The document discusses the importance of dance and performing arts in education and human development. It provides an overview of various Indian classical dance forms such as Bharatanatyam and elements like mudras, navarasa, and techniques. It explains how dance benefits children's holistic growth by developing their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional skills. The document advocates integrating dance in school curriculums, as it enhances creativity, learning, well-being, and provides an engaging break from academics. Overall, the document promotes dance and performing arts as integral to education and human flourishing.

1. Learning ……….
through
Dance!Yogacharya Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, ADY, MD (AM), C-IAYT, DSc (Yoga)
Chairman & Hereditary Trustee
Yogacharini Smt. DEVASENA BHAVANANI
BPA, ADY, MA (Samskrutam)
General Secretary & Head Deptt of Natyam
Yoganjali Natyalayam & ICYER, Pondicherry
www.rishiculture.in

2. A Cultural Revolution in Pondicherry
Ammaji Kalaimamani Smt. Meenakshi Devi
Bhavanani trained with Padmashri Adyar K
Lakshman in Kalakshetra tradition.
As Rishipatni of Swami Gitananda Giri Guru
Maharaj, trained +20,000 underprivileged children
in Fine Arts & Yoga freely through Sri Kambaliswamy
Yoga and Cultural Arts Youth Program since 1975.

3. Yoganjali Natyalayam
• Propagating Classical Yoga, Bharatanatyam &
Carnatic Music in Pondicherry since 1993.
• Stages spectacular performances yearly.
• Acrobatic Natya Karanas part of specialty.
• +50 Major & minor Dance Dramas in 26 years.
• Bharatanatyam Margams with nearly 100
compositions - Ananda Nartana Margam

4. Introduction
• Dance in India comprises of varied styles.
• Different forms originated in different parts.
• Developed according to local traditions.
• Imbibed elements from other parts.
• These dance forms emerged
from Indian traditions,
epics and historical-mythology.

5. Indian Classical Dances
Sangeet Natak Akademi, recognizes EIGHT distinctive
traditional dances as Indian Classical Dances.
These are:
• Bharatanatyam- TN
• Kathak- UP
• Kathakali- Kerala
• Kuchipudi- AP
• Manipuri-Manipur
• Mohiniyattam –Kerala
• Odissi –Odisha
• Sattriya -Assam

7. Others…
• Folk dances are numerous in number and style,
and vary according to the local tradition of the
respective state, ethnic or geographic regions.
• Contemporary dances include refined and
experimental fusions of classical, folk and
Western forms.
• In modern times, the presentation of Indian
dance styles in films (Bollywood dancing) has
exposed the range of dance in India to a global
audience.

9. TAMILNADU FOLK DANCE

14. Human development
• Multi-dimensional process consisting
evolution at several dimensions.
– Physical (Annamaya),
– Emotional/energy (Pranamaya),
– Psychological/cognitive (Manomaya),
– Intellectual/discerning (Vijnanamaya), and
– Psycho-socio-spiritual (Anandamaya)

15. 1. Annamayakosha
(Anatomical existence)
2. Pranamayakosha
(Physiological existence)
3. Manomayakosha
(Psychological existence)
4. Vijnanamayakosha
(Intellectual existence)
5. Anandamayakosha
(Universal existence)
PANCHA KOSHA
5 dimensions of human existence

16. Cellular Panchakosha !

17. Role of performing arts in overall
human development
• Annamaya: strength, endurance, stamina, energy
levels and overall healthy exercise.
• Pranamaya: release of pent-up emotional tensions.
• Manomaya: stress management and refinement of
perception. Creative and resourceful
• Vijnanamaya: Experience new ways of thinking. Make
conscious choices, and re-solve problems.
• Anandamaya: Team work, self-empowerment,
communication, sharing, empathy and respect for
others and their perspectives.

