Amity Journal of Applied Psychology 2011, Vol. 2, No.

1, 54-68

Copyright 2011 by AIBAS, Amity University Rajasthan (ISSN 0976 - 6731)

Therapeutic Implications of Dance

Tanvi Bajaj* University of Delhi Swasti S Vohra** University of Delhi

Effectiveness of dance as a healing art is based on the premise that mind and body are a gestalt in which change in one of these domains produces a consequent change in the other. This paper illustrates the therapeutic implications of Bharatanatyam, a form of Indian Classical dance, as experienced by professional dancers. Following the case study approach, this qualitative research employs in-depth interview, story writing and auto-photography. The analysis shows that apart from the known benefits of physical exercise, Bharatanatyam promotes positive physical health. Focusing not just on absence of illness, this dance offers optimised functioning of the body. The stamping of the foot, movement of each limb, the mudras, the rhythmic breathing and the activation of chakras, all imply a holistic effect of Bharatanatyam on mind, body and soul. Another dimension that emerges distinctly is the relation between dance and the experience of flow. Highlighting the meditative and transcendental qualities of dance, the paper draws parallels between Yoga and Bharatanatyam. Keyword: dance healing, art, bharatanatyam, positive physical health, mind flow, yoga, body, soul, emotions, chakras.

We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, and we create the dreams. (Anonymous)

According to Sahai (2003), to create beauty, to give pleasure, to communicate that is the purpose of all art. Dance is the embodiment of sound and rhythm, which creates poetry of spiritual expression. Rukmini Devi Arundale (1957) held that it is the expression of the evolution of movement, a truly creative force that has come down to us through ages. Dance is a vital urge in man. It is present in every kriya or activity surrounding us, from the flight of a bird to the swaying of the leaves in the wind (Manjula 2002). In the West dance has developed into a means of self-expression and a vehicle to convey the dancer's own personality and ideas. However, in India and other Eastern regions, along with being a medium of expression, dance has developed as form of spiritual expression. As Manjula (2002) correctly states, 'in India, dance does not evolve through man and his experiments; it evolves from Divinity. As per Bharata's Natya Shastra, the famous Sanskrit treatise on stagecraft, dance as a form emerged when the world had become steeped in greed, desire, jealousy, anger, pleasure and pain. Bramha, then on request, meditated on the four Vedas and drew out the fifth scripture which was called the Natya Veda. Indian dance forms are thus considered divine in nature.

Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu. The word Bharata, some believe, signifies the author of, Natya Shastra, it is sometimes given a folk etymology as follows: Bha for Bhava or abhinaya and expression, Ra for raga or melody, and Ta for tala or rhythm. While some also believe that Bharatanatyam means, quite literally, the dance of Bharata (India). Bharatanatyam is a vigorous, forceful dance. Its beauty lies in its strength. The gentle gliding of the neck, the poise and grace in the dancer's stance, arms outstretched at shoulder level, firm and graceful and the forceful yet controlled movements of her limbs, it is in these that the true beauty and the vitality of the dance may be seen. Like other Indian daces, Bharatanatyam has two distinct aspects; the nrtta or pure dance, and natya or the enactment or mimetic performance. Nrtta is based on the music alone; the dance is pure movements and stances. The dancer using the major limbs and joints (the head, waist, arms, legs, feet) interprets the rhythm through weaving intricate geometric patterns in space. Natya is a reflective imitation of worldly events. It is the interpretation of the words of the literature, whether it is a poem or an invocation, through stylized gestures. It expresses the emotion or mood and aims to evoke rasa in the audience. In the art of natya, pleasures and pains are artistically 54

* & ** Department of Applied Psychology, South Campus, University of Delhi, Delhi

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represented through abhinaya. Abhinaya is a Sanskrit word, the prefix abhi meaning, 'towards' and 'naya' meaning 'to lead'. Therefore the word means that it leads to the conveyance of an idea, an emotion or an event to the audience. Three most crucial aspect of abhinaya are hands, the 'hastas' or 'mudras', facial expressions and eyes. The hastas refer to the combinations of different hand gestures which are used to show different aspects of life, for example, relationships, animals, birds, any character or situation, images and ideas, thoughts and perceptions and practically anything else. The face is the greatest single vehicle for the 'conveyance' of affect. Mukhaja (face) mirrors the affective state of the mind. For example, narrowed lips can show envy, pain, contempt, laughter; trembling lips can show pain, cold, fear, anger, and so on (Sathyanarayana, 1969). However, without the involvement of the eyes the meaning can never be conveyed. Even in our everyday life we infer the mood, temperament and even the personality of an individual from his eyes.

and rest for the heart and the lungs, which ensures that there is no oxygen deficiency in such an exercise. According to Singh (2006), in Indian dance training, the skills that are imparted are almost universal- from control of the body in every positing and movement, to a heightened sense of the body in space and overall alertness. Although indirect but this effect plays an important role in helping the dancer become a healthy and fit individual.

Acupressure
Acupressure, a kind of a vibrational medicine, is the art of diagnosing, preventing and treating mental and physical ailments by applying pressure on specific points in the feet, hands and face. The objective is to remove energy blocks that cause malfunction of body, mind and spirit and in turn promote the chi or prana (life force) . Vibrational Medicine initiate healing at a cellular level. Being healed at this level means individuals function with optimum health, production levels, operating with a sense of awareness and bliss, in a state of being not doing and promoting youthfulness and longevity. One of the clear advantages a dancer has is the automatic 'healing' through acupressure. It is automatic since the dancer is completely unaware of this benefit as she dances, while putting pressure on various points on the feet. It is not a conscious, deliberate effort. Bharatanatyam is a dance that is performed barefoot and involves stamping of the feet. According to the principles of Feet Reflexology, points on the feet correspond to all areas of the body and every body system, including the organs, endocrine system, energy meridians, and nerves are mapped out on the feet. Stimulating these points causes a reaction in the corresponding parts of the body. The principles of reflexology are relaxation, bringing back a state of balance, release of toxins/toxic emotions, improving circulation in areas of congestion. For example, the first sets of steps in Bharatanatyam are called, 'Thattadavu'. The whole foot is flat and strikes at the floor in the beat of 'tai ya tai'. This is an acupressure work out for the whole system covering all areas of the brain, sinuses organs etc stimulating and massaging them. Second are the, Nattadavus. These emphasize on the heels and involve side extensions of the legs to the beats of 'taiyum tata tayum ta'. These Adavus pressure the areas specially relating rectum, uterus penis, coccyx, prostrate, ovarian tubes, and sciatic nerve. Therefore, it is not only a cure for illness but Bharatanatyam also promotes optimal functioning of all the organs by keeping the channels through which energy flows, open thereby promoting positive physical health. 55

