It’s not true that when it comes to fitness, dancers can always put their best foot forward. “Yes. It is a high-energy cardio workout, and has become a go-to exercise for the fitness-conscious. People think it’s no big deal for dancers to keep fit, that it’s all part of the professional discipline,” points out prominent Bharatanatyam dancer and doctor Srinidhi Chidambaram. “But on the contrary, rigorous training over a long period of time could result in weak bones, stiff muscles and injury risks in dancers,” she adds.
Srinidhi realised the need to do warm-up exercises before rehearsals and performances after experiencing aches and pains. She took up yoga, which is complimentary to dance, as it boosts energy, tones the body and improves breath control. “You don’t want to be seen panting on stage, especially while doing high-on-foot-work pieces or the elaborate padam from the Bharatanatyam repertoire. Pranayama is a sure-shot way to improve lung capacity, and calm nerves. It helps you breathe through movements.”
Dance is a spiritual calling, a creative process and an art where the body is bent, angled and torqued to remarkable extremes. But one cannot deny the fact that it is an extremely sporty activity. “The araimandi (half-sitting) posture that Bharatnatyam artistes are required to adhere to persistently while dancing can excessively stress your back and calf muscles and quadriceps.”
Though there is a growing awareness among the dancing fraternity about taking care of the body, a tool of their artistic expression, Srinidhi feels gurus could make stretches and warm-up routines part of the training. She even suggests holding annual workshops on the lines of the popular lecture-demonstrations organised during the December Season.
“We need a forum where dancers can discuss such issues with experts to take forward the art.”
