A new study (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sms.13336) published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found that the women who danced frequently had 73% lower chance of becoming disabled during the study period compared to the women who did not, none other exercises including walking and yoga showed such a strong association. Another study (https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jgs.15714) published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that dancing could improve aging adults’ cognitive function. Plenty of past research has also shown how dancing benefits mental and physical health.
Along with all these benefits, if you also want dance to give you an identity in society, true peace of mind and above all unconditional happiness, you can learn Indian Classical Dance.
Transcend your body: Art is a tool to express what is inexpressible through words. As a practitioner of classical dance, you constantly strive to go beyond words and in the process, come closer to yourself. Classical dance is meditation in movement, it helps you to achieve the ‘Sakshi Bhava’ (Witness attitude) towards your body and unite with the universe.
Broaden your vision: Indian Classical Dance is also one of the most creative arts. When an artist performs a dance, she not only exhibits an art but also narrates a story, paints a picture, expresses an idea, shares a vision, feelings and much more through each of her actions and inactions. Learning classical dance nurtures your imagination, broadens your vision and sparkles your creativity.
Heal yourself: Sometimes, the deepest wounds are not visible to the naked eyes. The scars and injuries on our psychological self are hard to heal but thanks to modern research, it is now a well-established fact that in addition to providing a host of other psychological benefits, dancing helps overcome mental trauma. Many hospitals and medical settings are now using dance as a form of therapy. Studies have also found that dancing increases endorphins, a type of chemical messengers in the body (neurotransmitters) which are known to relieve pain and stress.
Master the mathematics through art: It is a popular myth that those who choose art are not good at maths and science. In fact, mathematics and Indian Classical Dance are closely intertwined. The shapes and patterns of Geometry are carefully crafted for each movement and the intricate algorithms are embedded into the entire performance of dance. Interestingly, there is a school in Australia where students learn math through dance movement.
Be truly free: Indian classical dance instills the value of discipline, determination and hard work in its disciple. A passionate artiste of classical dance finds time and does her ‘Riyaz’ (practice) on a regular basis. The discipline acquired through the practice also spreads across other aspects of life and leads to real freedom.
Achieve holistic development: Indian Classical Dance improves coordination between the brain and the body. It trains you to gain control over your mind, feelings and different parts of your body. If you think you already have it, try using your left and right hands for different activities at the same time.
Be unconditionally happy: The journey towards pursuing your passion is joyful. This joy isn’t dependent on any outside achievement, it comes from within and hence, is more stable and lasting. The lifetime ‘Sadhana’ of Indian Classical Dance could be one such journey for you to attain unconditional happiness.
After reading all these benefits of Indian Classical dance, if you are wondering where you can learn it, here is a great place - Mahagami Gurukul.
MAHAGAMI Gurukul –MAHAGAMI (Mahatma Gandhi Mission Sangeet Academy), Aurangabad is the first art organization in the world to be awarded ISO certificate and the only institute from Maharashtra state to be a member of the International Dance Council, UNESCO. It was established in 1996 with an aim to promote Indian Classical Dance and facilitate research activities in the marginalized Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
The one-of-its-kind institute, Mahagami offers intensive training in classical dance through the ancient Gurukul culture of the Guru-Shishya Parampara. It has trained over 2000 students in Kathak and Odissi, many of whom have now transformed into artists performing across India and abroad. In addition, it has also produced a number of scholars, researchers and academicians of Indian Classical Dance.
A rare privilege, students of Mahagami learn under the tutelage of Parwati Dutta, an internationally acclaimed artiste of Kathak and Odissi, Guru and Director of Mahagami. The limited number of students in each program allows a very close relationship between the teacher and the learner and personalized attention to each of them.
Mahagami Provides training in the following dance forms:
Kathak:
Originated as a story-telling dance of mythological anecdotes, the classical dance form of Kathak allows you to convey complex and abstract ideas through the movement of the body, gestures (Hasta Mudras), expressions (Bhav) and acting (Abhinaya). Its fast footwork (Tatkar) and spins (Chakkar) relieve you from anger and stress. Kathak is an ancient art form that empowers you with an innovative way of communication.
Odissi:
Known as the dance of devotion (Bhakti), Odissi is one of the most graceful and lyrical classical dances of India. It is also claimed to be the most ancient Indian classical dance with mentions found in the Natyashastra, the first theoretical text on performing arts in India. It is composed of a rich variety of poses and movements of the body found in the ancient Indian temples.
