Painting by Brenda May

The act of leaving home can repeat itself over and over, what ever way it happened back then, whether it was really positive and supported, or if it was traumatic and unexpected. So within some of my work we begin to find a way to ritualise this and see how it is still affecting us. Whether in our work lives, families or organisations. If there is a healing needed, then we will keep repeating the ‘need’ to experience leaving home, until we find a way to do it healthily with all the support needed, saying goodbye where necessary, to people, family, pets, even objects. There has been a ‘holding’ for many years and if at the time we leave we do not acknowledge what has passed, it will forever call to us, asking for that release from our lives, else we carry it forever with us, with unfinished business and forgotten tales, with no thought of gratitude or completion.

What do we need to do to complete that part of our lives, so we can step with more wholesomeness into the life we live now?

The home of familiarity,
Where even the darkened shadows
spelt out comfort
Yet I knew it was time to leave
There didn’t seem to be much choice
I never really asked
if there was,
a maybe?

So obviously spoken
the distress of others
the guilt once laid
the bed was made
so live it!

We remember, those moments and maybe we look a little deeper into their significance in our lives. And not just the time we left home, but many times through our lives where something happened to change us.
And we look back and begin to ritualise that meaning, holding it close to our hearts as a precious gift and telling its story with true value. It has true value, it is valuable, it has taught us so much. The story does not need to be dismissed, it is living on in so many areas of our lives, whether we remember it or not, sometimes in a good way and sometimes creating negative scenarios we would rather not be part of, but without the memory we can never be released from it.
And the story holds all that it has taught us. The part of us that has gained so much from its teachings. We may never fully understand what the gifts are, even when the scenario seems to have had a negative impact on our lives, for sure there will be wisdom held in its bones.
The dancer will free those memories and help us to engage more fully with the story, as well as the outcomes.

I began to step out into the little boat, to travel up and down the rivers of life. Leaving the shores of what was once familiar. I cannot know what awaits me so pushing myself gently from the shore I await those first few ripples and waves to carry me, outwards and onwards.
I can simply hope for calm seas, but I also have to accept the rough, knowing it is a necessary path and a way to build my strength and capability. Remembering to trust the dancer inside me, to move with the waves, to accept the river of life, I am journeying onwards to be one with the flow of energy that carries me.
Now I need my connections to what has come before me, I need the support of my ancestors and the strong connection I have to spirit. My prayers will be heard and I begin to learn to ask for what I need.
I develop skills I did not know I had, calling to the Phoenix to show me more of how to let go, into the ashes to transmute and open me up to the wings that would lift and carry me out of its dust.

Ah if it was that simple, to trust and to walk freely from what has held and nurtured us through our childhoods! Even if home was not such a happy place; it was what we knew and was familiar to us.
It was what sculpted us and helped to create the being we are now. There will be so many memories and many disappointments, places where we learnt how to get things right and often got things wrong. For sure we would need to learn quickly to please others and develop the character that fitted into the dynamics we were growing up with.
So there are ties, some hidden, into what we called home.

So I encourage you to ask yourself ‘what is the story I have around leaving home?’ That very first experience, maybe it began with a thought at a younger age, for sure we were being groomed for that day and it would often be spoken about. ‘What are you going to do when you leave home?’ ‘What will you do when you are grown up?’
I doubt many say ‘oh I am going to stay at home forever and ever’
Well actually one of my little ones did used to say that very thing. ‘Im going to live with you forever, mummy’ she would say. I wasn’t too sure if I should encourage it at the time,  knowing the necessity of stepping out on ones own, growing up and taking ones own journey.
So I would simply remark ‘how nice dear’ and honor the love she had of being with her mum. Of course I was quite flattered too, especially as the same words were repeated as she grew older.
Another of my daughters informed me that I would leave home before she did! And she was right, I moved from the family home and she remained there taking it on for herself very briefly before she then found her own ‘smaller’ abode.

So what is your story? And when you have remembered it, ask yourself how you feel about it. Is there any emotion in your body?

See if you can see the ‘boat’ that you left the shores with. What contained you, or supported you, can you visualise this from the boat on the waters of life.
What were your first experiences and can you see any of these experiences repeating themselves over and over?

Memory

Sometimes our memories can play games with us and we can remember things slightly differently to how they really were. And of course others will have their own memories and interpretations of how things were too.
However ‘the body cannot lie’ so when we put ourselves in motion with intention, then the energy that needs to flow will flow. The postures of our body and the dance we inhabit will show a thousand more times what words fail to express, we can see how a body has taken on abuse, or been bullied or subjected to verbal accusation or unkindness.
We can see where there has been love and tenderness and encouragement to be proud in the world.

Painting by Brenda May

Still the memories that we feel exist and that we wish to explore will find its way to the skins surface and remind us that there is a dance to be danced.
As the music plays and the dancer is invited through the body to begin its exploration, the heart may well open a little more than in our every day lives, some of the times were we forgot to express ourselves will now be given their opportunity and emotion will be felt and sound will be heard, tears may fall and the dancer releasing what it knows to be true will find its movement and shapes of misfortune and loss, anger and hurt may then begin to form themselves into the dance. And then the memories show themselves, one by one or many at a time, reminding us of the past and showing us a way to heal, to make right and if we can never make right then to allow the body to shed what has been held there for many years, unspoken, unseen and unsung.
Memory is but a thread of a dream that is tied to the fragmented soul, it follows us around grabbing hold of other memories and weaving them together. Our life can become a collage of many happenings, pictures and questions to be asked.

I have a wonderful mother-out-law, Brenda May (I’m not married to Ben so out-law seems appropriate and we rather like it) Brenda is an artist and she paints wonderful images of her past memory of the houses she once lived in.
Some of the images are quite intense and others very subtle yet always to me with a sense of mystery about them. One particular quote I like of Brenda’s is ‘Memory is not a storage place, but a story we tell ourselves’ She also writes on one of her collages ‘Old houses stimulate memories – memories are fragmented and fractured somewhere between dreams and reality’

Brenda’s paintings are well worth taking a look at.

What happens between dreams and reality, as we begin to search within the corners of our own ‘houses’ our own body, our breath, our artist and our dancer. We discover a route to soul retrieval, understanding the dance and seeking within our hearts, making an enquiry to the dancer, asking ourselves ‘what do I need to remember?’
Will that same dancer show us as we drop deeper and deeper into the dream time, into the essence of reality, somewhere blending and mixing our own visionary ability to make sense of the emotional depth we might feel.
Sometimes the emotions feel so strong and our own ‘house’ rocks on its foundations, the painter places a brush into a corner, a crevice, a line appears or a shadowed area, the artist takes a breath or two, as the hand trembles and continues its journey, mapping out the feelings that begin to emerge as they form themselves in colors or movement, one shape after another is created, the artist and the dancer become one together as the structure of this creative outpouring begins to take form. There is no doubt that this is a memory unfolding, but whose memory? The unique memory of the artist, whether she holds a paint brush, or whether her body is the paint brush on the stage of life, the art is being shown to us and made reality.
Whose reality and does it matter? What seems to matter is the creative juice that forms emotion and as it displays itself it begins to touch into the hearts of others, stimulating their own feelings and depth of soul. A web is woven and the world of the unseen is brought to life.

Each of the houses I have lived in hold memories, every corner and garden wall, the shrubs and bracken and each room where I either sat, slept or shared with others. The windows I peered through, the eating places and where my animals curled in their corners. Some of these memories fill me with joy or a sense of peace and love, then there are others that I know I must quietly contemplate as the memory inhabits the shadowy areas of my mind and spirit. Then I must dance, or paint, then I must create that collage or write of the darkness as all manner of feelings emerge. And so it goes, as the healing becomes artistry and the memories a tapestry of life on a page.

I recall the house that was so cold,
I felt that ghostly presence around me.
A stillness that breathed the warm air
as it left my lungs,
making a flow of moisture ahead of me,
watching it I felt the atmosphere of the house
draw it into it
and play nimbly through its fingers
a little of my own life force.
And now only since moving away
am I able to see a little more clearly
the effect it was having on me.
Another memory to take with me
along with the other twenty five or more houses
that my life has shared a part of.

Leaving home yet again, leaving a nest that has been created, for a purpose. We move on and begin once more to not only create a new home, but to re-create a new part of ourselves, to step into a different era within our lives.

http://www.alchemyinmovement.com

Our business philosophy is “Every child should have the chance to dance!”

Miss Jackie teaches a child how to do first position “Pizza Feet!”

Many schools are now cutting budgets for enrichment programs due to the state of our economy! We can understand why they feel the need to make this change, however, enrichment programs offer great benefits to children in schools!

Here are some of the benefits of After School Enrichment Programs such as Dance Exploration, LLC:

• Not all children learn the same way. Enrichment Programs can help children learn math, science, reading and often times other languages in a fun new way.
• The best enrichment programs teach the whole child and can take into account different learning styles of the children. The best enrichment programs should be offered to coincide with the syllabus taught in schools as a complimentary program.
• When scheduling an after school enrichment program, look for those that offer a literacy program, such as Dance Exploration, LLC’s Terpsichore Literacy Program! A Reading readiness program for children will bring huge value to your students and help them with their language development.
• An enrichment program allows children to think in a more creative way, this can help them with their problem solving skills and allow them to come up with new solutions to common problems.
• Enrichment programs, such as dance in particular, can help students with confidence! When a step they have been struggling with is mastered, they will have a new found confidence to realize that hard work, perseverance, and pursuing goals is worth it! This can even give children a new motivation and reason to complete high school and graduate!
• A well rounded enrichment program will also teach children important social skills: working together with others, being a team, solving common disputes among peers. Look for a program that encourages large groups of children to come together and work together.
• When booking an after school enrichment program, look for a program that actively includes the families in their child’s learning progress. The Dance Exploration Family Engagement Program is an example of a program that actively involves the families in their child’s learning.

These are so many more benefits of having an Enrichment Program such as Dance Exploration at your school.

Follow our blog to learn more about the benefits of our program! Please be sure to Share our blog on your Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest Accounts!

1. What’s my motivation?  Dance, in general, requires discipline and motivation.  Dancers understand this mentality, which borders on obsession, but the dance-curious are juggling their careers, families and hobbies so that their priorities change depending on circumstance.  We seldom teach dancers.  Most of the women in my classes are mothers first, career women second, and bellydancers 4th or 5th.  I have lost many students due to the fact that their children’s game schedules conflict with bellydance.  Putting a child’s needs first is the mark of a good parent so I certainly don’t judge this.  I only wish that mothers had an 8th day of the week to honor their own needs first.

2. Just wanna have fun!  This is perhaps the most common thing I encounter.  Somebody wants to try a bellydance class as a fun way to get some exercise.  They enjoy picking out their jingly hip scarves and giggle at how silly it feels to shake.  They have a great time feeling exotic and complete a series with fond memories and a coined keepsake.  Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this and I appreciate that these women come in curious and leave with a deeper respect for the dance.  An 8 week series or 2 is enough to satisfy most people’s curiosity.

