Bharatanatyam Research Articles

Revolutionizing Rehabilitation: The Legacy of Dr. Pramod Karan Sethi and the Jaipur Foot.

Dr. Pramod Karan Sethi was a surgery lecturer who created the Orthopaedic Department and Rehabilitation Unit at the Sawai Man Singh Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur. He paired with a local craftsman, Pandit Ram Chandra Sharma, to create the well-known "Jaipur Foot". This affordable and durable prosthetic foot is aimed to meet the needs of amputees in both developing and developed countries. It allowed users to sit cross-legged, squat, and walk on rough ground. The invention of the Jaipur Foot also had a big impact on Sudha Chandran, an Indian actress and Bharatanatyam dancer's life. This feature was absent in the inflexible Western prosthetics available at that time. This biography explores Dr. Sethis's education and career path. It also looks into the challenges he faced while developing the Jaipur Foot. It also discusses his contribution to polio victim rehabilitation and his influence on amputee care worldwide.

Piriformis Syndrome as a Cause of Non-discogenic Sciatic Pain in a Young Bharatanatyam Dancer.

Piriformis Syndrome as a Cause of Non-discogenic Sciatic Pain in a Young Bharatanatyam Dancer.

Effect of Self - Stretching Exercises on Hamstring Muscles Flexibility using Active Knee Extension in Bharatanatyam Dancers

Effect of Self - Stretching Exercises on Hamstring Muscles Flexibility using Active Knee Extension in Bharatanatyam Dancers

Effectiveness of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization and Flexibility Exercises for Non-Specific Low Back Pain in Bharatanatyam Dancer: A Case Study

Effectiveness of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization and Flexibility Exercises for Non-Specific Low Back Pain in Bharatanatyam Dancer: A Case Study

Nandanar: Visibilizing Caste in Bharatanatyam Performance

What are the implications of a bejeweled dancer in fine silk on the proscenium stage performing a piece that undeniably centers caste? As the Bharatanatyam field reflects on the art form’s appropriation from the hereditary dance community, analyzing choreography reveals different bodily representations of caste. Many Bharatanatyam dancers globally perform excerpts of the Nandanar Charitram, by Tamil composer Gopalakrishna Bharathi. The plot traces Nandanar, a Dalit saint who is not allowed in many temples and ends with his immolation, allowing his “purified” self to unite with the Hindu god Shiva. I study performances of the Nandanar Charitram comparing two Bharatanatyam showings and the 1942 film “Nandanar”. To recognize how caste is both articulated and understood, I analyze choreography, interviews conducted with dancers, and forums where audience members share their responses to the works. I use Judith Butler and Dwight Conquergood’s theorization of performativity, acknowledging that while Bharatanatyam choreography is often “iterative”, it has the potential to “disrupt” dominant norms on caste and politics. Nandanar remains the most prominent Dalit figure seen in the Bharatanatyam repertoire. By studying representations of his story, I highlight the relevance of bodily caste politics in the South Asian diaspora today.

Indian Classical Dancers in the Diaspora: How Free Improvisation and Contact Improvisation Programs Help Enhance Dance Proficiency, Improvisation Competence, and Forming Multigroup Ethnic Identities

ABSTRACT This article reports a quasi-experiment on the impact of contact improvisation (CI) sessions and free improvisation (FI) interfaces on dance proficiency, improvisation competence/output quality, and multigroup ethnic identity formation of Indian classical dancers in the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, and Australia. FI participants reported higher scores on dance proficiency, improvisation competence, and multigroup ethnic identity formation compared to those who participated in the CI sessions. FI was most effective for diaspora female Indian classical dancers, Bharatanatyam dancers, dancers with 9–12 years of dance education, who had an advanced/higher diploma formal education in dance, who attended 21–40 (>50%) FI interfaces, and completed 21–40 (>50%) FI homework sessions. FI is a performance technique foregrounding spontaneity and a modality to augment the repertoire of Indian classical dances to speak to an international audience by adapting western aesthetics. It is a way to bring contemporariness into Indian classical dances and shape postcolonial dancer identities.