Bharatanatyam: The ultimate remedy

Dance involves body, emotion, and mind. So do illness and pain. At one level it proves to be a strenuous physical exercise and can benefit the dancer in much the same way as a jogging session but at another level it goes deeper into the body, affecting the mind as well as the soul. Dance can safely be considered as a valid alternative to sport. Quin, Frazer and Redding (2007) in their study showed that creative dance increases the physical and psychological well-being of adolescents. Physiological assessments included lung capacity, flexibility and aerobic capacity while the well-being assessments suggest that creative dance has the potential to elicit positive effects on self-esteem, motivation and attitudes towards dance.

Heart
The heart, like any other muscle organ, needs to work to stay healthy. But unlike voluntary muscle, the heart can not be made to work directly. In Bharatanatyam, every single part of the body- the head, eyes, neck, hands, feet etc are moved. This automatically helps the heart to adapt itself in a way that the efficiency of the heart, as a pumping mechanism, is increased (Sudhakar, 2006). To add to this is a unique feature: while dancing, there is an alteration in aerobic exercise with vigorous bursts of anaerobic activity. For example, the rigorous dance gets a break by systematically placed slow back movements. Due to this there is an alternate work

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Bharatanatyam and the mind

Indian classical dance employs most of the faculties of the mind. For example, in Bharatanatyam there exist seven types of talas or time cycles and the song is set any one of these seven. The time interval (or the karvaye) is calculated mentally so that any combination used in the item adds up to the number of beats in the tala, or its multiple. The dancer has to remember a large number of steps, which results in improvement in memory factor. Further, in a study Sudhakar (2006) concluded that the temporal sequential perception improved with the progress of dance training. This is because a dance like Bharatanatyam is set in a sequential pattern that undergoes a step by step increase in complexity, which is memorized and performed to perfection. All this influences the cognitive functioning, makes the mind sharper and the brain active. Together with the emotional and the expressional part, abhinaya, there is an enhancement in the dance's power to bring about neural integration thereby involving both the physical and the neurological halves of the body enabling the dancer to develop a high quotient of ability to remember, calculate, and plan. Their academic record, too improves (Singh, 2006). The art form makes various demands on the brain which can increase the oxygen transport capacity to the brain and improves the I.Q. (Sudhakar, 2006).

spirituality with religiosity, the themes used in Bharatanatyam and the verses are chants of gods such as Lord Shiva, Lord Krishna. The lyrics, music, poetry, gestures and the abhinaya all become channels of prayer at the same time. According to Sahai, (2003) the human body is viewed as the perfect instrument for all human accomplishment. What greater worship can there be than to use the human body itself as the instrument. What greater worship then, than dance? Mahatma Gandhi had said, A heart felt prayer is not a recitation with the lips. It is yearning from within.. .Classical Indian dance, in all of its forms, is prayer personified: through intricately embroidered costume, gestures that tell epic stories and invoke heroes, demons and gods, and the dancers' skill in personifying the transcendent. But spirituality is more than just prayers; it is a connection with all that is. Bharatanatyam offers a private space to the dancer in which she can relate with what is deeper and beyond the obvious. It is that moment in which the dancer forgets who he/she is and becomes the creation, the dance itself. The ego dissolves completely and according to some dancers it can be equated to a high form of meditation. As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1988) describes, they experience being in a state of flow, a complete and optimal feeling.

Flow
Flow is an optimal state in which most of the dimensions of experience reach their positive peak. The main dimensions of flow are intense involvement, deep concentration, clarity of goals and feedback, loss of sense of time, lack of self consciousness and transcendence of a sense of self, leading to an autotelic, that is, intrinsically rewarding experience. They constitute a negentropic nucleus an ordered state of consciousness valued for its own sake. Flow are those situations in which challenges and skills are both high and in balance, the quality of experience is definitely better than in other situations defined by relatively greater skills (boredom), by a predominance of challenges (anxiety), or by lack of both skills and challenges (apathy). The function of flow seems to be to induce the organism to grow in the sense of fulfilling the potentialities of the organism and then going even beyond those limits. Flow is a panhuman, species-specific state of positive psychic functioning. However, cultures differ from each other in the opportunities for action they make available, and therefore in the forms of

Emotional vent out

Man is moulded by emotions. Ordinary human beings express their emotions due to the force of circumstances. But an artist visualizes and imagines the circumstances and invokes the emotions in a very artistic and rhythmic way. Every major emotion is capable of further eliciting an emotional experience and affects our mind. For example, if a dancer depicts beauty, it would evoke positive thoughts. Further, pent up and clogged anger, depression, guilt or unexpressed gratitude, any kind of extreme emotion can cause physical and/or mental discomfort. With dance these emotions can be released. Dance is the best medium to emote feelings of joy, sorrow, anger, bliss, being calm and collected in times of turmoil and emotional disturbance.

Spirituality in Bharatanatyam
Apart from curing and preventing physical illness, most of the dancers attribute a spiritual and transcendental quality to their dance experience. Spirituality centres the individual with that which is greater a Higher Power. For those who equate 56

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flow they make possible. For example, old Korean women enter the flow state when reading the Bible, when knitting, or when cooking elaborate dinner; the Australian sailors when they lose sight of the shore and so on.