3. Where did my friends go?  Everything is better with friends.  I agree.  Sometimes a group gets so close that it feels like an entirely different experience when someone leaves. Students have told me that they felt like there were too many new people in a class and they missed their friends who left.

4. Money doesn’t grow on trees.  Ah yes, the economy blues.  I know that if I handed free classes to some of my students they would take every class I teach for many years and I certainly relate.  I often wish I had the funds to pursue some of my interests the way I would like to.

5. No desire to “go pro.”  A lot of people feel like they want to work towards something with their dancing.  Maybe it isn’t practical for a mother of 3 to spend hundreds/thousands of dollars on costuming and start performing (although I know many mothers of three that do this successfully but in most cases they were already professional before they started their families). I think people wonder what the point is after a while, if they’re not going to perform.

Here is what I feel about why people should push past the three month mark and make bellydance a long-term commitment.  I feel very strongly about this and have made tremendous sacrifices to keep this dance in my life the way that I have.  For one thing, safe space for feminine movement is a gift.  As women, we need this.  All the roles that we have to play out there in society at large do not always compliment our needs to feel graceful, sensual, empowered, feminine, etc.  Secondly, I just read this quote and there was no author assigned to it so I apologize for the lack of credit here but I loved this statement: “If you want to understand a culture, look to its’ art.”  I believe that appreciation for cultural dance has many benefits.  I have only scratched the surface of what is out there and it is my goal to keep learning more and sharing this knowledge with my students.  Every week, we explore music from various countries and it makes for a richer experience than just “exercise” to Arabic pop (which is also fun…I’m not knocking this).  Then there are all of the physical benefits in terms of posture, brain health, low impact exercise, etc…  There is ALWAYS more to learn with this dance.

Occasionally, I sit back and reflect on the students that have made the “long haul” commitment and the paths they have taken.  One of my students just made her professional performance debut after 6 years with me.  Another is teaching her own class.  My own mother continues to inspire me with her progress after 5+ years of regular classes.  We have all supported each other through loss, celebrated accomplishments, weathered the changes and come out stronger.  Of course, I wish this for everybody even though I know it is not always practical.

Tava’s bellydance class at Work It Dance & Fitness

For information on Tava’s bellydance classes in CT and NY: http://www.bellydancebytava.com/classe

Being in the creative world is the awesomest place that any human being can find themselves in because it allows your imagination to run free, and the best thing about it is that you can live out your crazy ideas, even if it’s for a day or two.

I’ve always loved the thought of having an alter ego and transforming out of the ordinary and mundane and into this uber sexy-cool being who just mesmerizes all who dare to look, and coupled with a killer dance routine, my fantasy acted out becomes better than reality. I think every woman should have an alter ego and live it out once in a while; it makes life quite interesting and forces you to get out of the monotonous box that life sometimes throws you in.

I’ve always wanted to have a geisha girl alter ego. I think Asian geisha girls are sweetly seductive and take spa treatment to another level. The idea of this alter ego was sparked off once again when I visited a Thai massage parlour, and the décor was the classical Thai décor, with deep reds, green and gold; dim lights and candlelight and soft Asian music playing in the background. Now imagine this in the comfort of your own home, all dressed up in a deep red, flowery robe, fierce red lips and a seductive smile with your special someone, ready to rub some soothing oils on his back with many happy endings in order. How’s that for an Asian delight?

And then there’s the belly dancing Jazmin who leaves her Aladdin mesmerized. Belly dancing is a very sexy dance art, so imagine popping slowly and seductively out of a bottle with sultry coloured smoke surrounding you, while wearing a gorgeous gypsy outfit. Then you approach your man slowly while moving your waist like it’s sexily separated from the rest of your body, and you just let the music move you. I’ve always loved belly dance; it leaves a lot to the imagination while getting the heart racing.

I’ve always wanted to be a Victoria’s Secrets model, prancing up and down the runway with gorgeous underwear on, but that hasn’t quite happened as yet, so an innovation in my imagination was required. I’ve always loved angels, so imagine being dressed in Vicky’s Secrets attire with angel wings clipped at the back and pole dancing at the same. An angelic and oh so sweet pole dancer.  But even wearing stockings and suspenders with a sexy pair of heels will do the trick. As long as flying and swinging on a pole is in order, all is good.

But the best alter ego has to be what I call ‘the girl next door’. This is your typical girl, most of the time nerdy or reserved, who decides to reveal her sexy side in the simplest way possible; with a shirt, stockings, suspenders and heels, and a sweet but seductive smile gliding across her face. Sometimes simplicity and tapping into an alter ego that is truly an unedited and non-watered down version of yourself is the sexiest thing on earth.

So ladies, whatever your secret alter ego is, make sure that you whip it out unexpectedly every now and again; you’ll be surprised at how much of a life booster it is.

*pics sourced from pretty-geisha.tumblr.com; lingeriemonamour.tumblr.com; luvtribalbellydance.tumblr.com

My publisher recently asked me to write an article about the benefits of dancing, purely for Joe public! My publisher is a little more ‘straight’ so to speak than myself, despite being a very worldly kind of guy, he just does not have the same approach to spirituality as I have, me being a dreamer and all that. So within my article I was to stick to the benefits of dancing and absolutely no angels, feathers or fluff. Fine I thought, especially if we want to encourage people from many walks of life to find the healing we know so well from the dance practice. Not that I am a fluff kind of gal, but I must appear that way to some!!

I began to look into all the benefits of dance.

Well I began…. It’s done as performance and as recreation. It can be done in a club or behind closed doors in our living rooms. There are many classes we can take part in and there seems to be no amount of opportunity awaiting us……should we so desire.

Sometimes though I hear people say, “I used to love dancing!” “Oh but I don’t do it any more because I am far to busy, too many kids, too fat, too old, can’t afford it” or the infamous one, “well I just don’t do that, or “I’ve got three, even four left feet!” My answer usually to all of this is ‘what utter rubbish!’ Not meaning to be rude…BUT

It can take very little time to switch on a piece of music and begin moving your body to a beat. As soon as this process begins, our cellular structure begins to change. Literally. We are beginning to engage in something that is primal, that has its roots in some of the most ancient and even sophisticated, ritualistic and profound forms of healing, art and spirituality.

As we begin to move our bodies in this way, no matter what it looks like we are accessing our innermost freedom. It does not have to look any particular way, no matter what they told you at school, it does not have to be particular steps or even be in time to the music. We can be dancing deep within our own bodies, quietly massaging our innermost secrets, or stretching our bodies to their fullest as the music lifts our spirits and carries us to the most passionate of our dreams. The important thing is that you are moving your body in the way you wish to move it to that particular beat of the drum, or that particular melody. That is freedom at its most fundamental.

The body responds by interacting with the music, not being controlled by it, but simply creating a relationship with it, a bit like being with a lover.

They move together and express what ever needs to be expressed in that moment. Sensuality, sexuality, breath, motion, sound, expression, it is all given to the dancer. We begin to give ourselves to this being, allowing it to take over and be whatever it needs to be.

There is no need for controlling it. It does not need to be held in place or form.

As the body finds its way and we give it more and more permission to be just as it is, we are unfolding the truth about who we really are.

On a physical level dancing  keeps us fit and increase’s our stamina. It  helps us look and feel younger. Our skin becomes clearer and we remain supple and well toned in our muscles. How good is that?  And if we are doing it at home it won’t have even cost us anything! That has to be the best beauty treatment ever!

We become more balanced in our life, you know left brain, right brain stuff, well one begins to work as good as the other and even the vital organs inside us start to function better and become well oiled and moist. A bit like an engine really, left too long it goes rusty, so we oil it, take care of it, clean out the cobwebs and bobs-your-uncle or hey presto! smooth running engine, carburetor and spark plugs firing at their very best!

On an emotional level, we are able to release the old and held in emotions that we did not even realize we were holding on to. Exhaust fumes no more! Those same old grumbles, the ones that make our shoulders heavy, that create a frown on our face or a slump in our walk.  There is no more or very little frustration directed at our partners, children or the dog. We are able to clear some of this old debri’ away, with a good old shake of the hips, a stamp of our feet and a few swinging leaps around the living room, it will soon pass us by. We may find ourselves crying because our heart begins to open and guaranteed those tears will become tears of joy if we dance long enough. Nothing like the water works to do their trick of washing and purification. Stagnant water never tasted good. The therapist can take a few weeks off from the boring moans and complaints of how everything is unfair and nobody understands us because we are now feeling alive and liberated from the pressure of being a stuck-in-a-rut, human-being or ‘doing’ as they say more readily these days.

Our mind interestingly enough starts to empty out its garbage of thoughts about useless rubbish, that it seems to want to churn around like an old cement mixer and our head may feel a little lighter of its load, we may even start to laugh more.

Then we come to the world of art and beauty, to creativity and the sheer wonderment of what our body is able to do. If it can really make us feel this good in our life and about ourselves, imagine what else it can do for us!

Dancing long enough can change the cellular structure of how we look.Our facial expressions will change and we will begin to have a different aura of beauty around us. A light will shine within us that will permeate our surroundings. People will be drawn to us, wondering what this new-found energy is that we have discovered for ourselves. Of course we may wish to keep it to ourself, after all why share it. But they will persist because they know something’s up and that they are missing out on something very vital, liberating and intriguing. Of course they will be afraid at first because undoubtedly it will change their lives and not every one wants to change their lives, do they?

They may need to stay in their own comfort zone and any idea of changing is just not going to make them feel easy. But of course we will know that in order to really grow and to find more freedom, more peace, more happiness, this tool we have found is the key, we have it and ultimately we will be extremely willing to share it. For a while we may even try to convince others they should do it, but there will be no need of convincing, just our own radiance will be enough to draw them in.

Oh and dancing is also a great way to avoid things like osteoporosis, heart complaints, depression, poor circulation, stiffness in joints, back ache, headaches and many, many more complaints that the human body can be prone to.

And one scientific proven fact; the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia is frequent dancing, also a proven fact is that dancing frequently offers 76% possible reduction of all degenerative diseases studied, that is cognitive or physical. There is a re-wiring that happens when we dance, not going back to the engine here, maybe more like the electricity we live with. Wire up the house wrong and there are problems ensuing, keep it all in order and we will live safely and in harmony with its source. This kind of dancing I am talking about is not to be confused with dance where we have to ‘know’ the steps, this is dance that you make up your self as you go along, that is very important, it is free-style, which means you have to make decisions, in the moment. It is the decision-making that affects the mind making it re-wire itself correctly.

Lets not forget the de-stress factor and increased serotonin level, which can be really useful especially if you are a dreamer and even more so if you depend on none alcohol, non-drug induced fun!!

We also learn to breathe much deeper and because we sweat we don’t get so many spots!