Moving Bodies, Navigating Conflict: Practicing Bharata Natyam in Colombo, Sri Lanka by Ahalya Satkunaratnam (review)

Moving Bodies, Navigating Conflict: Practicing Bharata Natyam in Colombo, Sri Lanka by Ahalya Satkunaratnam (review)

La Bayadère’s Nikiya vs. the Indian Hereditary Dancing Caste

Marius Petipa’s 1877 La Bayadère, inspired by F. Taglioni’s Le Dieu et La Bayadère as well as the opera Les Bayadères, presents the story of Indian temple dancer Nikiya and her navigation of a love triangle, ending in murder and tragedy. The character of Nikiya was inspired by Indian Bharatanatyam dancers, also known as temple dancers or Devadasis. Europe's primary exposure to this classical dance form occurred in 1838, when a troupe of “Devadasis” visited Paris on a tour of Europe, leading to several choreographers' Western adaptations in ballet. France, in particular, 's fascination with Indian culture can be correlated with France's loss of Indian territory to Great Britain in the previous century. However, most of Europe indulged in the exotic Indian "other." But Western recreations of Indian culture all too often misconstrued reality with a fantasized Oriental world. How does Nikiya's character contrast from the authentic Bharatnatyam dancers that inspired her creation?Nikiya's costuming, choreography, casting, and pieces of her plotline stray from the Indian culture and temple dancers she derives from. I use archival footage of the Bolshoi Ballet's 2013 performance of La Bayadère as well as footage of Bharatanatyam dance from Tanjore Balasaraswati's form, which upholds the traditions of the dance style. In addition, I use historical recounts covering Marius Petipa, the Devadasi European tour of 1938, Bharatanatyam dance, colonialism in India, and Indian-influenced ballets. I review Marius Petipa's diary entries as a primary source in my research. Ultimately, I argue that the only way for Western audiences to appreciate Indian temple dance was through the creation of the Westernized Nikiya.

DYNAMICS OF RHYTHM – THE TĀLA DAŚA PRĀṆA-S IN BHARATA NATYAM

Rhythm has been very closely associated with mankind ever since primitive times. Man felt the need for rhythmic impulses in order to co-ordinate his emotional movements. The simple sounds created naturally and consciously with the help of his body were man’s first attempts at the manifestation of rhythm – his first attempts to create pre-instrumental music. Rhythm is innate in nature. Universe will cease to function if the activities become arrhythmic. All activities- visible and non-visible adhere to the principle of rhythm. Rhythm is governed by the concept of speed or tempo. This is visible in both ordinary life as well as in the arts. Both plastic as well as performing arts are governed by rhythm. Especially in music and dance, rhythm becomes its very soul and reason for existence. Rhythm in dance is also governed by the body movements. This concept of rhythm has been deeply and minutely explored in music, which has given rise to the concept of the ten elements of musical time or tāladaśaprāṇa-s. The present paper is a study of the concept of ‘tāla’ in relation to its ten vital aspects. Each element is defined and explored from the perspective of Indian classical dance, namely, Bharata Natyam. Particular emphasis is given to the element- ‘yati’ by studying it from the practical aspect of Bharata Natyam.