Mudras
The physical body is made up of five elements, namely air, water, fire, earth and sky (ether). Imbalance of these elements disrupts the immunity system and causes disease. Deficiencies in any of these elements can be made up by connecting one part of the body with another in a particular manner through mudras. When a finger representing an element is brought into contact with the thumb, that element is brought into balance. Therefore, the disease caused by the imbalance is cured. As mentioned earlier, Bharatanatyam involves extensive usage of hands (hastas). Depending on the context, various gestures are used to convey the meaning of the verses or the poetry. In yoga, some yogic texts consider mudra to be a yoganga, an independent branch of yoga, requiring very subtle awareness. There are some common hastas that are used in dance and yoga, for example 'arala hasta', which is used to denote air in Bharatanatyam and affects the digestive system in Yoganga.

Bharatanatyam and Yoga

Nataraja is the Lord of Dance, the iconic, blissful form of Shiva who is also the Vedic destroyer deity. Shiva not only delivered the divine dance, he also gifted the teaching of yoga to mankind. It is said that Shiva's supernatural ability to control his body and mind emanates from his yoga practice - and his dance. Thus, at their very divine origins, classical Indian thought, yoga and dance are inexorably linked.

Balance and Control

Indian classical dance is built along the complex lines of Yoga and uses symmetry and balance to create poses. Bharatanatyam is characteristic of linear poses with arms stretched out and the posture in aramandi (half sitting). Whatever movement is done on the right, it has to be repeated on the left with the same amount of energy. Both the right and left are considered equal. There is vigorous exercise of each limb, symmetrical on both sides, complete with bending, jumping and stretching. And it is a well known fact that bones and muscles never degenerate when used regularly and their growth slowly gets accelerated. The dancer undergoes training performance in three different speeds or kalas- Vilambhit (slow), Madhya (medium), and Ruth (fast). In this process he/she is supposed to keep his/her body still and only move his/her feet and hands. This develops steady balance in him/her and tightens calf muscles and other muscles of the body. This aim dance shares with Yoga.

Ashtang Yoga
More practically speaking, in the eight limbs of Ashtang Yoga at each stage there is a link between yoga and dance: restraints, observances, and postures, breathing exercises, the withdrawal of senses from their objects, concentration, contemplation, and trance (Swami Ramdev, 2005)

Bharatanatyam and the Seven Chakras

The word chakra literally means 'wheel' but in the yogic context a better translation is 'vortex' or 'whirlpool'. The etheric body is composed entirely of lines of force called nadis (which correspond to the nerves but are more subtle in nature) and of points where these lines of force cross each other forming (in crossing) centres of energy called chakras. Thus, the chakras are spinning vortices of pranic energy at specific areas in the body which control the circulation of prana seeping into the entire human structure (Swami Saraswati, 1996). Each chakra is a switch which turns on or opens up specific areas of the brain. In most people these psychic centers lie dormant and inactive. Concentration on the chakras stimulates the flow of energy through the chakras and helps to activate them. Every human being has 7 major chakras and many hundred minor ones. Each chakra represents an aspect of consciousness vital to our lives (safety, sexuality, power, love, communication, intuition and self realization). Physiologically, each chakra is connected to physical organs and endocrine glands, the health functions of which are directly affected by the state 57

Breathing
Apart from altering heavy breathing with slow through out the dance a dancer is urged not to open her mouth for breathing. This enables the body to release the exhaled air rich in carbon di-oxide through the nose only. No matter how rigorous the steps, the dancer must remain calm and display a pleasant, smiling face at all times. It seems so effortless that it almost looks like an automatic movement, without the involvement of the conscious mind. Pranayam or breathing, as we all know, is one of the most essential aspects of Ashtang yoga.

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of the corresponding chakra. Dance alone does not activate a chakra, it is in conjunction with certain musical notes and vibrations that are specific to each chakra. For example: Mooladhara chakra is the seat or dwelling place of primal energy, kundalini Shakti. It is the source of all energy in mankind and the universe whether sexual, emotional, mental, psychic, or spiritual. This chakra is associated with physical health, survival issues (eg work, money, and housing), family relationships and instinctual energy. Physiologically, the base chakra governs the legs, feet, bones, teeth and large intestine. While dancing one's feet tend to naturally pound on the ground which leads to energy being present in the body. The seventh or the crown chakra is situated at the crown of the head, is primarily associated with spirituality as it is the gateway to higher realms of consciousness. Physiologically, it governs the brain and central nervous system and is associated with the pituitary gland. Dancing to the frequency of the crown chakra can lead to varying degrees of spiritual awakening and often brings about a numinous quality, characteristic of most spiritual experiences. Further, mudras are practices which lead to awakening of the pranas, chakras and kundalini, and which can bestow major psychic powers. The nadis and chakras constantly radiate prana which normally escapes from the body and dissipates into the external world. By creating barriers within the body through the practice of mudra, the energy is redirected within (Swami Saraswati, 2001) This in turn awakens the dormant areas in the brain and the corresponding faculties in the psychic and mental bodies, allowing one to experience higher planes of consciousness which are normally inaccessible. Yoga and dance are unified in their intention of union of participant and audience with the divine. The dancer, like the yogi, participates in a private spiritual journey, but on stage, they include with the audience, allowing viewers to be swept along on the transformative ride. While all art has an aspect of the spiritual, there is something much more tangible found in Indian classical dance. Those who practice yoga may be familiar with finding union through linking breath with the movement of the body in a sun salutation, or chanting Om with resonance at the completion of a meditative session, Indian classical dance like Bharatanatyam offers yet another route to tread the spiritual paths. It is one thing to hear or read the epics, and quite another to see them in all their resplendence. Dancers lead the spectators through jnana yoga, the path of knowledge, via storytelling. As dancer and choreographer Malathi Iyengar says, In the long 58

run, [the stories] give us refinement for our own living. The epic of the Ramayana is one text from which stories are frequently performed. Through dance, Iyengar says, we view the story of Rama and Ravana, and wonder how do we translate to our daily life, how do we win evil over good with goodness itself, and translate spirituality and devotion? Therefore, through dance, the dancer attains knowledge.