If an entrepreneur could bottle it, they would make a fortune!!

p.s. did I mention loosing weight? In a one-hour session we can burn from 250 to 400 calories.  Need I say more? No fluff  just good common sense

If you would like the addition of angels, please read Ms’Guided Angel, published by Rex and MyVoice publishing  http://www.alchemyinmovement.com/book.html

A retired NFL wide receiver in his sixties was once asked what he dreamed about as an older athlete.  He replied, “I dream of making that final and almost impossible catch in the end zone to win the Super Bowl.”

Dancers are not any different. The dreams of a dancer, regardless of age or talent level, are many.  They dream about performing on Broadway, winning on Dancing with the Stars, or perhaps simply winning that trophy or medal at the local or state competition.

We sometimes forget that so much is gained in pursuing those dreams.  The dancers are attracted to the glitz and the glamour of someday achieving greatness in their art form but during this arduous ascent, they learn how to accept criticism from others.

And included in this acceptance is learned how to use that feedback to grow and enhance performance, how to value the opinion of others and how to respect the incredible amount of time and effort that everyone has devoted to the inspirational art of dance.

Although winning is a desired goal common among all dancers, Platinum Dance instructors are not necessarily focused on training dancers to that end.  Instead, they are empowering the dancers to believe in themselves and concentrate on what is truly important—improving!

The people around them and the parents, however, can watch this miracle in progress as their child becomes more confident in school and in social settings.  They become physically, emotionally and mentally stronger people through the effects of a positive dance program.

The art of dance also keeps them active – and an active child is a happy child.  In a society teeming with poor nutritional temptations coupled with the overall sedentary, technological surroundings in which we live, physical activity at a very young age and throughout life is now of utmost importance.  A Platinum Dance program teaches the child an invaluable activity that he or she can enjoy for a lifetime, either individually or in a group, and with very few injuries, unlike other physical activities.

A wise man once stated, “Competition is good for the soul.”  Through dance, children enrich their souls in friendly competition.  The children learn to compete with their peers in a respectful and professional way and, in the end, after winning or losing, they learn that life is a journey, not a destination.  In facing victory or defeat, they learn that the future brings with it yet another competition, one for which they can practice and prepare, giving them good reason to stay active.

And regardless of the result of the competition, they eventually learn the lesson that will be carried with them throughout life – it is not so much if we win or lose but our reaction to these individual outcomes.

Platinum dance teaches children that very important concept of teamwork.  They learn that no man, or woman, is an island.  In order to achieve their individual goals, more often than not it behooves them to work as a team in order to achieve their aspirations.

As co-owner Stephanie Tacheny puts it, “Dance has played an important part of my life and that is why I am dedicated to sharing that with the students of Platinum Dance Studio. It is dance that has allowed me to express myself, meet new people and to grow as an individual.”

Plumb Performing Arts Center CITY LIGHTS Musical Theatre Mini Number performed April 2011 at the New York City Dance Academy Regional Competition in Dallas

Lisa Plumb, owner of Plumb Performing Arts Center in Scottsdale, has plenty to share on the topic of Lifetime’s new “reality TV” series titled “Dance Moms,” which airs on Wednesday nights.

“Dance Moms” features a brash, bellicose dance teacher who has long owned and operated a dance studio in Pittsburgh. Also the dancers who train there — and their mothers. They like to watch. And snip.

Plumb Performing Arts Center dancer competing in Dallas in April 2011

Plumb says she runs “a tight ship,” but finds the “Dance Moms” studio “a bit extreme.” It’s rare in real life, for example, for girls to learn competition routines with as little time as they appear to be given in “Dance Moms.”

For Abby Lee Miller, owner of Abby Lee Dance Company, it’s all about winning. But Plumb says dance competitions offer plenty of benefits for those who don’t win. Gaining experience in performance and showmanship, setting and working toward goals, networking with professionals and peers — and more.

Plumb recognizes some moms do take dance competitions to an “extreme.” Still, she suggests a more balanced approach. It’s possible, reflects Plumb, to couple a “no-nonsense style” with a “loving and nurturing” environment.

It’s this approach, adds Plumb, that leads to “well-trained dancers that end up getting the most jobs,” because they’ve “learned to deal with not always winning and rejection — which can be applied to any other aspect of life.”

Dorie Reiter and Jordan Pelliteri of Plumb Performing Arts Center perform in Dallas in April 2011

“The moms that keep it in perspective,” observes Plumb, “have the kids that ultimately in the long run do the best whether they are professional dancers or doctors.” Makes sense when you picture your surgeon struggling to operate in the absense of an overbearing “doc mom.”

I was amazed, during a recent episode of “Dance Moms,” that a dancer whose headpiece fell over her eyes continued to dance as if nothing had happened. I felt certain both studio owner/teacher and parent would applaud her for staying focused and keeping her cool.

Instead, the dance teacher tore into the dancer’s mom for letting such a thing happen. Plumb notes that there’s little benefit to parents and teachers talking negatively to or about one another when dancers are present. It’s tacky, and entirely unproductive.

A Plumb Performing Arts Center dancer competing in Dallas in April 2011

Plumb insists that “a true winning team, whether they win the top trophy or not, is one that has a good, honest and open working relationship between student, parent and teacher.”

The young dancers on “Dance Moms” are trying, says Plumb, to please their parents and teachers. At times, they’re expected to choose between the two — something that makes Plumb feel “sorry and sad.”

In real life, observes Plumb, dance moms “support their children without being over the top.” And they “diversify” their children’s dance experiences — coupling dance competitions with non-competitive performance, summer intensives and such.

As the series unfolds, we’re all learning more about the dance moms featured on the show. The one who pushes her daughter to perform against medical advice. The one who insists her daughter stress the right syllable when saying “okay.” Were children not involved, all these grown-up neuroses might be somewhat amusing.

Dorie Reiter and Jordan Pelliteri of Plumb Performing Arts Center competing in the April 2011 New York City Dance Alliance Regional Finals in Dallas

Plumb admits that “Dance Moms” has “its very funny and real life moments” but still finds it “a bit sad and disturbing.” And she cautions parents that about 95% of competition owners, for both pageants and dance, are only there to make money.

Do your homework. Trust your instincts. Listen to your child. But don’t believe everything you see on TV.

– Lynn

Note: All photos, by PRO PIX, are courtesy of Plumb Performing Arts Center. Dance group pictured above includes Angelina Lewallen, Katelynn Lewallen, Eliana Shephard, Madison Schultz, Jessica Rizor, Sierra Aungst, Brooke Rozelle and Gracie Timms.

Coming up: More dance experts on “Dance Moms,” Coffee meets comics, Way of the “Wolves,” Origami & beyond

Update: I’m now blogging as “Stage Mom Musings” at www.stagemommusings.com. Please find and follow me there to continue receiving posts about arts and culture in Arizona and beyond. Thanks for your patience as the tech fairies work to move all 1,250+ posts to the new site. For the latest news follow me on Twitter @stagemommusings. 6/13/12

Stephen Petronio Dance Company performs Nov 18 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

When I learned that Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is offering all sorts of four-performance packages, including an “Art in Motion” dance option, I decided to go in search of Valley dance offerings for the 2011/12 season.

First I uncovered a couple of summer offerings – including “From Africa: Bate Nico Dancers” at Chandler Center for the Arts (July 29) and “Arizona’s Got Dance! National Dance Showcase” at Tempe Center for the Arts (July 31).

Tucson high school students will perform in the vaudevillian song-and-dance musical “Chicago” July 28 & 30 at the Temple of Art and Music in Tucson. It’s part of the Arizona Theatre Company’s “Summer On Stage” program (which also includes “A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

Come Labor Day, you can enjoy 2009 World Hoop Dancing Champion Brian Hammill (Ho Chuck) at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Ballet Forklorico Quetzalli-AZ performs during the “12th Annual Chandler C3HR Mariachi Festival” Sept. 24 at Chandler Center for the Performing Arts.

“Ballet Under the Stars” heads to various Valley venues, including Tempe Center for the Arts – where dancers from Ballet Arizona will perform a blend of classical and contemporary works Sept 23 in a casual amphitheater setting (bring your blankets and lawn chairs).

Desert Dance Theatre presents the “Arizona Dance Festival” Oct 11 at Tempe Center for the Arts. Stay tuned to calendars for this and other venues, which often host recitals featuring students from local dance academies.

Trisha Brown Dance Company performs at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts near Valentine's Day 2012

Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix presents their free Festival of the Arts Oct 1. Featured dance performers include Arizona Youth Ballet, Scorpius Dance Theatre, Dance Shoppe-Performance Company, EPIK Dance Company, Grand Canyon University Dance Ensemble, Kamalah Tribal Dance Company and Center Dance Ensemble.

Center Dance Ensemble is the resident modern dance company at Herberger Theater Center. Their vibrant 2011/12 season features “There is a Time for Dance” (Oct), “Frances Smith Cohen’s Snow Queen” (Dec), “Dance AZ/100″ (March) and “American Voices” (April). They’re also hosting a “Spirit of the Season” event in December.

Mesa Arts Center presents a diverse slate of dance works this season — including Chinese acrobatic dance, Native American song & dance, “Blast!” from Broadway, urban Latin dance theater, tango with Cheryl Burke and Irish cabaret. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a “must see” for the serious dance afficianado, performs at MAC in March.

While they’re in town, the Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theater will conduct a two-week residency, teaching the basics of Salsa dancing to Valley students and selecting 20 elementary-age students to perform at their evening show on Feb 11. Alvin Ailey dancers will offer master classes as well as one-day workshops during a March 12-16 “Spring Break Dance Intensive,” then return to perform at MAC March 24 & 25.

Many of our local dance companies offer rich education and outreach programs as well — so be sure and contact folks like Center Dance Ensemble and Ballet Arizona to learn about their many offerings for Valley students and youth.

Batsheva Dance Company performs at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts next March

My youngest daughter Lizabeth, who starts college this fall, studied with both Dance Theater West (the academy of Center Dance Ensemble and Storybook Ballet Theater) and Ballet Arizona for a total of more than ten years.

Though she’s not pursuing dance as a career, I know all those years of studying, performing and watching creative movement honed her body, mind and spirit.

– Lynn

Note: Photos courtesy of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (please note that the Stephen Petronia “Underland” performance “includes adult content”).

Coming up: Local dance studio owner on Lifetime’s controversial “Dance Moms” series

Some say “there are as many styles of bharatanatyam as there are dancers”. But for classification purposes there are only four : Tanjavoor, Pandanallur, Vazhuvoor and Kalakshetra. Whilst I cannot make out much difference between Tanjavoor and Pandanallur, I can mostly make out Vazhuvoor and can definitely make out Kalaskhetra.

No matter what the style be, the music and the kind of compositions that are used to dance are the same. Coming to talk of compositions, some are written for bharatanatyam and some are adapted. How beautiful is the adaptation is again a hugely debatable topic. There are several popular compositions that were written decades back, but still are very popular and are performed even today by dancers of all styles of bharatanatyam. Sometimes a composition is often and frequently performed by dancers of one particular style and that becomes a kind of flagship dance piece that is usually identified with that particular style of bharatanatyam.