Foot Pressure Mapping in Bharatanatyam Dancers and Age and Gender Matched Non-Dancers

Background Bharatanatyam is a combination of several movements which comprise the rhythmic tapping of the feet by adapting different postures of the body. Feet act as primary part in this dance form because of their constant interaction with the ground. Identification and quantification of areas of high pressure can be done by foot pressure mapping which can diagnose the foot problems at an early stage. This study focused on foot pressure mapping in Bharatanatyam dancers and age and gender-matched non-dancers using Harris mat.Methods A total of 41 Bharatanatyam dancers and 41 age- and gender-matched non-dancers were recruited by convenience sampling for this observational study. A screening form was administered to document the details pertaining to Bharatanatyam dance among dancers. Following this the foot pressure of the subjects was recorded using a Harris mat. Later the pressure points in weight-bearing regions of the foot were analyzed and areas of pressure points among dancers and non-dancers were compared.Results Foot pressure at the right Hallux P0.04 left Hallux P0.00 and left hind foot P0.32 were found to be significantly higher among Bharatanatyam dancers compared to age and gender matched non-dancers.Conclusion An increase in the foot pressure was observed at the bilateral Hallux and left hind foot among Bharatanatyam dancers compared to age and gender matched non-dancers. Early intervention and treatment for targeted population should be adopted to avoid long-term complications.

Tale of a Choreographer, Her student, River and an endangered Heritage

Choreographing in Pakistan since the 50’s, the country’s senior most 90+ years young classical dance maestro Indu Mitha has made trailblazing contributions within the Kalakshtera Bharata Natyam using North Indian music, interesting and contemporary content, while also producing more tableau forms of dance.
 In one of her recent solo pieces in the later style, titled “Qaseeda-i-Ilm of Jamal” or “An Ode to Wisdom and Beauty” Indu engages with symbolisms of a Hindu goddess of knowledge and Aesthetics_Saraswati and pays tribute to a forgotten dried up river of the same name. Indu Mitha allows the author, for whom and on whose body the dance is made, to bring in the forgotten river in her engagement with people’s histories of the land of present-day Pakistan and eventually facilitates her accessing of and embodying a pluralistic space of inter faith harmony which was occluded.

Relationship between muscular imbalance and pelvic posture during araimandi in Bharatanatyam dancers

ABSTRACT The thigh, hip and lower back have been common sights of injuries in Bharatanatyam dancers. The study investigates the relationship between muscular activity levels of the leg and pelvic posture during araimandi. Electromyography(EMG) and postural analysis were used to measure the activation in three selected muscle groups(Quadriceps, Hamstrings and Gluteus Maximus) and the pelvic posture study in seven dancers. Depending on the training level, EMG tracings indicated that dancers indicated higher activation of the Quadriceps or Gluteus Maximus. The Hamstrings remained the least activation muscle in all dancers. Thus, due to the difference in activation levels, muscular imbalance may occur in Bharatanatyam dancers. Further, anterior pelvic tilt was the most commonly observed misalignment. The movement biomechanics, faulty movement adaptation, and pelvic orientation primarily influenced muscle activation patterns. The dancer’s training level and compensatory strategies influenced the pelvic posture while performing the araimandi movement. Although both muscular imbalance and pelvic alignment influenced each other, the pelvis’s orientation significantly affected the leg muscles’ activation patterns. Thus, the study established a relationship between muscular imbalance and pelvic alignment. Further, applications of these findings to dance training have been discussed.

Blurring Boundaries of Race and Religion through Bharatanatyam in Malaysia

ABSTRACT Since 2011, Malaysia has witnessed the emergence of Bharatanatyam performers who are not of Indian ethnicity, groomed through dance studies at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA), a tertiary arts institution assessable to students of all ethnicities. The performance of Bharatanatyam, including the completion of the Arangetram, for these performers who are generally from middle income, non-urban families that are less exposed to cultures of the “other” is ground-breaking. This paper argues that these Bharatanatyam dancers of multireligious backgrounds and diverse ethnicities have an invaluable place in an art form steeped in tradition and religiosity, especially in a country slipping further into religious conservatism. Their performativity of the Malaysian transcends government-conscripted identities and presents a potent site for dialogue in Malaysia. This article highlights the role that dance education and performance can play in blurring racial and religious boundaries through Bharatanatyam, especially in Malaysia.