Methodology
The present study is an exploratory study that aims to understand the therapeutic implications of dance and in particular, Bharatanatyam. It studies the journey of Bharatanatyam dancers to understand the role and importance of dance in their lives. The focus is to understand the extent to which involvement with dance (Bharatanatyam) has benefited those who have been associated with it for many years. The research uses purposive sampling; a form of non-probability sampling which is characterized by the use of judgment. A deliberate effort is made to obtain representative sampling by including presumably typical individuals in the sample. The current sample consisted of only those who met the criteria of minimum 5 years training in Bharatanatyam in the last 10 years. The sample consisted of 5 female Bharatanatyam dancers, 2 of them have learnt dance for at least 20 years and are renowned dancers of Delhi. The other two started their journey in dance 10 years back and continue to learn till date. And one trained Bharatanatyam dancer but who is not learning anymore, and is a trained dance/movement therapist.

Tools and Techniques

The current study employs qualitative method of measurement and follows an idiographic approach in which individuals are studied in depth.

Case Study method

A case study is an intensive description and analysis of a single individual. Data may be obtained from several different sources, including naturalistic observation interviews and psychological tests and even archival records. When selecting a case for a case study, researchers often use information-oriented sampling, as opposed to random sampling (Flyvbjerg, 2006). The case study method is used as an umbrella tool under which the following instruments of data collection were used: narrative method, in-depth interview,

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story-writing and autophotography.

In-depth Interview
The interviewers encourage free and open responses and aim at capturing respondents' perceptions in their own words, a very desirable strategy in qualitative data collection. This allows the evaluator to present the meaningfulness of the experience from the respondent's perspective (David, 2002). Its goal is to elicit rich, detailed material that can be used in analysis (Lofland & Lofland, 1995). Such interviews are best conducted face to face and are characterized by extensive probing and open-ended questions. Typically, the researcher prepares a guide that includes a list of questions and key topics that are to be explored. The interviews conducted for this research were transcripted to curl out narratives for each dancer. Narratives are about past happenings of ones life, which are reconstructed as a sequence of events in a story form. Because these are constructed retrospectively, they also reflect the ways in which the narrator understands his/her own experiences (Jacobson, 2001).

minutes. The order of presentation of the cards was also decided on the basis of alternating a positive emotion with a negative one. The last card with a neutral expression was left open for interpretation and was not supported by any vignette. This was done to allow the subjects to project their emotions and feelings freely, without any direction. The vignettes tap the interpersonal aspect, especially; two relationships mother-children and heterosexual, which are the main in Bharatanatyam.

Autophotography
Auto photography is a little used approach that promises to give researchers a better view into the actual workings of the self (Ziller, 1990; Ziller & Rorer, 1985). 'Participatory photography' involve individuals who would traditionally be the subjects of others' research in taking and interpreting their own photographs in order to address and share important aspects of their lives and experiences (Miles & Kaplan 2005). Once the participants have clicked pictures, discussion is then carried out between the researchers and participants to understand the interpretation of each photograph from the perspective of the participant. This follow up interview explores the beliefs and values underpinning the decisions made, and permit others to view the world from the view of the observed persons. In this study, this method was used only in case of three dancers. These three are in the initial stages of their journey into dance as compared to the other two dancers. Hence, to get a holistic picture and to view things from their phenomenological viewpoint this tool was administered. This method gave the participant the freedom to choose any 5 images from the environment that best described them as dancers. They were given a week's time to collect these images at the end of which they discussed them with the researcher.

Story writing
People project who they are into everything they do. They put a part of themselves, their work, their attitudes, and their culture in the materials they create and store. That is the idea of projection (Kerlinger 1964). Values, attitudes, needs, and wishes as well as impulses and motives, are projected upon objects and behaviours outside the individual. This makes it possible to study individuals by getting them to project these internal states on to external objects. Lindzey (1959) proposed a five-way classification of projective methods based on types of response: association, construction, completion, choice or ordering, and expression. The current study uses a type of construction technique where the focus is on the product of the subject. The stimuli are picture cards with vignettes. The cards were photographs of a Bharatanatyam dancer in the complete attire, making different postures and expressions that show certain emotions in Bharatanatyam. There were 9 picture cards in total, 2 showing positive emotions, 3 expressing negative emotions and 4 neutral. It was attempted to include a variety of emotions in the cards and the following were covered: happiness, nostalgia (with sadness), separation anxiety, love, jealousy and fear. The subjects were shown one card at a time, the vignette related to that card was read out and the subject's task was to write a story about the image in 5-7 59

Results and Analysis

Dancer I
Guruji's journey into dance began when she was 24 years old, married and with a one year old daughter. With great support from her husband she started going for class and was able to have her solo performance in less than 2 years' time. That was the beginning and since then there has been no looking back. She learnt from various gurus and because of the deep knowledge in music, Guruji started composing very early. Today she is a very successful and renowned dancer in India and abroad. The journey has been difficult but she had made and

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continues to make dance her life. Not having left even for a single day it is the inner compulsion that keeps her motivated. Dance enhanced her creativity and opened up her mind. She is able to look at life in a different way and deal with every day issues. This is supported by Maduro's study in which he says that creative people internalize the creativity (Maduro, 1976). Dance has given her a new way of understanding the world which has permanently changed her outlook towards life. She feels that dance is the source for energy and inspiration, it is the pool and source of positivity in her life. After 40 years in dance, Guru ji has experienced many therapeutic benefits of dance. One aspect deals with the physicality of dance that includes body postures, neck, eye, head, and leg, arm and hand movements. The spine is very central in Bharatanatyam and it also controls breathing. All these affect the body in much the same way as yoga does. The stamping of the feet and mudra movements presses pressure points and various organs are activated and controlled like in acupressure. For Guru ji the other aspect is the spirituality of dance that takes one closer to the Table 1.1 Key themes that emerged from Guru ji's data
Journey Healing

divine. She talks of dance helping her in evolving as a human being in terms of activating higher chakras that makes life more meaningful. Guru ji says that one does not define oneself with material things and dance helps in opening the mind and one stops looking at petty things. In this respect she talks of the 3 koshas and the effect of dance on the three levels. The spirituality of dance is even more obvious during abhinaya. It is this aspect that makes dance more than a physical exercise. The most traumatic event that Guru ji had to go through was the demise of her daughter. She feels that today she is healed because of dance. Even during the phase of her daughter's illness, it was dance that was giving her strength. She did not experience any guilt and was able to cope with the situation. Guruji is a fine balance of passion and roles and has fulfilled all her duties with great joy but feels that those roles is not her identity, those roles don't define her. So although balance and harmony are very important for her in practical life, she is someone who in a way moved beyond small petty things. She shares a very close relation with God and is extremely happy and content being where she is.

