Monday 11 February 2019

A good start on discussions on Dance Issues by Academy - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

Unlike the past when dance was only to be practiced and seen, today there is a willingness to discuss issues in the world of dance and it is encouraging that a body like the Music Academy has taken the step of organizing Dance Discussions coinciding with its annual festival of dance. Still in its nascent stages, this small beginning can lead to more ambitious interactions. Conceptualised by Kami Vishwanathan and Sujata Vijayaraghavan, the first discussion on 'Teaching 21st century skills through classical dance' (which is another way of looking at what classical dance offers for the world and concerns of today), had Rajika Puri now settled in the USA as Moderator. Nalini Prakash, a board-certified dance/movement therapist and co-director of Spilling Ink, a multi arts organization in Washington D.C, spoke about the collective empathy and multi sensory expression derived out of learning not just Bharatanatyam but other art expressions (from puppetry to pottery, she became more exposed to in Spilling Ink) , which she as a certified movement therapist draws on to help set right the disconnect in body, mind and spirit in her clients. She finds the non threatening language flowing from these arts most suitable vocabulary for a movement therapist.

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1 comment:

  1. As a Bharata Natyam dancer, I understand how significant Bharata Natyam has been in building my emotional and psychological wellness. It has served as nothing more than a form of therapy for me. Bharatnatyam has given me a broader outlook. It has also taught me that what is on the outer is not as essential as what is on the inside. Moreover, for example, it has helped me realize that I am sufficient even without the materialistic things around me. The words "Bha" (emotion), "Ra" (music), "Ta" (rhythm), and "Natyam" (dancing) make up the Bha Ra Ta Natyam system. In addition, no props are required for this type of dance. Any stories or characters will be represented by my movements, expressions, and body parts. Like, in the same way, as a result, we gain the wisdom to know that we can find fulfilment in other ways besides financial indulgences. Furthermore, you don't need anything else to be complete, just like Bharata Natyam doesn't need props. Additionally, this style of dancing provided me with a fantastic opportunity to increase my cardiovascular fitness, blood flow, muscular tone, and bone density due to the fact that it is a type of contact training.

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