PARATANĀṬṬIYA NAṬAṈAK KALAIÑARKAḶ MĪTĀṈA PĀTTIRAK KALVIYIṈ TĀKKAM [THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHARACTER EDUCATION ON BHARATHANATYAM DANCERS

This article is mainly about Bharatanatyam artists. Bharatanatyam is considered to be the most ancient of the various Indian dance forms. Bharatanatyam is learned and danced by both males and females. In this article the researcher explores the effectiveness of Character Education on Bharatanatyam dancers. For this article, the survey was conducted on some dancers in Perak, Malaysia and information was gathered.Through this study, the characteristics of the dancers and their character creation are explored through character education.Through this study you can learn how Bharata artists prepare themselves by learning Bharatanatyam.Furthermore, the study explores the differences between those who learned Bharathanatyam and those who do not learn the art.This article collects data based on field research.Through this study, the researcher has gathered information about the importance of these arts among the gurus who teach this art to people.

Effect of Foot Intrinsic and Tibialis Posterior Muscle Training on Dynamic Balance in Bharatanatyam Dancers a Comparative Study

Background: Dancers require good body balance to maintain and continuously change the postures. Due torepetitive foot tapping, changes are seen in the medial longitudinal arch causing flat foot in Bharatanatyam dancerswhich affects their balance and overall performance while dancing. Strengthening extrinsic and intrinsic muscles ismore effective interventions for flexible flat foot. Although foot muscle exercises for the height of MLA have beenlimited to intrinsic foot muscle strengthening without considering extrinsic foot muscle. Exercise interventionsthat comparing foot intrinsic muscle and extrinsic muscle are rare and studies of dynamic balance in relation tothe pes planus in Bharatanatyam dancers are lacking. Therefore, the present study includes a comparison of theeffects of foot intrinsic and tibialis posterior muscle training, in relation with foot arch height, dynamic balance,and performance in Bharatanatyam dancers with flexible flat foot.Objective: To compare the effects of foot intrinsic muscle and tibialis posterior muscle training on dynamic balancein Bharatanatyam dancers.Method: 30 flexible pes planus Bharatanatyam dancers were recruited and were randomized into two groups.Group A performed foot intrinsic muscle training and group B performed tibialis posterior muscle training. Allgroups received strength training for 30 minutes five times a week for six weeksResults & Discussion: Statistical analysis was done using pared t test for intragroup significance and independentt test for intergroup significance. Results obtained revealed that both groups showed significant difference betweentheir pre-test and post-test values(p ≥ 0.05).However intergroup analysis showed no significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) between group A (Foot intrinsic muscletraining) and group B (Tibialis posterior muscle training) in SEBT, FPI 6 and DFOS.Conclusion: Tibialis posterior muscle strengthening group is equally effective as foot intrinsic muscle strengtheningin terms of foot posture, dynamic balance and Dance function.

Nature of Personality Patterns and Coping Strategies among Female Indian Classical Dancers (Bharatanatyam Dancers) and Contemporary Dancers

Nature of Personality Patterns and Coping Strategies among Female Indian Classical Dancers (Bharatanatyam Dancers) and Contemporary Dancers

Moving Bodies, Navigating Conflict: Practicing Bharata Natyam in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Moving Bodies, Navigating Conflict: Practicing Bharata Natyam in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Differences in Foot Characteristics Between Bharatanatyam Dancers and Age-Matched Non-Dancers.