18. Integral part of curriculum
• Extracurricular activities should be an integral part of
education along with academics
• Performing arts are an integral part of curriculum
– Allows children to be creative and playful ,
– Motivates them to recreate and enact situations
– Enhances different perspective and modes of
expressions
– Builds self confidence and esteem,
– Develops communication skills
– Enhances creative skills.

19. Benefits for the children
• Enables holistic development of children.
• Enhances social, emotional, physical and even
academic skills,
• Develops cognitive, motor and social skills.
• Learn to work together as a TEAM with teachers
and fellow students
• Reinforces their special identity as an individual.
• Enables them to ‘BE” a child and enjoy their
childhood thoroughly.

20. Dance in school curricula
• Including dance in the school curricula
contributes to a well-rounded education.
• Gives children a break from regular study
schedule.
• Introducing dance at a young age supports
creativity, socialization, cognitive connections
and physical coordination.
• Dance innately stirs a child’s imagination.
• They can have FUN!!!

21. Understanding Importance of Dance
• Toddlers love listening to music & spontaneously
move to rhythms in an uninhibited manner.
• Tapping a child’s natural fascination with dance
stimulates neurological growth and healthy
development.
• Through kinesthetic learning, children learn to
imitate, follow directions, remember steps,
understand patterns and associate movement with
emotional expression.
• Group activity is best for social skills development.

22. Dance is inclusive
• Age, gender, religion, race is not a bar.
• Children who don’t like to play competitive sports may
still enjoy dance, which helps them improve
coordination, balance, fitness, strength, endurance
and self-image.
• Dance can be modified and adapted for students with
developmental or physical disabilities to encourage
socialization and artistic expression.
• Learn to work with each other and thus imbibe a sense
of harmonious coexistence and mutual respect.

23. Arts integration
• Innovative teachers can use dance to explain
mathematical and scientific concepts that many
students find too abstract to grasp.
• For instance, watching or performing basic dace
moves teaches children about shapes, patterns,
angles and rotational symmetry.
• Various rhythms help them in developing psycho-
motor skills and enhance right-left brain
connectivity.
• Both Saraswati and Lakshmi come together!

25. BHARATANATYAM
• Seamless blend of nritta & nritya (natyam)
–Nritta is rhythmic movement of the body in
dance. It does not express any emotion.
–Nritya comprises Abhinaya, depicting Rasa
(sentimental) and Bhava (mood) expressed
through the eyes, hands and facial
movements.
BHA, RA, TA = Bhava – Raaga - Taala

26. ABHINAYA

27. • “Abhi” means “towards” – with the root “Ni”
meaning “to lead”- (audience and performer)
towards a particular state of being or feeling.
• Four aspects namely:
– Aangika: expression through body (sharira),
face (mukha) and movement (cheshta).
– Vachika: through words, literature and drama;
– Aahaarya: through decorations of make-up,
jewellery & costumes
– Saathvika: acting out and manifesting different
state of the mind & feelings.

28. “angikam bhuvanam yasya vachicam
sarva vangmayam aharyam chandra
taradi tam vande satvikam shivam”
We bow to Him the benevolent One, whose limbs
are the world, whose song and poetry are the
essence of all language, and who is adorned with
the moon and the stars.

29. Postures - Bhanga
There are four types of body depicted in Shilpa
Shastra with artistic deviations of the body from the
central erect position:
• Abhanga: a slightly askew standing position.
• Samabhanga : equal distribution of body limbs on a
central line, whether standing or sitting.
• Atibhanga: great bend with torso diagonally inclined
and knees bent.
• Tribhanga: triple bend with one hip raised, torso
curved to opposite side and head tilted at an angle.

31. Mudras - gestures of inter, intra and
transpersonal communication
• Hastha Mudras - hand gestures are a very highly
developed aspect of the art and are a science of
communication with the Divine.
• They mime meaning of songs, convey deeper feelings,
bring out inherent qualities and invoke the Divine
• Classified as
– Asamyutha Hastha (single hand gestures)- 28 and
– Samyutha Hastha (double hand gestures)- 24.
Each Hastha has defined usage called Viniyoga as
codified in the Natyashastra.

