
Power of Dance
According
to the legend, bharatanatyam has first been danced by the Lord Shiva
himself. He taught it to his goddess wife and she transferred this
art further to the human.
In
the Indian classical dance the body is used as an instrument for
changing oneself and the universe. The body becomes a means of
communication with the God. The dance choreography, techniques,
symbols and structures have been described in such ancient writings
as Natyashastra and Abhinaya Darpana.
This
is a rhythmic and dynamic dance. Bharatanatyam is called the rhythmic
side of yoga: when you dance the fingers form different mudras –
hand gestures – which follow one after another depending on the
dance figure or subject. This unique hand position scheme has been
described in the most significant ancient scrolls, which are devoted
to the stage art. This system constitutes the “alphabet”
of all the dance schools. The main body positions are balanced
grounded positions with arms on the hips or stretched.
Thus,
bharatanatyam is very beneficial for health. It improves
concentration, coordination and stamina. It gives you strength and
beauty, teaches you to alter between slowness and swiftness, to
express your feelings through hand, face and body movements
(pantomime). It develops a good sense for the rhythm.
Bharatanatyam
is very much recommended for the children as it
helps them to develop tactfulness, good coordination, good physics
and musicality as well as contributes positively to their
intellectual development as the children learn more about a new
culture and mythology.
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