The ankle-foot complex is the third most common site of pain in Indian dancers. In Bharatanatyam dance, rhythmic stamping performed barefoot at varying speeds may influence the height of the medial longitudinal arch, causing structural alteration of the ankle-foot complex. As little information is available on the ankle-foot complex of Bharatanatyam dancers, the present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that foot characteristics of Bharatanatyam dancers differ from those of non-dancers. Female professional Bharatanatyam dancers (n=21), aged 18-30 years, with a minimum of 8 years of performance experience after completing formal dance training, and 21 control non-dancers participated in this study. Physical foot examination included navicular drop test and Feiss line. Foot geometry and pedobarography were recorded as participants walked barefoot at self-selected walking pace over a pressure-platform. An average of five gait cycles was computed to analyse maximum peak pressure (MPP), pressure time integral, contact time, and foot geometry of the midfoot, forefoot, great toe, and second to fifth toes. Analysis of covariance was performed for intergroup comparison of all variables with gait speed as a covariate. During walking, dancers presented a higher medial-longitudinal-arch, wider midfoot, and wider forefoot (cm) (p<0.001), indicating an over-pronated foot due to lower medial longitudinal arch height. Total plantar peak pressure (kPa) was 37% higher among dancers, whereas MPP was 24% higher on midfoot and 13% higher on forefoot, indicating greater plantar loading during walking. Greater plantar loading and an over-pronated foot during the most commonly performed weight-bearing activity of daily living (e.g., walking) explain the common prevalence of ankle and foot pain among dancers. These findings will inform clinicians and Bharatanatyam dancers on dancer's foot function and guide strategies for prevention and management of foot pain.

Evaluation of auditory working memory in Bharatanatyam dancers

BackgroundNeuroplasticity is a phenomenon exhibited by our nervous system as an indicator of overall development and in response to training, injury/loss of particular function, treatment/drugs and as a result of stimulation from the surrounding environment. ObjectiveThe aim of the current study was to assess the auditory working memory capacities in Bharatanatyam dancers. MethodThe participants comprised fifty-four females with normal hearing sensitivity who belonged to two groups. Group-I consisted of 27 individuals who underwent formal training in Bharatanatyam for a minimum period of three years. Group-II consisted of the age-matched control group, consisting of 27 individuals who were non-dancers. The auditory working memory tasks included arranging the English digits presented binaurally in forward, backward, ascending, and descending spans. The maximum values (for the length of sequence arranged), midpoint values (average score), and response time for each task were noted down and compared among groups. ResultsThe scores were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test, which revealed enhanced working memory exhibited by dancers for maximum values and midpoint scores for all three tasks except ascending span. It was also noted that the dancers exhibited a shorter response time compared to non-dancers for all the tasks except ascending span. ConclusionThe current study highlights an enhanced auditory working memory capacity in Bharatanatyam dancers, which could be perceived as evidence of neuroplastic changes induced in the auditory and motor cortex as a consequence of extensive stimulation for auditory processing abilities and motor planning resulting from long-term dance training and regular practice.

A STUDY TO COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS BETWEEN OTAGO EXERCISE AND MODIFIED OTAGO EXERCISE ON DYNAMIC BALANCE AMONG BHARATANATYAM DANCERS

Background of the study: Bharatanatyam is an Indian Classical Dance which involves rhythmic dance movements. There are various postures in the dance form in which dancers need optimum muscle strength and adequate range of motion at required joints. Dancers need good body balance to maintain the postures. The main purpose of the study is to compare the effectiveness between Otago exercise and Modified Otago exercise on dynamic balance among Bharatanatyam Dancers. Methodology: This is an experimental study of Pre and Post comparative type. 20 Female Bharatanatyam Dancers were randomly selected for the study. The study setting was in Nritham; the School of Dance. Study duration is about 6 sessions in a week for 8 weeks. The inclusion criteria include only Female Bharatanatyam Dancers within the age group of 18–25 years. The recruited subjects were allocated into two groups, Group A received Otago exercise program and Group B received Modified Otago exercise program. The exercise program was given for 30 minutes per day for 8 weeks, before and at the end of the treatment session Star Excursion Balance test was assessed as outcome measure. Result: On comparing the mean values of Group A &amp; Group B on Star Excursion Balance Test score for dynamic balance, it shows a significant increase in the post test mean values in both groups in all directions, but Group B was more effective than Group A at P ≤ 0.001. Conclusion: On comparing the effects between the groups showed Modified Otago Exercise Group B is more effective than Group A Otago Exercise.