32. Asamyutha Hastha
(Single Hand Gestures)
pataka tripatakordhapataka kartareemukhaha
mayurakyordhachandrashcha arala shukatundakaha
mushtishcha shikarakyashcha kapitha
katakamukhaha suchee chandrakala padmakosha
sarpashirastata mrugasheersha simhamukho
langulasolapadmakaha chaturo bramarashchiva
hamsasyo hamsapakshakaha samdamsho
mukulashchiva tamrachooda trishoolakaha

34. Samyutha Hastha
(Double Hand Gestures)
anjalishcha kapotashcha karkata swastikastatha
dolahastha pushpaputaha utsanga shivalingakaha
katakavardhanashchiva kartaree swatikastata
shakata shankha chakrecha samputa pasha keelakau
matsya koorma varahashcha garudonagabandakaha
khatwa bherundakakhyashcha avahitastathivacha

36. NAVARASA
- Evoking 9 emotional attitudes -
• Shringara (erotic love),
• Haasya (humour &
laughter),
• Karuna (compassion),
• Roudra (anger),
• Veera (heroism),
• Bhaya (fearful terror),
• Bheebatsa (disgust),
• Adbhuta (awe) and
• Shanta (peacefulness).
• Emotional catharsis – cleansing negative emotions and
sublimation into higher emotions of Divine Bhakti.
• A type of psychological preventive therapy – helps
develop positive emotional intelligence.

38. Rhythmic foundation
– Rhythm is life
– The heartbeat of any composition
– Various talas and nadais/gathis.
– Usage of the kalapramanam (tempo)
– Helps get a somatic “feel” for maths

39. Melodious structure
– Ragas bring out specific rasa / emotional ‘feel’.
– Emotional catharsis
– Music actually lies in the space between notes
and not the notes themselves.
– Induce the relaxation response

40. Bharatanatyam
A play of Subtle Energies
• Yatho hasthastato dristhihi, yatho drishthasthato
manaha, yatho manasthato bhaavo, yatho
bhavasthato rasaha -Where hands go, eyes follow;
where eyes go mind follows; where mind goes, there
is created aesthetic expression of emotion and thus
the essence is evoked.
• Yoga teaches us –Where the mind goes, Prana flows!
• When Prana flows, life manifests and emotion comes
alive. This is indeed the intricate, inner link between
the Pranamaya Kosha and our emotions!

42. Gratitude
is the
highest
attitude.

43. Learning resources
• Bhavanani Meenakshi Devi. Yoga: One woman’s view. Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. 1985
• Coomaraswamy Ananda. The Mirror of Gesture: Being the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeswara.
Munshiram Manoharlal. New Delhi.1997.
• Gitananda Giri Swami. Mudras. Satya Press, Ananda Ashram, Pondichery.1975
• Hinduism Today July 1992. Yogi Playwright Infusing Indian Theatre With More Atma and Altruism
• Kothari Sunil. Bharata Natyam: Indian classical dance art. Marg Publications. 1979.
• Ramanathan Leela. Moving sculpture, frozen dance. Sunday Herald, Deccan Herald, Sundays, January 18
and 25, 2004
• Sudhakar Kanaka. Indian classical dancing: The therapeutic advantages. Sterling Publishers, New
Delhi.1994
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/the-importance-of-performing-arts-for-child-
development/story-ze66sFyEVAo3CWuRVtsR5J.html
• https://classroom.synonym.com/importance-dance-childhood-education-5535793.html
• https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/TheArtsAndHumanDev.pdf
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187704281304977X
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_classical_dance
• www.kanakasabha.com/hastas/index
• www.nadanam.com/bharatnatyam
• www.shilpkalamart.com/classicaldances

44. Thank You – Nandri -
Vanakkam
ICYER & Yoganjali Natyalayam, Pondicherry- 605013
Email: yognat@gmail.com Website: www.icyer.com