For eg: The varnam : Manavi chekona raada, in raaga Shankarabharanam, Adi tala.

This dance piece is performed so often and frequently by the students of kalakshetra style of bharatantyam that it became a flagship dance piece of kalakshetra style and is identified with it.

Over years I have seen many dancers of all styles perform this dance piece. Much to my disappointment, not a single dancer could stir any emotion in me, let alone the bhava working its magic. I don’t want to be partial to any style here. However, completely ignoring or cutting down on the essential elements that communicate the ‘rasa’, fails to achieve the goal. Yes I agree that every performance cannot be a soul-stirring experience. Much depends on the rasika too. Even the natyashastra/abhinaya darpana say that. But atleast there should be a sincere effort to try make each performance, an experience that it is meant to deliver.

While performing to a composition, a dancer should help the composition, what it set to achieve, thereby realising her own goal of executing it. Particularly in this case, I have been a witness of mere various physical interpretations of the verse, than emotional. Let me explain. It is like how many different ‘sancharis’ one does while the line repeats. There is nothing wrong with that, but yes, there is, when its done mechanically.

I was watching a very popular dancer(not a kalakshetra style dancer) execute this dance piece on a DVD. Why did I use the word execute? Well, that’s what she did, execute and not perform. Her beauty, her perfect body, aramandi and perfect execution of foot work shadows her absolute lack of abhinaya in this varnam.This not just a case with her, but with almost all of the dancers, I saw performing this varnam. Especially in the recent times. I am as much of a traditionalist as anyone when it comes to technical perfection in terms of aramandi etc, but where is the bhava? I ask. Where is the sringara, the tease, the blushing, the absolute openness on how the felling of love is tormenting? Yes the story is told in the sancharis, but without an iota of feeling- at least that is what the rasika feels. It is as beautiful as reading out a melodious song.

Is this a case of a chewing gum that lost its flavor due to over chewing? or is it just that one style is very restrictive or is it the dancer’s incompetence? Whatever the reason, one of the most popular varnam has been mercilessly and collectively killed. I am yet to see one dancer perform this varnam that can keep me glued.

However tempted I am here to provide links and mention names, but I refrain for one reason that classical dancing is not a bread-earner in India. Yet so many people, small, young and old, religiously study it and practice it and pass it on generation to generation. They do it for the love the have for the dance, and not with an ego of being a great dancer themselves. The above was not about them, but was about those 1% of flag bearing professional talented dancers(and those that like to think and display themselves as exceptionally talented dancers) that influence these rest 99%.

Whatever it is, this is not a singular case. Another composition that came to light in similar conditions is “Bho Shambho”. One dancer I met in a dance festival recently claimed that she has choreographed it herself and went on to do the worst duplication of the most viewed video on youtube.

Does a little use of breasts, glances, lips, eyebrows, shoulders hurt so much to communicate the bhava and rasa?

Response from a dear friend and an ardent rasika : I just read the post.. its not the case just with manavi.. so many varnams have been killed.. specially mohamana and kamas which have more of explicit lyrics… Vazhuvoor le its done with more of oomph!

Studies show that people are healthier and happier when they join like-minded others in hobbies, activities and clubs. Scottish Country dancing is one such activity. Anyone, of any age, can join, costs are minimal and clubs exist all over the world, including Japan, of all places. Obviously you don’t have to have a drop of Scottish blood in you to participate in Scottish Country Dancing. I don’t and in one and a half years I’ve graduated from providing comic relief to the other dancers to getting most of the steps right. And from the beginning it has been a lot of fun.

Join me as I interview Gladys Farrant of the Scottish Country Dance Club in Kaitaia in New Zealand’s Far North. 

Gladys is a shining testimony to the value of Scottish Country Dancing (SCD) and the benefits of activity in general. At 75-years-young, she tutors Scottish Country Dancing and takes tap dancing lessons with a group of chronologically-younger dancers.

Gladys outlines her life with dance, the history and practice of Scottish Country Dancing, and her travels in America and England. She was a nanny and her husband Brian was a chauffeur with a wealthy family in LA in the course of their travels. Hear some of the types of music associated with SCD-a strathspey, a jig and a reel.

SCD is certainly good for circulation, beneficial for the brain and an opportunity to socialize with like-minded people. You’ll want to join a regular dance group after listening to this.

And, as the following video shows, it is for young people too:

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Mrinalini was introduced to dance at a very young age. Her gurus include, among others, her own sister Hemalatha, Burra Subramanya Sastry, Chinta Raddha Krishnamurty, Adinarayana Sarma, Mahankali Surya Narayana, Sathyapriya Ramana and Dr. Vempati Chinna Sathyam. In addition, her drama teacher, Mandapati Ramalingeswara Rao, helped her understand the importance of facial expressions for which she is very well known. Mallika Jayanti engages Mrinalini Sadananda in a brief conversation.

What is your opinion on so many ever-emerging styles in kuchipudi?
Answer: The more the merrier.

How do the Americans react to Kuchipudi?
Answer: They are fascinated by our discipline. They consider our art as one of the finest forms of dance.

Of late, there have been discussions on the commercialization of classical dance by the NRIs in the U.S. What have you witnessed in this regard?

Answer: People are people, NRIs or not. I follow gurukaula style. I do not do these big arangetrams. We do nrithya sambhavana. Here the teacher will not receive any money. The student’s dance is the gift to the teacher. In January 2007, I performed nrithya sambhavanain at Music Academy, Chennai. Money given was donated to Dr. Ambika Kameswari’s organization for mentally challenged children.

How important is a formal degree or an arangetram for a Bhartanatyam dancer?
Answer: Arangetram has become a big fashion. I am not for spending so much. If this money is spent to help poor students, that will be fabulous.

The audiences are demanding short, crisp and fast items, if at all they want to watch a classical dance. Due to this, performing even a shabdam has become a rarity. What is your comment on this? How relevant is it to continue learning padams and bhamakalapam (especially) for the present day performer?
Answer: One must learn all the intricate items. However, one need not perform these if the audience is not for it; after all we have an obligation to please them within certain guidelines.

Have you done any experiments with music, costume, colours or margam of kuchipudi? What changes do you want to see in the future of Kuchipudi?
Answer: Certain imagination is welcome. Costumes have to be modest. Yet, they can be modern. If we are doing a ballet, imagination is necessary. I am an advocate of creativity. I do mix both south Indian and north Indian carnatic and Hindustani ragas in my ballets.

Many Bharatanatyam dancers are trained in other dance forms. Is it necessary to learn odissi or kathak or kathakali or kuchipudi simultaneously to gain competitive edge?
Answer: I have learnt kuchipudi and also bharathanatyam. It is nice to know other styles. This will enhance our appreciation of other art forms. We will be more open while choreographing.

Tell us about your productions and the inception of the idea. How difficult or easy is to find suitable artists?
Answer: My first production was Sarvam Vishumayam. Our local S.S V.T asked me to do a ballet. I was knave about the difficulties and said yes. Most of my students at that time were in their teens and not ready for any big challenges. So, I had to get creative to cast all these kids in the ballet. I did not have costumes and required props for this show. The lyrics and the music needed to be set. Humongous tasks were left in front of me. My sister Nalini Ram took the responsibility of writing the play. My brother Subhash Vinjamuri, a violinist and a disciple of Brahmanand Naidu, took up this challenge. The kids’ parents began to paint on canvasses. I had to sit and create the dance part. The impossible gained a shape. The ballet was ready. The standing applause gave me the courage to take this show to S.V.T. temple in Pittsburg. We received the same kind of response. Before I know, I started working on the next show, Andal Kalyanam. We staged this in Bridgewater N.J and in Maryland. The show was very well received. Thereafter, we started producing show after show – Ramayanam, Venkateswara Vaibhavam, Sambhavami yuge Yuge, Sharanam Ayappa. Then, we were given an opportunity to perform at the most prestigious Kennedy Centre. People loved our productions. We staged Bharatha Sambhavam, the birth and the glory of India. Things began to fall in place. We will be performing Andal kalynam this January in Virginia and Maryland during the Pongal time.

Mrinalini Sadananda can be contacted at Cell. 703 – 332 – 9360 or 703 – 879 – 6090 and her website address is: www.kalamadapam.org
Comments
Sangeetha
I think it is Dr. Ambika Kameswar’s “RASA” that is being spoken about here. I would like to share a thought here. While a `grand’ arangetram itself may not be a requirement, a proper exposure to the stage craft is necessary for a dancer, who aims to be a performer. Arangetram today is viewed more in terms of the money spent. It should rather be looked at as a graduation process of a student, wherein she learns not only to train herself to present a 2-21/2 hour recital but also to help her polish all aspects of the art that have been learned under the eyes of a trained guru. The arangetram training with good gurus is like 3-4 hours of rigorous training for 5-6 months, around 5 days a week. This definitely cannot be slighted. The process, if rightly done, does mature the student in terms of her performance skills. This experience in itself is of great value to a dancer.

Lalita Srinivas – lalita.musa@gmail.com
Learning dance – be it through gurukula style or otherwise – has never been inexpensive as Ms. Sadananda states, especially in the U.S. Many teachers say gurukula. What does gurukula mean? From what I see, talent and promotion of the student go hand in hand with what one can bring to the table. Parents needs to join together and set up a forum to see classical art is not misused by teachers, and the sacredness to learning our art is maintained.

Please  note that this  interview has already been published in http://www.carnaticdarbar.com.

Let me start the story by first giving a name to the man in the picture. Meet Mr. B. Vikram Gaud. In the quiet streets of Seetammadhara in Vishakhapatnam there is one Shirdi Marg that boasts of quite a few land marks – a huge and popular Sai Baba temple to start with, and then the house of a mayor. What actually adds beauty to that street is the Natraj Music and Dance Academy. This music and dance school is the brain child of Vikram.
Basically having a theatrical background, one cannot help gaping at the huge collage on the side wall of his office that is crowded with photographs of his achievements. One also cannot help wondering about his unwavering commitment to other arts too.

When I put that question to him, he just smiles and reasons it with destiny. “God has just ordered me, so I walk this path. I love art, both as a connoisseur/rasika and as an artiste. Yes, I am from theatre. In theatre, one learns to appreciate all forms of art,” says he.

At this point, one remembers the much-talked about cultural even of Vishakhapatnam in the past year, 2008. Vikram was the brain and body behind the Vysaki Nrutyotsav. This enormous all-India classical dance festival was single handedly organized by Vikram. “I have to thank God, the participants, my friends and all those who were involved,” says he. This is very humble of him. That is another quality of a complete gentleman and a true artiste. Personally, I have seen him run from pillar to post to get sponsors. I have also seen him get nervous when the chief guest did not arrive on time. I have also seen him put hefty sum of money out of his own pocket while the sponsors backed off the last minute. Well, I have also seen him handle deftly handle the problems that go with organizing such a mega event. He pulled it off wonderfully, keeping his cool all the time. It is indeed a greater challenge to present such a festival to a highly unmotivated audience. Most of the audience did not understand Kathak but enjoyed it nevertheless. The media gave rave reviews for the festival and each artiste was happy. Ask him how and Vikram smiles again! “I am just honest to art and to people.’’ He explains.