Born into an art oriented family Started learning music before dance Began dancing only after marriage and birth of first daughter Faced many difficulties, made sacrifices and compromises Today a successful dancer, teacher, composer and choreographer Made dance her life Dance a source of energy, inspiration Gave a creative way to view the world Opened the mind, can look beyond petty things now Divides the implications at 2 levels-physical and spiritual Physical includes-Release of hormones, importance of spine, breathing, movements of all body, Parts, stamping of the feet and mudras Spiritual includes connect to divine, abhinaya, activation and balance of chakras and higher consciousness Lost her older daughter Dance was the source of positive energy and strength Family environment was very encouraging Supportive husband Has cherished all these roles but they do not define her One of the most intense interpersonal relations 2 way relationship Never lost of sight of her gurus Very long association with all gurus As a guru feels situation has changed Greatest offering to any guru is when the student takes the art forward keeping the guru in mind Deep and intense connect with God

Role

Therapeutic implications

Interpersonal relations

Guru Shishya parampara

Unique theme

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Dancer II:
Ragini started dancing and learning Bharatanatyam when she was 3 years old which was 28 years ago. She has been performing for the last 20 years and is a well established and renowned dancer in India and abroad. She was born in a family that was very much seeped into art and music and thus these things came naturally to her. She learnt from various gurus, the first and last one being her own mother, and has had very long associations with all the other gurus. All the important decisions in life regarding career, jobs all were made keeping dance in mind and Bharatanatyam has always been her first priority. For her, she says, it is very difficult to separate the role of dance in her life because she can't imagine herself without dance. As Kashyap (2002) feels that dance effects a dancer's personality, behavior and relationships, it is similar for Ragini as well. It has given her an identity, a flexible, open mind, ability to empathise, enhanced her aesthetic sense, organization skills and has opened her eyes to a creative way of living. She is now better able to understand her own as well as others' emotions. She Table 1.2 Key themes that emerged in Ragini's data
Journey

says that dance has done a lot of centring for her and she feels closer to herself. She has learnt to look within and has got to know herself better. Dance acts as a release from everyday tension and knots. After dancing, when she comes back to the real world she feels better equipped with renewed energy and positivity to deal with daily hassles. Dance is also like prayer for her, her meditation. In the process she surrenders and loses herself. She was 8 years old, when her elder sister stared falling ill. Ragini at that age saw life from very close quarters and matured much faster. She did not have a normal childhood but she coped very well, because of dance. She said that dance that time was an anchor in their life. It was a source of stability. During that time when a lot of the family's positive energy was getting depleted, it was dance that they drew their positivity from. Ragini is a very balanced person. She values all the relationships, be it with her parents, husband, kids, friends, students, teachers etc. She feels fabulous while performing which is her first passion and the synergy between the audience and her as a dancer gives her a 'high'.

Dancing for 28 years with a performance career of 20 years Mother is a dancer Exposed to dance since birth Learnt from many gurus, mother was the first guru All important decisions were around dance It has been a wonderful journey, no regrets Enhanced creativity and aesthetic sense Increased organization skills Creative way of looking at life Opened the mind, made it more flexible Creative way of viewing small ups and downs Dance releases everyday physical and mental tensions Deal with life effectively, with renewed energy Loses herself while dancing Like prayer Death of a loved one Dance was the anchor then, gave stability Able to heal due to dance Family oriented toward arts Family always gave support and guidance but the final decision was hers Husband is very encouraging Her 2 young boys also give her space and time to dance Values all sorts of relationships Mother was first and last guru, but roles were well defined Long associations with all her gurus Considers herself to be a teacher not a guru First passion is to perform not teach Synergy between audience and performer is important Very balanced and practical view of life

Role of Bharatanatyam

Therapeutic implications

Healing

Interpersonal relations

Guru Shishya

Others

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Dancer III
Rasa, born and brought up in Prague, Czech Republic, was since childhood interested in dance. She joined gymnastics then western ballroom, ballet and finally Bharatanatyam. Rasa was interested in 2 things leading a spiritual life and dance. Western dances did not satisfy her soul. Her mind that was seeking answers to many questions, finally got peace when she came across the Bhagwat Gita and the Vedic philosophy. She joined the Iskon temple and feels that Bharatanatyam is a medium through which she can be closer to Krishna. Through this dance she aims to spread Krishna consciousness and God consciousness in people. Her journey in dance has been perfect and she is a well known dancer in her country and outside. The therapeutic benefits of Bharatanatyam increase manifold for Rasa because she dances for Krishna, because of Krishna. Dance for her is like a service to Krishna, her prayer. While dancing, she feels very intense and close to God, which she explains is like a state of Samadhi or trance. Dancing, on a mental and emotional level Table 1.3 Key themes in Rasa's data
Journey

has made her more tolerant and patient. She views all discomforts and unpleasantness in her life as Krishna's test for her. This is what gives her the strength to deal with daily ups and downs. An example she gave was just as she starts getting ready for a performance, all the nervousness goes, because through dancing she feels closer to Krishna. Krishna gave her strength at very phase of her dancing career and she says she dances for Him and because of Him. She adds that like any other physical activity dancing also results in production of feel-good hormones and makes her happy. Rasa, when she was a child fell severely ill and had to go through 5 major operations. This left her body, mind, confidence, self-esteem completely damaged. But her will and passion to dance helped her in quick recovery. Rasa believes in destiny and that God arranges everything for her. Hence she often, through her dance surrenders to Lord Krishna. Spirituality and dance give her strength to deal with different emotions and she is calm and more tolerant in her interpersonal relations.

