic movement executed to three beats. Certain varieties of this adavu provide the climax to dance sequences or cadences known as the tirmanams in Bhrartnatyam. This group, in its simplest form, is the use of the extended leg and its contraction. A typical example is the right leg extended front, the heel beating the ground, followed by the left foot in place, stamping the ground. The right foot is brought back to place in the third beat and stamps the ground in the ardhamandali position. In another variety, the arms weave circular patterns in contrast to the straight frontal ones of the lower limbs. The right hand, which is first extended in front, gradually moves back to the shoulder level on its own side, while the left hand goes back and by the turning of the waist, is brought over the head and into a front-down position usually ending in the hasta known as the 'alapadma'.