Vikram also organized a dance festival again with the disabled artistes on the World Disability Day. Vikram Goud is convinced that there should be someone to preserve the classical arts. He feels responsible for this task. He feels for the great gurus who are finding it difficult to get a square meal in a day. Once, he sent me to one such great Guru to learn Kuchipudi. That is all it took him to make me his team member.

“I am not against Bollywood dances or any type of dancing. All such dancers and teachers are doing well. I feel all forms of art are difficult. But most of the gurus of classical art are suffering. Most of the ones who are doing well are because of their greediness and not due to their generosity in teaching.” Do I disagree? NO.

What makes Vikram Goud and the like stand out is the fact that they are not only performing artistes but also great rasikas. They do not just sit and complain about lack of opportunities but create them for many.

Vikram loves to give opportunity to the talented than the reputed. He is one of those few people who practice what they preach when they say that ‘it’s not all about money’. Bring in a child who is interested, let alone talented, in dance or music and Vikram and his Natraj Music and Dance Academy will not even talk of fees. The author is a living witness to this commitment. This is one more reason why Natraj Music and Dance Academy is the right place for learning. It has not only some of the finest teachers and books on art to learn from, but one ends up being a very good and complete human being and an artist amongst such committed and passionate people.

This country needs youth like Vikram Goud, especially when there are so many not so motivated audience, unwilling sponsors, greedy artistes and uninterested organizers.

I am happy as a rasika and as an artiste. As long as there are Vikram Gouds, there is hope. One is assured that ‘it is not all about money’.

Vikram can be contacted at vikram_natyam@yahoo.com
Mobile : 0-9848137445

Please note that this article is already published in http://www.carnaticdarbar.com

Why doest it take Vatican to recognise our belief in a Nun?

Why a nun, hardly known outside a fixed radius is cheered for her sainthood, while our own Sai babas are eyed with a lot of suspicion?

Why the dead hold more importance and sanctity than the alive?

Why do we have more trust on the doings of the one who is dead and gone and no faith in the ability and words of the one in flesh and blood?

The Upanishads say, “Devo Bhutva Devam Yajet” meaning – “Become a God in order to worship God.” India has always embodied this eternal principle in its culture and has spread it across the seas. Dancing was considered the religious ceremony most pleasing to the Gods and dedication of all activity to the Divine was the highest form of worship.

According to the Natya Shastra, “There is no wisdom, nor knowledge; no art nor craft; no device, nor action that is not to be found in Natya”.

Brahma, created the fifth Scripture, Natya Veda, the scripture of the Dance, presenting moral and spiritual truths in a form, which is easy to understand, even for the masses. Brahma then said to the people, “This art is not merely for your pleasure, but exhibits Bhava (emotion) for all the three worlds. I made this art to reflect this world, whether in work or play, profit, peace, laughter, battle or slaughter. This art shall teach men that the fruit of righteousness will be given to those who follow Dharma, the Moral Law. The spirituality of this art shall be a restraint for the unruly, a discipline for the followers of rule. It will create wisdom in the ignorant, learning in scholars, afford sport to kings and endurance to the sorrow-stricken. Replete with the diverse moods, informed with varying passions of the soul, linked to the deeds of all mankind, the best, the middling and the low, affording excellent counsel, and all else, this great art shall console and elevate the world”.

A distinctive feature of the Bharatanatyam  is the fact that it conceives of movement is space mostly along either straight lines or in triangles or in circles, by which we gain a lot of energy. These movements are in actual act, moving lines, which come together in discernible patterns. These patterns reflect or mirror the Mandalas (mystic shapes or forms), which are associated with the six Chakras of the human psychic energy body (Sukshma Sharira, as it is termed in Yoga).

Bharatanatyam  is no less a spiritual search than the Sanyasi’s way of renunciation. Yoga and Bharatanatyam  are both a means by which “with body, mind and soul we may pray to the Divine.” These great arts help us to divinize ourselves, to develop spiritual qualities of loyalty, fidelity, a sense of Dharma, discipline, awareness, sensitivity, strength, courage, skill, cooperation, diligence, health, happiness and well being, serenity and peacefulness of mind.

May the artistic community of this great nation of Bharat strive to keep the purity of its great cultural heritage intact, inspiring people in all times to follow the advice of the great Rishi Veda Vyasa, who exclaimed at the end of his great epic, the Mahabharatha:

“Oh man know this! Do your Dharma (Ordained virtuous duty)! Then Artha (wealth) and Kama (fulfillment of desire) shall automatically come to you. Having fulfilled yourself in Artha and Kama, you will then seek and obtain Moksha! Hence I say, “Do your Dharma and all else shall come automatically to you.”

The great art of Bharat Natyam surely shows us how we may fulfill our Dharma in a most refined, pleasing, enjoyable, dignified, beautiful and joyful manner and attain that final union with the Supreme Self.

REFERENCES

1.         Bhavanani Ananda Balayogi .A Yogic approach to stress. Satya Press, Ananda Ashram Pondicherry, 2000

2.         Bhavanani Ananda Balayogi. A primer of Yoga theory. Satya Press, Ananda Ashram Pondicherry, 2004

3.         Bhavanani Meenakshi Devi. Yoga: One woman’s view. Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. 1985

4.         Coomaraswamy Ananda. The Mirror of Gesture: Being the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeswara. Munshiram Manoharlal. New Delhi.1997.

5.         Gitananda Giri Swami and Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Yoga and Sports, Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry

6.         Gitananda Giri Swami, Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali, Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry

7.         Gitananda Giri Swami. Mudras. Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondichery.1975

8.         Gitananda Giri Swami. Yoga: Step By Step, Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. 1970

9.         Hinduism Today July 1992.Yogi Playwright Infusing Indian Theatre With More Atma and Altruism

10.       Kothari Sunil. Bharata Natyam: Indian classical dance art. Marg Publications. 1979.

11.       Ramanathan Leela. Moving sculpture, frozen dance. Sunday Herald, Deccan Herald, Sundays, January 18 and 25, 2004

12.       Sudhakar Kanaka. Indian classical dancing: The therapeutic advantages. Sterling Publishers,  New Delhi.1994

13.       Vivekananda Kendra Patrika, Yoga – The Science Of Holistic Living, Bangalore

14.       http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/3155/hasta

15.       http://www.ignca.nic.in/ks_14_cn.htm#KARANA

16.       http://www.kanakasabha.com/hastas/index

17.       http://www.nadanam.com/bharatnatyam

18.       http://www.pir.net/~beth/main

19.       www.shilpkalamart.com/classicaldances

Please note that the whole series is just a reproduction of the material at http://www.dhdi.free.fr/recherches/horizonsinterculturels/articles/bharatanatyamyoga.htm

Let me start by first exploring this- what is dance? Dance is the physical interpretation of music. What is good dancing and what is bad dancing? Like beauty is it not a very personal thing, is it not something only the viewer of the dance can and should judge? If not then why do different people have different opinions and favorites?

What is divine dancing? Is Bharatanatyam only divine and no other dance form? Ok. I will give the author of the abovesaid blog some lieniency. Are only the Indian classical dances divine? This author seems to make a lot of fun for other dance forms. Any dance, where one is enjoying the dance, without the knowledge of self- is divine( limiting this only to dance- i believe anything done without the knowledge of being or self is divine) be it hip- hop, ballet or jazz etc. I feel the author of the above said blog should see a few programs to realize that there are dances which would physically challenge all the aspects of even the author’s best Bharatanatyam dancer.

I am a Bharatanatyam dancer myself. But to say that only this form is good and divine and everything else is inferior, is not an idea I agree to. This author has even criticised dances in discos. Well I doubt the author has ever been into a disco. I feel one of the best places to observe what it means to dance- just dance, is a disco.  Is enjoying dancing not one of the purposes of dance itself? Is it not better than dancing infront of a audiance who are munching chips while the dancer is trying hard to catch their attention?

Have you ever heard a dancer saying, “This item was revealed to me by such-and-such Apsara in my meditation?”  is what the author comments in article . Well, since when did Apsaras and Gods started appearing in meditation? One should meditate to understand what it is and what are revealed thru it. Or is there any other meaning than what I understand that the author was trying to put across?

I still await the answer from the author for the question on what is glorious past? What is the current shit? What is art and what is not?  Hpw was an Alaripu was performed say 500 yrs ago, when Bharatanatyam was known as Sadir attam? This dear author was not even born, and because the author can’t find answers on the internet, so the author cannot say anything.

“Although some idiots corrupted by the western pseudo-culture dare to expose their lack of brain by stating that “The body of a dancer of today considerably differs from that of an 11th or 14th century dancer, especially one known only from temple sculptures.” , it is an archaeological fact that the human bodies in South India were no different 50000 years ago from what these bodies look now. It is the styles of sculpture that came and vanished. The bodies remain the same ”-  The author seems not to be  aware of the evloution process.

“there are no contemporary Bharatanatyam dancers whose death would result in the immediate death of 1000 of their fans” there is nothing on this earth that can produce such results, God didnot design human such a way. Else all the people who lost their beloved would die immediately.

the real dancing happens in the invisible worlds, where it is much more fun Please explain in detail…

Have you ever met a contemporary Bharatanatyam dancer who has at least 1 spiritual experience??? Since when people started talking loudly about their spiritual experiances to all
Tom Dick and Harry? The author can please enlighten whether the author had herself/himself had one such experiance? Iam sure he/she would know if her /his favorite dancers had one- we all would like to know, don’t we?

Tuition was… free of cost. What was Guru Dakshina?

The author speaks endlessly regarding that perfect physical posture, that perfect expression – a dancer not having them  for which the below is the conversation that happened between us.

“the way you rip apart each one above, you sound as a considerable authority on the art form. considering this you might as well.

Dear, reading the above, has indeed stirred what has been on my mind since quite some time. Is a perfect araimandi more important that giving oneself into dance itself? i fall into this catagory.
Is dancing in itself more important than looking for people to clap for you? Very recently, due to some misunderstanding, i have been denied a slot for performance in a show in Sydney. I was dissappointed, I practice every day in my kitchen-dining space. Thats when my husband asked me this- Are you not happy that you have enough space and time to dance every day? is it not enough?

rgds
mallika

Oyoyoyoyo! You are making such irresistible compliments! Wow!

Is a perfect araimandi more important than giving oneself into dance itself?

The concentration and laya are important factors to touch the rasas, and to create a powerful spiritual atmosphere. Many good musicians (the violinist Sikhamani is a good example) “dance” (even their bodies move) while playing music. Are they dancers? No, they are musicians.