Interested in dance since childhood Began with gymnastics, then western ballroom, ballet then Bharatanatyam Did not find western dance fulfilling Search for spiritual path since childhood Found fulfillment in Bhagwat Gita, Vedic philosophies and Bharatanatyam Perfect journey, fulfilling and internally satisfying Satisfied her, helped her in her spiritual path Brought her closer to Lord Krishna Krishna consciousness gave her strength in every phase of life Love south India, Bharatanatyam gave exposure Visited temples like Sri Rangam and uses those experience Dances for Krishna, hence source of immense joy Gets completely absorbed, like in trance Surrenders herself, closeness with Lord Krishna Strength to deal with emotions like nervousness before performances Physical exercise, releases hormones that make her feel good Parents play an indirect role now Husband very supportive and encouraging Values honest feedback Aims to spread God Consciousness through her dance to the audience Has become more tolerant and patient in dealing with emotions and relations Fell severely ill as a child Went through 5 major surgeries Physical and mental damage Will to learn dance helped her in recovery Very happy with her guru Taught her the importance of patience, practice and hardwork Believes in guru Shishya parampara Will not change her guru Strongly believes in destiny Wants Bharatanatyam to retain its spiritual theme because thats the essence

Role of Bharatanatyam

Therapeutic implications

Interpersonal relations

Healing

Guru-Shishya

Other themes

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Dancer IV
Grace Albert was inclined more towards music. Right from school, she was known for her vocals rather than her dance. She joined Navsadhana College, Varanasi and because the college offered Bharatanatyam as a main subject and not music, she got into Bharatanatyam. She did her Bachelors and Masters in Bharatanatyam and developed a great interest in dance. She started performing and made dance her life. This journey came to a halt when she realized (with help of others) that it would be better for her to leave performing and go to United States of America for a course in dance/movement therapy. She feels she underwent a major change in her personality and grew as a person in those 5 years of college. Dance is the foundation of her present career but apart from that it defined Grace. People knew her as a dancer and now when she is not performing any more she feels that no one knows her. Dance and then training in expressive therapies increased her creativity and ability to think in different ways. Dance has helped in clearing up her thoughts, increased her creative thinking, Table 1.4 Key themes in Grace's data
Journey

spirituality and has made her more sensitive and accepting of challenges. She also views Bharatanatyam as a spiritual dance and is able to connect to the divine. In every day life, dance is her mental relaxation. She feels 'relaxed and nice' after dancing and every time she listens to music her body starts moving. People, friends and family, have always held a significant place in her life and dance has increased the ability to empathize and understand mood swings in others better, thus enhancing interpersonal relations. Grace's biggest dream is to go back on stage and perform soon. She still has not been able to accept the fact that she is not dancing any more. She keeps going back, in her daydreams, to the time when she was a dancer and a performer. She misses that part of her life. Audience response had meant a lot to her in the sense that spirituality for her was to see her audience being spiritually captivated and happy during her performance. Earlier she used to cry during her performances and it used to be a catharsis of emotions. Even now when she sees a performance or practices at home she gets energy and motivation to go ahead and pursue her dream.

Preferred music over dance earlier Joined college that offered Bharatanatyam as main subject Bachelors and Masters in Bharatanatyam People encouraged her to take up Expressive therapy Very good journey Developed and grew as a person Gave her a sense of identity Increased empathy skills Thinking became more creative Base of her current career Mental relaxation Body reacts to music Physical exercise releases hormones Become more sensitive More accepting of challenges Increased spirituality Trauma was when she left performing Loss of identity Catharsis through her dances at that time By viewing dance and pursuing it indirectly, keep strengthening her dream of performing again Major role in important decisions family and friends Getting married soon Dance increased empathy and understanding of interpersonal relations How others view her is very important, that gives her an identity Still remembers and misses her life as a performer, feels there is a void in her life

Role

Therapeutic implications

Healing

Interpersonal relations

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Dancer V
Alisha Talwar is 19 years old, studying in college. Dance has been like a partner in growing up. She started learning when she was 5-6. Although her mother introduced her to it, it was her interest that motivated her to continue with Bharatanatyam. Her journey has been very fruitful and satisfying and dance plays an integral part in her life. From learning to differentiate right from left, dance has helped her in all developmental transitions. It also exposed her to the Indian tradition and culture, to epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and also to Yoga and meditation techniques. Allen in his study in 2003 established that dance is useful medium for socialization and exposes one to the culture because every dance is deeply connected to culture. Alisha got a strong sense of identity through dance. In her family, her parents, sister and she herself started to view her as a dancer. It helped her in defining her place in the family and in her world and providing her a sense of belongingness and security and has made her more confident. Studies have shown that the basic posture in dance can even enhance confidence (Badrinathan, 2002). Alisha is not an emotional person, for her dance is something that charges her up and she feels elated while performing. In terms of daily issues she feels dance is the best way to do away with one's anger and tension. She feels calm, relaxed and more positive after dance. Abhinaya part of dance sometimes results in catharsis of negative feelings when she is upset. Another important theme that emerged here

is that Alisha's relationship with her dance is entirely dependent on her relationship with her guru. She compares this relation with a motherdaughter relation and feels that a guru is more than a teacher. She is a spiritual guru, guide and a mentor. Alisha feels that her involvement with dance would not have been there if it were not because of her guru.

Discussion
As seen above, dance provides the dancers with a sense of security and stability, gives them an identity and they are able make a place for themselves in their homes and society. To some it is a way of getting closer to ones roots and of knowing one self better. For each of them in one way or another dance has proved to be therapeutic. According to Hanna (1979) dance or movement is a physical behaviour and any form of physical exercise can be therapeutic in the sense that it provides physical health. Every item in Bharatanatyam, for example, Alaripu, loosens up the whole body, starting from the eye movement, head, neck, shoulders, waist, arms, legs and feet. It is a complete body work out. During the abhinaya and sometimes also the nritta, to express emotions the facial muscles move too. Rasa mentioned that even by observing those who do house work one can

Table 1.1 Key themes that emerged from Alisha's data

Journey Mother exposed to Bharatanatyam Learning since 12 years Has grown up with dance Very fruitful and satisfying journey Gave her a identity Others know her as a dancer Provides security, belongingness and thus confidence Evolved and grew as a person due to Bharatanatyam Exposure to Indian tradition and culture Mostly on the physical level, feels charged up and energetic Helps her in dealing with day to day stresses, doing away with anger/sadness Feels positive, relaxed and calm after dancing Elated during performances Spiritually it is like a prayer Has not experienced anything traumatic Abhinaya is cathartic Relation with dance is dependent on the relation with guru

