Twist around the clock

Poetry in motion

Dance is not just about aesthetics. It also serves as a therapy, a fact that many passionate dancers point out. The city has its own share of dancers who can vouch for that. They talk about how this form of art has made a positive change in their lives.

Dr Archana KR, a physician, had persistant bronchitis and it was dance that helped her keep her suffering at bay.

Today, Archana winds up her work well in time to attend her salsa classes and gives performances as well.  “I didn’t give up dancing even when I was down with severe bronchitis,” she says. “I continued to experiment with mild moves which helped me fight the condition. Thanks to dancing, I
didn’t let my illness take over and tie me down,” she adds.

Dance, according to her, infuses a sense of positivity. “When I am dancing, I get lost in the moment and somehow, I feel it creates a space inside me to accomplish something good. It also builds strength from within as my dance involves cardio workout and elements of yoga,” she points out.     

Alex Diaz gave equal importance to dancing even while pursuing his academics. Eventually, he chose dancing as a profession. “Physiologically, dancing releases endorphins into the blood stream which increases the heart rate and makes you energetic. Psychologically, it is a great stressbuster because it helps you escape into another realm and leaves you happy,” says Alex.

He says that dancing involves a lot of creativity which can also get stressful sometimes. “All my performances require much planning. There’s a lot of effort that goes into the act if you want to make something appear distinct,” he says.

Dance has become a part of Diya Naidu’s life and she says that not a day passes by without it. Apart from ensuring her physical well-being, it has also heightened Diya’s confidence in many ways.

She is involved in community programmes that use dance to beat stress and other ailments. She has trained in various dance forms such as contemporary, jazz, and ‘kalaripayattu’.

“These forms of dance draw a lot from human functionality and use organic principals of movement rather than predisposed forms. Dancing has helped me stay fit, functional and has got me closer to my organic self. It has also helped me navigate the world,” says Diya.

She recalls how she used to be teased by a bunch of boys regularly when she would go to her classes.  “I was training in martial arts and managing dance classes then. After my training, something about my walk that had changed, and I saw the bolder side of me coming out. The boys too stopped teasing me. Mixing dance and martial arts has boosted my confidence and  made me a bolder person,” she says.