However, Bharatanatyam is not just about the inner, invisible things: it is about expressing (perfectly or not so) the inner experiences in the physical form. Without a perfect instrument and a perfect expression, the higher, spiritual truths, cannot be embodied.

We can also ask, what if the dancer cannot put her fingers into a perfect mudra? If you find a perfect body position, automatically your mind will move into a certain state.

If millions of people feel ecstatic at a disco when they give themselves into dance itself, is it important that they don’t dance Bharatanatyam?

If you are “looking for people to clap for you”, you need either to become a pop star or to consult a psychiatrist. Seriously, if you feel such a need, your pranas are not circulating properly (some channels are open, and you lose energy). Go, sit in padmasana

mallika Says:
July 29, 2008 at 9:46 am Bharatanatyam,
Now we are discussing something important here. While you are talking of araimandis, mudras etc, how much do you delve into the dancer really enjoying the dance herself. Iam a firm believer that one can give what one has, be it money or love or any feelings. While I was in theatre, doing skits and plays, one of my seniors told me, if you are not feeling it within, it shows to audiance mallika. And same goes for dance.
While there is such rush to become celebrities ASAP and remain so as long, be it in any field. I feel this is a question that one should ask oneself, ‘am i feeling bhakti, when iam potryaing it?’
Can you really deny the fact that most of the dancers are up there looking for people to clap for them?For all of them, its time to take a closer look and deeper meaning at what krishna said ‘ karmanye vadhi kaaraste, maa phaleshu kadachana…..’
FYI, if a perfect body pose is what leads to rasanubhava, then iam still to watch it. but i expreianced a stir in me when i did watch priya murle do a varnam, without a araimandi.

mallika Says:
July 29, 2008 at 9:51 am one more thing, its not only ectasy that we are talking about. if we are so insistant on being physically perfect poses, it doesnot need bharatanatyam. Even PrabhuDeva is physically perfect when he does his moves. or any bhangra dancer from punjab.
what takes bharatanatyam is that inner spiritual feeling, felt and transmitted. Unless one feels, no transmission can happen.

Bharatanatyam Says:
July 29, 2008 at 11:28 am I agree with you that there is no such a thing as an absolute physical perfection (in the types of bodies that humans have today). Moreover, people always see not the reality but what they expect and what they want to see.
You can captivate their minds even without a perfect araimandi, no questions about that. You are absolutely right that a perfect araimandi is not as important as the dancer’s enjoying the dance.The dancer’s body’s perfect physical position is as unachievable as a violinist’s absolute precision in taking notes. If a musician is sometimes off-key, is it important? Or rather, can YOU hear it? Even among the most professional violinists, there are no perfect ones: the notes cannot be taken with an absolute precision. The average (untrained) human ear can distinguish 22 microtones in an octave. My neighbour can hear only 6, I guess! So if some short-sighted people believe that PrabhuDeva (or Jothika) is physically perfect when he does his moves, it is because these spectators do not have a sharp (well-trained) eye, and do not understand what is Bharatanatyam.

Rasanubhava is not just a “stir”, my dear.

Can I really deny the fact that most of the dancers are up there looking for people to clap for them? No, I can’t. But these dancers will not be able to bring Tejas through them.
In fact, it is quite obvious (and boring) when the dancer is aware of the audience and tries to please them.

The author seems to have not much information on the Dance itself and its history. Much to my shock the author and me had the below conversation for the article http://bharatanatyam2dance.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/the-hereditary-ones-and-back-to-karanas/#comment-141

mallika Says:
August 2, 2008 at 12:45 pm

whats wrong with the TQ compositions? u seem not to like them. iam still thinking about the margam format though.
may be ’cause i am trained in tanjore style?

Bharatanatyam Says:
August 2, 2008 at 12:58 pm

think the TQ compositions are nice. u seem not to like them.

They are ok, if the dancer is good I enjoy watching them, no problem. I have seen, for example, Sakiye performed at least 100 times by all kinds of dancers of all kinds of styles, in solos, duos, trios and groups!

However, the kings that the TQ compositions extol are no longer alive. The kings are dead.

Imagine a contemporary composer composing an item dedicated to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms.Jayalalitha and containing lines praising her. As soon as Mr.Karunanidhi takes over again, this item will lose its relevance. Maybe the composer would end up in jail! The composer whose mind is tarnished by the desire/need to please a VIP will never produce a real masterpiece. For Rs.20000, some (second-rate) composers in Chennai will write you the lyrics and the music.
There are short-term (politically correct) items, and there are long-term items not marred by politics/business.

Think about what was BEFORE the present margam was introduced 200 years ago.


Oy-yo-yo! Maybe Which Tanjore style, may I ask you?

mallika Says:
August 3, 2008 at 9:09 am

how many tanjore styles do u know anyway? how can you comment on anything that you have not seen or felt, for eg sundari? Dance is the physical interpretation of music and in that music lies the feeling and etc. thats y bharata never told how to dance. he laid guidelines, he left the interpretation part. he wanted each human being/dancer to feel, interpret and reach that point of understanding/realization. gods dont show their teeth? r u sure? what abt ur fav kali?
while everything in the nature has undergone a change, including all kinds of art, y not dance or say bhartanatyam? y r u against it? no change or innovation or even bettermetnt can happen without such out of hte box thinking. yes i agree to the point that it might now be called, present day bharatanatyam of present day tanjore style of guru so and so…. but can u take an example , say a simple compsition and choreograph it exactly according to what sage bharata had written and meant in natyashastra? once u do that we will talk further.
darling, not everything that is old is great, and not everything that is new is shit

Bharatanatyam Says:
August 3, 2008 at 9:37 am How easy is it to infuriate you!

how many tanjore styles do u know anyway?

Many. More than 50, I guess.

how can you comment on anything that you have not seen or felt, for eg sundari?

I did watch Sundari in that DVD. I tried not to laugh! Did you see how she drops her jaw? Comic!
What I meant to say that I did not see her in person, when she was younger. I guess she danced much better

gods dont show their teeth?

I said, “devas” (the Sattva-loving powers of Mind). Not even the Mahadevas or the powers of Svar, who are above the 3 guna’s.

r u sure? what abt ur fav kali?

She is the exception, since she has to clean up the world’s garbage. Dirty job. Unlike devas, She is not attached to any guna.

while everything in the nature has undergone a change, including all kinds of art, y not dance or say bhartanatyam? y r u against it?

No. I believe even Urvasi has been evolving in her style The apsaras (or devas) cannot evolve unless they take birth on earth. All evolution is happening here.

can u take an example , say a simple compsition and choreograph it exactly according to what sage bharata had written and meant in natyashastra? once u do that we will talk further.

OK. I’ll talk to you in 40-60 years’ time. Sure My creative talent is (at the moment) zero. I would have to do a lot of pujas for Brahma

darling, not everything that is old is great, and not everything that is new is shit

Fine. I will be happy if you show (or tell) us what is there new that is not shit.

mallika Says:
August 3, 2008 at 10:37 am dear bharatanatyam,
you mistake my thoughts as fury. you have not infuriated me. just like cleaning the garbage that u do is mistook by many.
you not only have to open your eyes wide enough, but also your mind to let in some freshness and see things in a new and better perspective, then you will realise what is new and what is not shit.
while i really like and respect your honesty, pls dont hide under any pretext…. did u really think that way when i askedu abt sundari? welll….. there is something that is above everything- that is truth. and only our inner self knows whether we are true or not, right or not.
not only the devas, but also such human who is self realized and has reached the ultimate bliss thru meditation will have that kind of smile u have mentioned above.
to think that one knows everything and what one sees exists and what one knows only is right – is not a very good idea.
pls list down the 50 kinds of tanjore style of dancing in detail and i will tell u which one is mine.
how do u know that devas have that smile, and do u know the reason behind it, all the reasons that are there all the time?
why such frustration?

The author is obiviously unaware of the various kauthuvams and varnams like ‘manavi chekona raada’ by the Tanjore quartet.
 

Coming to the latest post by this author where the author poses certain questions on the commercialisation of Bharatanatyam.
The author starts by talking how mean it is to claim a copyright on one’s work and how glorius were the people of the past that they did not do any such thing. Indeed, Ramayana was always, Valmiki Ramayana, then came Tuslidas’s Ramanayana, then came our Ramanand Sagar… same goes for Mahabharatam and Bhagavatam… Iam tempted to name Pothana here….. Whilst it would have been beneficial to tell the readers that it was Vighneshwara who actually wrote Mahabharatam while Vyasa was narrating it and while is pen/thing with which he was writing broke, he broke off  one of his tusk and wrote the rest of Mahabharatam with it. Iam looking for a composition where I can choreograph this piece.

The author then quotes the following:

Read what Minakshi tells us:

The most popular legend is that of the amazing young tribal boy Ekalavya on being rejected by the ace trainer Dronacharya, raised his statue and with great dedication practised the art of archery and left behind Arjuna, the master archer, who actually learnt the art under the living guru. And the heartless guru asked for his thumb as gurudakshina or fees, and made him inferior before his royal disciple.

This is the most funny conclusion I have ever read, except Rama doubting Sita and subjecting her to the fire test. The author misses the basic comparision of Ekalavya’s act to what is happening in the present day Bharatanatyam world. Can we not see the similarities between what Ekalavya’s learning and present day online bharatanatyam courses, DVD teaching and distance certification courses? If this is right, then Drona was wrong indeed. 

I posted a comment for the above article for which I am still waiting for an answer.

mallika Says:
August 8, 2008 at 2:35 pm

what is sadir attam? to be precise, how did it look when one danced in that style,an alaripu or a padam,and may be not the present day bharatanatyam style? who dances that way now? how can one know? how can one say that that is only nice and not wat we do today? if one teacher charges some amount as a fee, but teaches more than for the said hours, is it wrong? is a bharatanatyam teacher supposed to teach free, when the student is someone who can afford the fee? what is the avg fee for bharatanatyam, rs.300-500 monthly for thrice a week hourly classes? how many students cannot afford it? how many children who cannot afford such money really find bharatanatyam interesting? should one just pull everyone into dancing, whether or not its his interest? like one is pulled into academics?
who is a ‘true bharatanatyam guru’? if we have ’sa, ri, ga,ma,pa,dha,ni’ ,we create ragas based on these seven swaras. now all the ragas will contain only these swaras, then what is original- this is without going into the details of the origin of the swaras themselves?

iam still thinking about the margam format though. 

may be ’cause i am trained in tanjore style? 

A true Yogi is neither an introvert nor an extrovert. He or she is an ambivert, a person who is equally at home irrespective of whether he is introspecting within himself or whether he is interacting vibrantly with the external environment. Therefore to make sure that the natural introversion of Yoga is balanced with healthy extroversion, some form of extroverted activity such as sports, music or art and craft skill need to be deliberately cultivated.

Dance provides a dynamic activity to offset the static activity of Yoga and many modern Yoga practitioners can benefit from such an associations.