Manipuri:
A classical dance form from the Manipur state of India, Manipuri dance is exclusively devoted to the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. It is characterized by smooth gestures, rounded movements, and light steps. However, behind this delicate dance lies a tough training of body and mind control. Manipuri gives a graceful appearance and peace of mind to its practitioner.
MPA in Kathak and Odissi at Mahagami:
Master of Performing Arts in Kathak and Odissi is a 3-year program at Mahagami ideal for professional dancers and senior dance learners aspiring to create a niche for themselves in the creative world. After completing MPA, they can pursue a career as a performing artist, choreographer, dance teacher, event organizer, dance writer, etc.
For more information about MPA in Kathak & Odissi at MAHAGAMI,
please visit: https://mgmu.ac.in/admissions/faculty/MAHAGAMI.html/
BPA in Kathak and BPA in Odissi at Mahagami:
Bachelor of Performing Arts Kathak and Odissi is a 4-year program for those seeking to make a career in performing arts. Along with rigorous training in the chosen dance form, learners are also taught in a wide variety of generic and elective subjects which create a strong foundation for their bright future in performing arts.
For more information about BPA in Kathak & Odissi at MAHAGAMI,
please visit: https://mgmu.ac.in/admissions/faculty/MAHAGAMI.html
Certificate program in Kathak, Odissi, and Manipuri at Mahagami:
The foundation certificate program in each of these dance forms is of a 2-year duration and is suitable for part-time learners and adult beginners. The program helps learners develop a physical and conceptual understanding of the dance form.
For more information about the Certificate in Kathak, Odissi & Manipuri at MAHAGAMI,
please visit: https://mgmu.ac.in/admissions/faculty/MAHAGAMI.html
Learning classical dance at Mahagami Gurukul is a life-enriching experience that allows your talents to blossom through careful nurturance by a dedicated Guru.
So, what are you waiting for? Join Mahagami and immerse yourself in the love of classical dance.
To Know more about MAHAGAMI GURUKUL, please visit: https://www.mahagami.com/
Have you heard the story of Tansen, the legendary classical singer and one of the Navratnas in the royal court of Badshah Akbar? The story goes like this. Jealous of the growing fondness of Akbar for the singing of Tansen, other court members hatched a conspiracy against the singer. Tansen was asked to sing Raag Deepak in the court. The assumption was that the Raag when sung by Tansen will invoke fire and burn the maestro himself. Accordingly, they convinced the king to ask Tansen to sing raag Deepak. Tansen was aware of the consequences but couldn’t say no to the emperor. He asked for some time to prepare himself for the performance. During this time, he trained his daughter and her friend to sing raag Megh Malhar. On the day of the event as Tansen started singing raag Deepak, the temperature in the court began to rise. Soon all the lamps in the area lit up, a fire broke out around Tansen and started to engulf him. At that very moment, Tansen’s daughter and her friend began to sing raag Megh Malhar and rains started pouring which extinguished the fire. Thus, Tansen’s life was saved. Symbolic or true, the story illustrates the power of raags to change the atmosphere dramatically. Scientists have also confirmed the ability of raags to impact mood and emotions.
Indian classical music has 7 Shuddha Swaras - Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, also called Sargam. A raag is a set of some of these swaras arranged in ascending and descending order. The ascending order is called Aaroha while the descending order is called Avaroha. Each raag must have minimum 5 swaras and maximum 9 swaras in Aaroha and Avroha. Depending on the type (Jaati) of a raag, it can have the same number of swaras or different combinations of swaras. While singing a raag, an artist must not use a swara beyond these sets.
We all know that music can raise our mood, make us feel calm, or excite our feelings. One of the most powerful tools to influence every living thing, music is simply magic! Music has a long history of human association. But did you know which is the oldest form of Indian classical music? It is Dhrupad. Discussed in the most ancient text on Indian performing arts Natyashastra (200 BCE – 200 CE), Dhrupad has been declared a heritage art by UNESCO. Even before Natyashatra – Dhrupad traces its origin from Vedas. Most interestingly, Dhrupad has survived millennia to retain its original form even today!
Today, we see a few artists around the world who have given a new lease of life to Dhrupad. One prominent name among them is Parwati Dutta, an acclaimed artist, and Guru of Kathak and Odissi and Director of MAHAGAMI GURUKUL. Through her in-depth research on kathak, Dutta found that a symbiotic relationship between Gayan-Vadan-Nritya flourished in the form of Dhrupad Nritya during the reign of Mansingh Tomar in the 15th century. Inspired by the concept, she developed a research-based, innovative combination of dance and music called ‘Dhrupadangi Kathak’. She has been performing these Kathak compositions in the Dhrupad tradition since 1990.