Understanding similarities and exploring possibilities of using somatic dance/movement aspects of Odissi dance for social, cognitive and emotional development in population with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Dance allows for expressions of various emotions and interactions. It can be used for entertainment and exercising, as well as for movement therapy, improving health and wellness, and promoting relaxation. It has been known to enhance mindfulness, well-being, healing of body and mind, etc. The key contributions of this work are as follows: (1) present an overview of Odissi dance elements; (2) aggregate certain studies that explore the relevance of somatic dance/movement therapy for neurodegenerative disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs); (3) exploring the many similarities between Odissi dance, an Indian classical dance (ICD) form, and somatic dance/movements; and (4) study the implication of using the Odissi dance form as a dance/movement therapy as an alternative rehabilitation tool for a population with neurocognitive disorders such as ASD. ICDs such as Odissi dance practices and somatic dance/movements have been found to have numerous similarities. There are many characteristics of the Odissi dance form that are relatable to somatic dance/movements. Somatic dance/movement praxis generically includes body, action, space, time and energy. These practices are a customary part of Odissi dance as well. The Odissi dance form also allows an in-depth examination of the human body, feelings and flow through music, beat tempo and lyrics. These practices help develop an awareness of the body, its connection and its movements. The fundamental elements of somatic dance/movements, such as mindfulness, breath, sensing, connectivity, initiation, rhythm, movement patterns, temperament depiction and mirroring, are also prevalent in Odissi dance. The various aspects of somatic dance/movement and Odissi dance are explored, and their similarities are investigated in this work. This study also explores having Odissi dance as an alternative rehabilitation therapy form for the population suffering from ASD conditions. Twenty-seven children suffering from some degree of ASDs, aged between 4 and 14 years, for six months, underwent regular Odissi dance training. The participants were taught Odissi’s basics and trained in Bhumi Pranam, Guru Pranam, Mangalacharan and the initials of Sthayee and Battu. Certified teachers and therapists were involved in teaching the participants. Interactions with participants and parents/guardians presented an intuition of the usefulness of regular Odissi dance practice. Feedback was aggregated from subjective questionnaires. These feedbacks indicated increased general health, including physical well-being, cognitive enhancement and sensory-motor coordination. Almost all also reported betterment in social conditions and certain presented clinical conditions.