Silambam uses the same structured and disciplined teaching in dance as followed at Shree Bharatalaya. The students are also taught the theory, as a means to understand the art better. Theory instruction also includes prayers and lore from Indian mythology, which provides much of the material depicted in Bharatanatyam. The students also learn to sing the dance items to ragam (melody) and talam (beat cycle), the meaning of the songs, and recite the jathi sequences. Senior students are taught nattuvangam (the art of wielding the cymbals for dance). With the students’ dance education in mind, visiting artistes are invited to conduct workshops and lecture demonstrations. 

The goal of Silambam is to not only make the young students good dancers, but also to mould them into cultured and artistic individuals who are confident, team players, and better citizens with high moral values. The teaching and learning ambience at Silambam is informal but the training is systematic and disciplined.  The students are taught to pursue art for art's sake and develop into cultured individuals with an appreciation for arts. Srimathy and her students are very proud of the ‘pātāntharam’, and are committed to continuing the traditional values and high standards handed down to them by Padmashri Professor Sudharani Raghupathy, a disciple of Sri K. P. Kittappa Pillai- a fourth generation direct descendant of the Tanjore Quartet.