The Hindu : Front Page : Course in performing arts therapy

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Sunday, Dec 21, 2008
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Course in performing arts therapy

Raktima Bose

KOLKATA: The healing quality of performing arts on the human mind and body is widely regarded but ‘performing arts therapy’ is yet to gain in popularity.

The Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) here is set to introduce a postgraduate diploma course in Performing Arts Therapy, a first of its kind among Indian universities, from January 2009.

A Performing Arts Therapy Centre is to be set up for the purpose shortly.

Performing arts therapy is found to be beneficial for patients with diabetes and muscular weakness, for people suffering from mental ailments as well as for pregnant women. Music therapy during surgeries has been found to stabilise blood pressure and keep the patient calm.

The idea is to enable students to provide therapy to those suffering from such diseases, Amita Dutt, dean of the performing arts faculty of RBU, told The Hindu. The course, which has earned the sanction of the University Grants Commission,will be of one-year duration with emphasis on both theoretical and practical knowledge. “Various aspects of physiology and psychology will be taught by experienced people in these fields along with lessons of how to deal with individual cases,” Ms. Dutt said.

“The students will work in various centres for autistic, spastic and visually challenged children and adults in old age homes as part of their practical studies. They will also work closely with orthopaedic and obstetric surgeons and psychiatrists for better understanding of the subject,” Ms. Dutt added.

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