Role of Bharatanatyam

Therapeutic implications

Other themes

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notice the glow on their faces. Guru ji states that whenever someone is upset and if he/she is made to do any physical exercise then positive hormones are produced which are responsible for a feel good factor. For Ragini, dancing helps in releasing all sorts of physical tensions, knots and gives a feeling of calm. Alisha prefers the nritta part of Bharatanatyam because that energizes her, helps her increase her stamina and she feels nice after class. Hewston et al. (2003) in their study also found that students had a positive mood before and after class. There is something about dancing that the moment one starts, one can't stop. One of the most central organs of the body is the spine. In Bharatanatyam, the basic position is the aramandi which is half sitting with the knees outwards. It is the spine here that holds the body and this posture in place. A dancer is urged to keep her spine straight and the posture perfect, thereby preventing neck and back problems. Also through dance the body learns to move in rhythm and eventually begins to understand and internalise the notion of regularity. This also applies to daily life in the sense that one leads their life in a systematic, rhythmic fashion. Sharma (2006) in her study showed that dance due this quality also gives lessons of discipline in life. Further, Guru elaborates on feet reflexology. According to acupressure, the major pressure points that regulate the organs of the body are located on feet and the palms (Swami Ramdev, 2005). Regular stamping of the foot on the ground and moving the hands so that finger tips which are the nerve endings come in contact activates various pressure points and the blood flow to each of the organs is regulated and controlled. Thus, the body benefits from this kind of an acupressure treatment without any conscious effort. Apart from the physical aspect, a very important aspect of dance is that it is a psychological behaviour. The Hindu philosophy does not encourage the mind-body dichotomy. Guru ji also states that any disturbance on the emotional or mental level can be physically manifested in terms of stomach problem, respiratory problems and so on. However, an important dimension in the mind, body relationship, is the soul. This then brings another factor: spiritual. Mental factors are broadly determined by the various cognitive functions. This includes how one thinks, perceives, remembers, and makes connection in his/her mind. Carter (2004) in his study showed that dance allows optimum

intermingling of thinking, feeling and acting that leads to growth and autonomy. Guru ji felt that involvement in dance gave her the ability to look at life in a different, creative way. Research on creativity has shown that creative people are more imaginative (Feist 1999) which Ragini confirms when she says that dance has enhanced her creativity and imagination. Grace too feels that dance made her thinking more creative and now she can come up with alternate solutions to problems in no time. Hence, there is a qualitative shift in thinking. At another level, Ragini feels that dance gives her the energy to deal with every day hassles of life and she can handle them better. She gets renewed positive feelings after her dance practice. This can also be supported from Paradoxa and Robinson (1997) study in which they show that through energetic circular movements the dancer protects herself from negative self feelings. Emotional factors include inability to feel, express, and identify emotions. Creative people are more emotionally sensitive and in tune (Feist 1999). It was inferred that in case of Ragini she had a deep understanding of emotions and could identify them very well. For Rasa dance gave her strength to deal with emotions like nervousness, anxiety or when she faces criticism. Grace has immensely benefited from this aspect since it enables her to deal more efficiently with clinically disordered patients. A very important dimension of the therapeutic implication of dance that emerged was related to the spiritual factors, or the spirituality of dance. Spirituality is directly related to well-being (Mohan, et al. 2004). Abhinaya plays an important role here where the dancer narrates stories about, for example Lord Krishna or Lord Rama. She gets into the role of God and thus connects with Him. Rasa got into Bharatanatyam because it gave her fulfillment and she feels very close to God when she is dancing. For her dance is her service to Lord Krishna. Ragini too said that while performing she completely loses and surrenders her self. Mc Robbie in 1997 highlighted the mysterious transformative power that dance is said to carry. These are moments when dancers reach peaks of involvement that produce intense feelings of enjoyment and creativity. The frequency of these flow like experiences is related to a better quality of experience in the longer run (Csikszentmihalyi 1988). Studies have shown that more the time spent in high challenge and high skill contexts, the happier, cheerful, excited and satisfied people feel in terms of their overall experiences (Wells 1985). Thus, those who are in flow most often tend to have more positive experiences in the rest of 65

TANVI BAJAJ & SWASTI S VOHRA

their lives. Through surrendering into dance, and expressing love of the Divine, the dancer gets completely immersed into dance, which is what Rasa refers to as absorption, trance like state and 'samadhi'. Through this immersion, the lover (dancer) and the beloved (God) merge and that gives the dancer a feeling of being connected with God. For Grace who is very fond of spiritual themes and spiritual dances, what is also important is to transfer this spirituality on to the audience and that becomes her prayer. Prayer has immense therapeutic value, people who have faith and who pray are psychologically better tuned to deal with problems (Hussain 2005) and in case of dance prayer is translated through the entire body (Gupta, 2000). Historically speaking, the essence of Bharatanatyam is also that it is a prayer dance. Ragini had mentioned that when she does certain particular pieces those are like her prayer to God. She doesn't feel the need to go and separately pray. And for Rasa Bharatanatyam is her prayer and offering to Krishna. Various studies indicate that meditation facilitates therapeutic process (Chowdhary, 2004). Meditation is the control of the mind and body. Rasa mentioned that to be completely absorbed in her dance in a state of trance that is meditation for her. While performing sometimes she feels the performance becomes very intense and she feels very close to God, that is her meditation. Ragini, as mentioned before, also talks of letting herself go completely. So much so that she feels it is not her but someone else who is dancing. When all of the individual components of the dance seem to lock into place, and the dance begins to flow in a continuous and effortless stream, it does seem as if a higher power takes over and charges the movement with energy; and the dancer is carried along as if floating on a powerful current. It is possible to feel the effects of that flow on the audience. So this kind of ecstasy exists not entirely within the performer, but between the performer and the audience (Gupta, 2000). This surrendering of one self is what is 'Ananda' or bliss and this is what Rasa refers to when she says the soul meets its origin like fish put back into water. Dance researches have indicated the possibility of self transcendence that dance allows (Mc Fee 1992, Mc Robbie 1997) The linkages between Bharatanatyam and yoga have already been mentioned. According to the classical tradition, dance is performed as an offering to the Gods and like Yoga, it is a sadhna through 66

