Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Dance your way to a healthy life

Photo: K.R. Deepak

Kuchipudi dancers strike a pose. —

VISAKHAPATNAM: Before G. Revathi joined the dance classes, she was considered as a slow learners in her school. However, thanks to dance therapy Revathi’s grades moved up and she became popular as an active child.

More people nowadays are utilising the dance therapy, which finds its use in curing many illnesses. The dance therapy helps diagnose and solve various psychological problems through observing and altering the kinaesthetic movements. The therapy is founded on the premise that the body and mind are interrelated and that the state of the body may affect mental and emotional wellbeing in many ways.

A.B. Bala Kondala Rao, a well known Kuchipudi dance exponent states, “dance not only help in increasing the concentration of under-achievers, but it helps in solving various psychological and physical disorders as well.

The therapy has worked wonders with many people, and helped them become more energetic and intelligent.”

She said that the rhythmical tunes and soulful music, along with lyrics in the form of story with hand gestures and foot movements lead the body into a state of meditation that makes it superior to other forms of physical exercises.

The inner feeling of the dancer harmonises with the nature’s five elements.

Ms. Bala, who began learning dance at the age of nine, and has been teaching dance for more than forty years , says, “In the hectic and stressful lifestyle being lived by the people,dance therapy is a good form of alternative treatment.

In the last twelve years, she has designed special steps and classes for slow learners, moody children, patients with depression , people with physical deformities and the elderly people having problems.

The therapy has been used extensively at Lebenshilfe School for differently-abled children also. Among others who are practicing dance therapy includes Dr. Murali Babu, another well- known dance exponent in the city.

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