Dance also provides a great source for emotional catharsis and this can help the Yoga Sadhaka to get over many of the emotional hang-ups that continue to bother them in his or her Sadhana.

MUDRA ACCORDING TO YOGAMAHARISHI

DR SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ

Pujya Swamiji, Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj, the codifier of the Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga Paramparai was a world-renowned expert on Classical Yoga and his knowledge of the Yogic science of Mudra was unsurpassed. Here we present an extract from his book MUDRAS published by Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry.

THE NEURO – MECHANICS OF MUDRA:

The casual observer or the neophyte to Yoga may be easily led to believe that the beauty of the gesture, or the power of the esthete is that which evokes the Devatta, the Deva and the Devis, or that the entire procedure is entirely symbolical. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

There is a good basis for acceptance that the Mudra does control the mind-brain processes and the functions within the nervous system by uniting various nerve terminals of the sympathetic and para-sympathetic function. It is acceptable in neurology that the human nervous system is divided into aflex and reflex systems. The aflex carries afferent or sensory responses as well as efferent or motor responses. The reflex system is much like the grounding wire of any high voltage electrical system. A second function of the reflex system is that if feeds back to appropriate brain centres reflexogenic impulses that are associated with the modern concept of biofeedback. There are some 729 reflexes in the Yoga system. Modern Science has accepted some 222 of these reflexes. Mudra Yoga is a most exact science, emanating from our ancient Rishi Yoga culture.

In Yoga, the human body can be divided equally into ten distinct parts, five on each side of a median drawn directly through the centre of the body from the top of the head to the base of the spine and terminating in each of the digits of the toes and the fingers. The body can be further sub-divided into ten Pranic areas, where one of the five major Pranic flows governs the head and others the chest, the abdomen, the pelvis and the extremities. Five minor Pranas are more subtly at the work within specific nerve areas.

The true use of Pranayama is to control these ten flows of Prana Vayu and the Prana Vahaka or nerve impulses, which move in the Nadis or nerves of the Pancha Kosha, the Five Bodies of Man.

When the fingers of the hands are united together in the Hastha Mudra, the specific nerves (as in Jnana Mudra) are united together in a closed nerve circuit. The fingers not in use represent an open nerve circuit. If the hands are united together (as in Namaskara Mudra), then the cranial nerve circuits of the head and the upper part of the body in the Pneumo-gastric or Vagus system are united together. If the hands are brought into alignment on the face (as in Yoni Mudra) then the Vagus nerves and the facial nerves are brought together in a closed circuit.

If the hands are united with the feet (as in Yoga Mudra) then the Vagus system is close-circuited with the cerebrospinal nerves.

When a posture like Parva Asana, the Past Posture, is used, all of the nerve systems of the body are thrown into turbulent action. Parva Asana is used by the Yogi to see into his past existences, to remember past lives. It is also sometimes called Purva Janma Mudra or Parva Mudra.

The purpose of the Hatha Yoga Asanas is to bring together these same nerve terminals, uniting them uniquely in the various postures to produce the specific effect of that posture. This is one good reason that Asanas, Kriyas and Mudras must be done correctly, otherwise the posture is a meaningless gesture, rather than that as understood in the inner teachings of Yoga, a concrete method to achieve Union.       

MAJOR POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN MUDRAS ACCORDING TO YOGAMAHARISHI DR SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ

1. The Mudra is made complete by bringing together acupressure points at various sites on the human body. These Bindus are concerned with the pristine practice of Mudra. Yet, every Asana or Kriya is in some way a partial Mudra if these acupressure Bindus are brought into play. Particularly, this is to be noted in the practice of Hathaats, Hathenas, and the Hastikams in the Hatha Yoga system. This group of Asanas comes very close to being: Mudras.

2. The Mudra or gesture can act like a Kriya increasing or impeding circulation of the blood or lymph into various vital organs. Mudra can control every organ and function of the body and mind.

3. The Mudra moves energy through the physical nervous system of a bi-polar nature. This bi-polar nature is also inherent in the energy moving in the Pranamaya Kosha, the Vital Body. The Mudra helps to produce an electrical field around the Yogi, abundant in negative ions, producing a sense of well-being.

  4. The Mudra extracts energy and substances from the nerves and vital bodies producing the various enzymes and hormones needed for vibrant health.

5. The Mudra creates a uni-polar base of energy in the Kanda, the Conus Medullaris at the base of the spinal cord. This uni-polar energy is popularly called “Kundalini Shakti”.

6. The Mudra converts enzymes and hormones into Ojas, purified autocoids, and Tejas, super-enzymes. The Mudra accomplishes Urdhwa Retas or a transmutation of lower substances and drives producing a Satchidananada Deha, an indestructible Yogic body.

7. The Mudra arouses and controls the Kundalini Shakti. Kundalini arousal without Mudra is madness.

8. The Mudra is itself a vehicle of total Union or Yoga. To a pious Hindu Yogi, the Mudra is no longer a gesture of Union, but is Union itself. The devotee becomes Shiva, or Shakti. “Verily, the Mudra is the Devi, even the Supreme Adept Himself … Devi is Shakti, but the Mudra controls Her … so Mudra is also the Supreme Shakta”.

ART OF MUDRAS ACCORDING TO KALAIMAMANI

YOGACHARINI MEENAKSHI DEVI BHAVANANI

Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani is one of the few experts in the world who has the unique combination of more than 35 years of study, research and teaching experience in the fields of Yoga and Bharatanatyam . She is a member of numerous Central and State Government councils of Yoga and has trained thousands of dancers in the art of Natya Karanas. Here we reproduce an essay by her that is excerpted from her book, YOGA: ONE WOMAN’S VIEW, published by Satya Press, Pondicherry.

What are the means of communication, which are subtle, refined, and delicate beyond words? What means of communication exist which will not destroy the fragile relationship, the delicate emotion, the subtle thought? Even more important, how can the individual mind communicate with its own emotions, with its own body? Is there an intimate form of communication within the human structure itself? In India, a whole language grew up which was capable of expressing the subtlest spiritual truths, the most refined human emotions and thoughts without resorting to the gross vehicle of verbal communication, which alters any situation it expresses. That form of communication was called the Science of Mudra.

Broadly speaking, Mudra means a “gesture”. I can be a gesture of mind, (Manas Mudra); a gesture of the body (Kaya Mudra); a gesture of the hands (Hastha Mudra); a gesture of the feet (Pada Mudra); a gesture of the face (Mukha Mudra) or a gesture of the eyes (Chakshu Mudra).

Most humans unconsciously use “Mudras” constantly in their daily lives. They simply are unaware of it. Let us examine a few Mudras common to humanity throughout the world, “Mudras of the daily life”, so to speak.

“Body Talk” has become a popular cliché in “pop psychology” circles in the West. We unconsciously tell the world many things about ourselves, unconsciously communicate much of our real self to those around us; simply by the way we hold our body, our hands, our face, and our feet. The English expression “It was a gesture of good will,” indicates that we recognize that emotions can be “gestured”. Mentally we can “gesture” or “reach out” towards others with good thoughts or even bad ones, and this “gesture” has its power, depending upon the concentrative power of our mind at the time. This would be a Manas Mudra. We all know when we see someone with shoulders caved in that the person is dejected, or lacking confidence, just as we know that someone who walks with shoulders thrown back and straight and tall is filled with confidence. We know that someone who is constantly “fidgeting” or moving a body part unnecessarily is nervous and worried. These are all examples of unconscious “gestures” of the body, of Kaya Mudras.

Some common unconscious gestures of the hands (Hastha Mudras) include wringing of the hands when in great difficulty or trouble; showing the palm of the hand to another, a gesture asking the person to stop what he is doing; (this Mudra is used by traffic policemen all over the world); putting the hand into a first to show defiance and anger; gesturing the thumb up, with the remaining fingers closed into a list to show approval. (In the ancient days, the gladiators in the Roman Coliseums depended upon this signal from the emperor to spare their lives).

Gestures of the feet are not so common in the shoe-clad West, but everyone knows what it means if someone “kicks” their foot at them. In the East it is considered a gesture of great disrespect to sit with the legs crossed at the knees when in the presence of someone who should be shown respect. It is also considered disrespectful to sit with the feet outstretched toward anyone. In the East, because it is customary to sit on the floor, the people are accustomed to many different positions of the feet, which have many meanings. This is the Pada Mudra. We are all also aware of gestures of the face (Mukha Mudras). We all know what a smile is and what a frown is, and what a grimace of disgust looks like or a hateful look. These are all common facial Mudras. The Chakshu Mudras, those gestures of the eyes, are much more subtle. Certainly most lovers are experts in the Chakshu Mudra, sending glances of love, of disappointment, of anger, of sorrow etc. The unconscious use of the various Mudras to communicate basic emotions, feelings and ideas is common throughout the human family. It is only in India, however, that this human phenomenon has been observed, codified, structured and refined into both a science and an art.

Mudra was elevated to the position of a carefully thought out science of cause and effect in the ancient discipline of Yoga, and refined to an exquisite form of communication in the ancient art of Bharat Natyam. The Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga Systems of the ancient Hindus contain a wide repertoire of Pada Mudras, Hastha Mudras and Kaya Mudras. Although there are Chakshu Mudras and Mukha Mudras, their use is not so widespread as in, for example, the Bharat Natyam.

The Yogis in times past were fully aware of the flows of Prana or Vital Energy in the body, the effect of this Prana upon the human organism and its importance in al forms of life. The existence of Prana is a fact that even the greatest of modern scientists have yet to discover. Carl Sagan, well-known popularizer of scientific theories in the United States, recently stated that it appeared as though it was simply by chance adaptation to environmental conditions that the human body developed five fingers and five toes. The Yogi, who knows is own body inside out and its connection with the Universe, knows differently, and this is one of the basic principles as to why Mudras work as they do. The human has five fingers and five toes on each side of his body because he has five flows of Pranic energy, which terminate in each of the digits. There are five flows from head to foot on the right side, and five flows from head to foot on the left side. As well, there is a definite form of Prana circulating in the head, in the torso, in the stomach, in the pelvic area and in the extremities. These Pranic energies even have a name in Yogic terminology. Udana Prana circulates in the head; Prana Reflex in the chest; Samana in the digestive organs; Apana in the organs of elimination and Vyama in the organs of mobility (arms and legs). Bringing these various diverse flows of Pranic energy into closed circuits (“sealing” the energy flow) is one of the methods by which Mudra achieves its purpose.