which the highest spiritual goal can be realized. Thus, besides having the same creator, dance and yoga are also similar in their goal which is the union of the doer and audience with the divine. The dancers share this opinion. Rasa wants to spread the message of spirituality through her dance and Grace defines spirituality for herself as that which she sees in the eyes of her audience. Ragini too gets a 'high' while performing when she experiences a synergy between the audience and herself. Following is a discussion around the 8 limbs of Yoga. The first limb is restraint and second observances. It can be speculated that because of constant association with God, one's thoughts and intelligence gets purified as in the case of Rasa. A pure mind follows the path of restrain indirectly. Regarding the 2nd limb, observances, like yoga, dance is performed as an offering to God and through this freedom can be attained. However, similar is also the fact that this freedom is attained only through discipline, not only of the body but of the psyche and spirit as well. For this reason, like yoga, dance has been handed down from the Guru to the student in a practical system in which teachings are passed on orally (Gupta 2000). This can be gathered from what Alisha tells about her classes, which included lectures on yoga, meditation, and other factor about how to lead a spiritual life. The next limb is Asanas or posture. In its basic form, Indian dance creates the effect of a series of still poses that gracefully flow one into the next. Taken individually, these poses resemble the classical sculptures carved on the walls of Hindu Temples, and similarly incorporate aspects of various yoga asanas (Gupta, 2000). During each pose different parts of the spine are concentrated which activates the chakras and result in energy flow. The importance of the the next limb, pranayama or breathing has already been discussed earlier. Pratyahara means withdrawal of senses. Alisha says that as one starts to dance one forgets everything about the past, present, and future. This suggests that she is not aware of her surroundings. It has happened a number of times in class when the guru and students get so absorbed in dance that they lose track of time. The last 3 limbs in Yoga are in a step wise progression. Concentration and contemplation happen when the dancer just focuses on her dance. Dance is said to carry a mysterious transformative power (Mc Robbie, 1997). This means that once the dancer is completely absorbed in her dance and she gets immersed in it and As mentioned earlier these flow like experiences are

THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS OF DANCE

peak moments of complete focus and absorption. Through dance the dancer also takes the audiences on to their path of knowledge, Jnana yoga. Alisha's teacher did that for her and she learnt about Indian mythology only through her teacher. Rasa too feels that a guru is much more than a teacher. Guru is someone who leads the student on his spiritual path. In terms of the audience, Rasa tries to make the audience see and feel Krishna through her dance and as described earlier, for Grace it is the spirituality in her audience's eyes that becomes spiritual for her. Thus, yoga and dance share their ultimate goal which is the union of the individual with the divine. Various studies have been done on yoga that show the benefits attained through yoga. Yoga reduces anxiety (Sharma et al., 2005), depression (Rani & Rao, 2005), it enhances self concept (Sahajpal et al., 2005) and practice of asanas help in the management of health and body (Swami Saraswati 2001). It is seen that neither dance nor yoga are primarily physical disciplines. Both are expressions of energy. If dance is spiritual, Gupta (2000) says, it is so because through it we can transparently perceive the movement of energy in the body. Dance is the play between the physical form, which is limited, and the infinite spirit, which is free. Physical problem could be a manifestation of the inner factors and imbalances thereby implying energy stagnation. Guru ji says that dance helps in the free flow of energy, by activating the Chakras one by one. There needs to be a balance between all the chakras and dance helps in bringing about this balance. Along with his Guru ji also talks of the human beings functioning at 3 levels- annamaya kosh, - the physical, manimaya kosha-the mental body and panamaya kosh-the pranic body. She says, it is like an onion, these different layers get peeled off as the human consciousness evolves. For her this evolution of consciousness came largely through dance. Talking about the Chakras she feels that because of her involvement with dance more and more Chakras get activated and she is able to move from the basic mooladhara, the lowest and the most solid Chakra, towards sahasrara where individual soul with supreme soul. The chakras signify the levels of consciousness and when one starts to look beyond the small petty things in life and have a larger and a broader view of everything, it suggests that their higher chakras are activated. All the dancers gave instances from which it can be safely inferred that they are more evolved and look for more meaningful things in everyday living. For 67

example, Guru ji feels that social recognition and audience don't determine her dance, and that she does not define herself in terms of the money she owns, may point towards the activation of higher Chakras and increased evolution of consciousness. Rasa's entire lifestyle living in Iskon temple clearly reveals that she has withdrawn herself from the material word and leads a very simple life.

Conclusion
Dance highlights the drama of human life in an aesthetic manner. It is a release point for the dancer and an aesthetic experience for the audience. Every dance movement-the way it is done, the thought the dancer has while dancing- is different for each dancer-it expresses her, her life. It is an important tool of communication. And the performing of the art brings the spiritually inclined closer to the Supreme. Dance is a world in itself; a world of infinite rhythm, source of which comes from life. Harmony and balance are central to our existence and dance epitomizes harmony. Each part of the body including breath is controlled and moves in coordination with the rest of the body. Thus, for those who internalize dance, it could mean not just a part of their lives but also an inspiration to live life peacefully and harmoniously. Further, dance helps in balancing the chakras. As the dancer moulds her body into various postures concentration on each of the chakras automatically takes place thereby activating them. As mentioned earlier, Gods started dance that is why there is a different worldliness to it. A dancer would always keep her dance on a pedestal. Through dance forms like Bharatanatyam, in which Bhakti is so central, the dancer offers her prayers to the Gods. In Bhakti rasa, the Divine translates through her body; 'I' and 'You' combine. In all this lies the healing and therapeutic power of dance. There is also evidence to suggest that getting involved in dance improve your intelligence levels because you learn so many new skills, and where scripts are concerned you are likely to learn new words and general knowledge. In case of Bharatanatyam, depending on years of training and involvement the dancer internalizes the dance. It opens up the dancer's mind and enables her to experience many 'peak' moments where in the she transcends beyond the apparent world.

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