Even the less sensitive human is fairly aware of the flow of energy off the hands and feet. This is why for ages immemorial holy men (men who had achieved some high level of energy within their human frame) have been able to “heal” by the “laying on of hands”. This also explains why we like to be touched by “high-energy”, positive people. They are transferring their surplus energy to us. It also explains why we shudder to be touched by negative, low energy people – they literally drain us of our energy. Normally we are losing energy through our hands and feet. It was discovered by the Yogis that joining hand to hand or hands to feet in various ways not only prevented that energy loss, but also helped build up the power of the nervous system, making it capable of handling the greater energy flows needed for (and produce by) “real” meditation. In Namaskar Mudra, for example (which, interestingly enough, is the hand position also used by Christians for prayer), the palm is placed against palm, and held against the region of the heart. In Yoga Mudra, the feet are crossed into Padma Asana, with right foot on left thigh, and left foot on right thigh, are palms of the hands placed on the soles of the feet. In many Yoga Asanas, the palms of the hands are placed into contact with the soles of the feet deliberately to create closed circuits.

Sometimes, various fingers are held together in particular positions, uniting one specific flow of Prana in a unique way with another, to produce a certain effect in the body. For example, a whole system of Mudras has been evolved which, when the fingers are held in a particular position, such as Chin Mudra, Chinmaya Mudra, Adhi Mudra and Brahma Mudra, the flow of air into specific areas of the low, mid, high and complete areas of the lungs respectively can be controlled. A Mudra used commonly for meditative and concentrative activities is the Jnana Mudra in which the tip of the thumb is united in a circle with the tip of the forefinger, and the other three fingers held rigidly straight the thumb represents the energy of the Atman (Universal Self; in physiological terms, the energy of the Central Nervous System or Sushumna Nadi) and the forefinger represents the energy of Jiva (individual self; in physiological terms, the right and left peripheral nerves or the Ida and Pingala Nadi). In Yogic parlance, the energies of the individual self are united to the energies of the Universal Self and the high meditative state is achieved. The Hastha Mudra is both a symbolic, as well as a causative factor in producing that which it symbolizes. It sets the stage, so to speak, and points the way. It is the conscious, evolving aspect of mind speaking indirectly through the Mudras to the physiological function of the body, gesturing to the body the direction along which body energies should flow.

There are many such Hastha Mudras, each having its own particular effect upon the body, emotions, mind, nervous system and Pranic flow within the human organism, each Mudra carrying its own subtle message of evolution. Also in the Hatha Yoga repertoire are numerous Pada together in various positions in order to affect energy flows. Sometimes the feet are used as the vehicle of pressure to apply this pressure at a certain sensitive point in the body, producing the desired effect on the energy system.

Some Kaya Mudra (Body Mudras) include Yoga Mudra and Maha Mudra, but the most important of the Kaya Mudras in the Hatha Yoga system are the six Mudras known also as the Shat Mudras or the Oli Mudras. By placing the body into six distinct positions, using breath control and Bandhas as well, endocrine glands of the body are stimulated indirectly. Through this complicated series of body Mudras, the Tejas or firepower of the body (sexual energy) is transmuted into Ojas, or mental energy. This is a good example of how the higher mind speaks to the body through the medium of the Mudra. If the mind tried to verbally instruct the body to transmit Tejas into Ojas, the feat would be impossible. By placing the body into particular positions, controlling the breath in a particular way and using Bandhas, the Mudras acts as the communicative link between the higher mind’s desire to create Ojas, and the body’s ability to follow its direction. Thus, the Mudra becomes a subtle means of true communication between mind and body, a concrete way in which in which the body can implement the evolutionary commands of the mind. It is the special language uniting mind and body.

Whereas Mudras in Yoga is used mainly by the Yogi to communicate spiritually within himself and with the Universal Self, the Mudra in Bharat Natyam is used by the artist to subtle communicate with her audience, creating a Rasa – a particular emotional state – or stimulating the perception of a spiritual truth or feeling directly, from soul to soul, without the cloying, degrading effect of verbal contact. The Mudra in Yoga is an intra-personal communication, where via hand, foot and body positions, the mind can communicate to the body via energy or Pranic flows, its evolutionary commands. The Mudra in Bharat Natyam, however, is much more an inter-personal communications, a direct communion between artist and audience. Subtle emotions, spiritual truths that cannot be conveyed verbally, can be expressed via the trained glance of the eye, face, the position of the hands, the feet or the body.

Many of the Bharat Natyam, Mudras are also to be found in Yoga, as they are deeply rooted in the natural physical reaction of the nervous system to certain emotions and states of mind. For example, in Bharat Natyam a closed fist with the thumb up is called Shikara Mudra and is used to symbolize manifestations of the Divine Power – Lord Shiva Lord Vishnu etc. We have seen how in common usage the erect thumb position symbolizes triumph, success, “lordship” (compare the popular expression “thumb up”). This corresponds well to Yogic thinking where the thumb symbolizes the energies of the Higher Self, in physiological terms, the Sushumna Nadi. The Namaskara Mudra which literally gestures the meaning, “I witness that Supreme Force as manifesting in you” is common to both Yoga and Bharat Natyam, as is the Anjali Mudra, in which the Namaskara Mudra is lifted high over the head in a gesture of great respect to the higher authority, which could be God, Guru or King. The Jnana Mudra, the Gesture of Meditation in Yoga, is used also in Bharat Natyam to show the meditative state.

An interesting example of a Mudra for the dance, which is deeply rooted in neurological truths, is the Mudra used to depict the Rakshasha or the demon. We noted in the case of the Jnana Mudra, the Mudras of Meditation or Wisdom, that the thumb, which represents the Higher Consciousness, is joined to the forefinger, which represents the individual self, and the three remaining fingers which represent the Tanmatras (the eighteen senses of man) are held tightly straight and together in a controlled position. This represents a man in a meditative state. In the Mudra representing a Rakshasha, the forefinger is held against the base of the thumb, with the thumb stretched out, indicating that the individual self willfully refuses to join itself to the Supreme Consciousness. The other three fingers representing all the senses are played apart widely, indicating that the senses of the Rakshasha are out of control. Neurologically, the hand position well represents a devil, a Rakshasha, a man who stubbornly refuses to submit his individual will to the Divine Will and whose senses are uncontrolled. This same kind of analysis could be applied to many other Mudras of the Bharat Natyam.

Another class of hand positions is more graphic and descriptive, and recreates salient features of the action / emotion / thought expressed by simulating the outstanding characteristics of the action. These Mudras are more obvious, such as those used to suggest carrying a pot of water, stringing flowers into a garland, closing and opening a door, eating butter and so on. The Kaya Mudras, holding the body in a defiant stance, an amorous stance, etc., play their part in communicating ideas and emotions as well.

The Pada Mudras reinforce the work of the Kaya Mudras. Chakshu and Mukha Mudras are the vital link between Hastha, Pada and Kaya Mudras and the Rasa to be created in the audience. The skilled, trained dancer learns to communicate with her eyes and subtle gestures of face, using facial muscles, eyebrows, eyelids and mouth to convey her point. The most exquisite communication is achieved without uttering a single word. Of course, elaborate instrumental and vocal music and the collective cultural consciousness of the audience is also drawn upon to achieve the total effect. When that magic of shared spiritual insight and awareness occurs, as it often does in a Bharat Natyam recital, it is amazing to think that so much has been shared, so many emotions, so many thoughts, so many experiences with nary a word uttered by the artist or audience. The purifying and uplifting process of that type of artistic communion must be experienced to be understood.

Through the science of Mudra, that rare moment of perfect and pure communion and oneness can achieved, whether uniting man with man in a high spiritual level of consciousness or uniting man with the Supreme Force in that fleeting moment of spiritual insight. The Mudra “gestures” the energy necessary and “seals” that otherwise intangible and illusive moment, fixing it for all time in our heart and nerves, bones and blood, mind and body, soul and thought – creating a solid foundation stones upon which to build a spectacular spiritual life.

The Mudra , that Divine gesture, “seals” into our very cells that , ‘Call to a Higher Life”, which can never again be denied!

Healthier heart and lungs
Regular exercise can lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and an improved cholesterol profile. Experts typically recommend 30 to 40 minutes of continuous activity three to four times a week. Dancing may not provide all the conditioning you need, but it can help. The degree of cardiovascular conditioning depends on how vigorously you dance, how long you dance continuously and how regularly you do it.

Stronger muscles
Though not exactly an evening of lifting weights, you’ll discover that an evening of dancing will work many different muscle groups. Though not exactly what you would use to gain a lot of muscle mass, regular dancing will improve a lot of muscle groups especially in your torso and legs helping improve muscle tone and strength through repetition of movement.

Stronger bones and a reduced risk of osteoporosis
The side-to-side movements of many dances strengthen your weight bearing bones (tibia, fibula and femur) and can help prevent or slow loss of bone mass (osteoporosis).

Better coordination, agility, and flexibility
The more you study dancing, the more you will discover that there are always new challenges that will push the limits of your coordination, agility, and flexibility. In pursuing a greater understanding of dance technique and style, you will discover that it will challenge you while helping you gain better coordination, agility, and flexibility.

Improved balance and enhanced spatial awareness
Because dancing requires movement, you will develop awareness for how your body moves, as well as the ability to control how your body moves and balances. Because you are moving so differently than you do in other tasks, dancing will challenge your spatial awareness as well, giving you a better understanding and comfort in maneuvering your own body especially when a partner is involved.

Increased physical confidence
In knowing your body and understanding your limits, you will gain confidence in yourself. Dancing regularly can help you understand yourself better as you also improve your physical condition and help you find confidence in yourself.

Improved mental functioning
Dancing is as much a mental challenge as a physical one. Moving by yourself is something most people can do without much thought, but the game changes when there is another person involved. Social dances require thought in addition to movement and can help keep your mind sharp.

Improved emotional well-being
Dance provides an emotional outlet in which a person can truly reflect his or her feelings through body movement. The ability to dance is present in everyone, it only needs to be cultivated through sound instruction methods. Then you’re on your own, expressing yourself with passion and flair.

Help counteract unwanted weight gain
Dancing can burn as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. During a half-hour of sustained dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories. Imagine what a whole night of dancing can do for you.

Stress management
Because dancing demands your attention, it will divert your thoughts from the stresses of your day. The thinking required to pay attention to your partner, listen to the music, and create the journey that is the dance pushes aside all other thoughts. Plus, socializing with other dancers is another factor. Let’s not forget that dancing is FUN, and if you have to escape stress, you might as well have fun!

Rehabilitation
If you’re recovering from heart or knee surgery, movement may be part of your rehabilitation. Dancing is a positive alternative to aerobic dance or jogging. Because there are many different styles of dance, you’ll have option that will help you regain lost mobility or strength without the risk of re-injury that many other sports or activities would have.

Sociability
Dancing contains a social component that solitary fitness endeavors don’t. It gives you an opportunity to develop strong social ties which contribute to self-esteem and a positive outlook. Plus, it’s nice to have a bunch of friends to go out and have good clean fun with!

Strengthen intimate relationships
I don’t think you’ll find a married couple who dance together and regret it. Dancing is a very unique and special thing to be able to share with a spouse or loved one. It is a way to spend some very quality time together without distraction, both enjoying each other’s company and sharing a fun activity together.

Visit www.DanceWithMe.us for more information on how dance can benefit you TODAY!!!