International Dance Day: How moving your body can calm your mind

On a visit to Thailand Mumbaibased dancer Rajeswari Vaidyanathan came across a few women over the age of 75 who danced with their teachers for a few hours every day When she asked one of them why she chose to do this she replied she would rather spend the money on dancing than in hospitals on diseases that one can contract if one is not happy ldquoI wish more people would take up dancingrdquo says VaidyanathanDance is no longer restricted to being a form of physical exercise or a medium of entertainment It is being used for improving mental health too The word lsquotherapyrsquo for most is associated with counselling sessions mdash an expert patiently listening to someone talk However the approach to therapy is more holistic nowDance Movement Therapy DMT or simply dance therapy is among these nontraditional forms of therapyVaidyanathan who teaches Latinballroom dancing and has been conducting dance therapy classes for the last seven years in Mumbai says this process allows people to express suppressed emotions It helps to vent out anger fear or sadness through movement ldquoThere is music associated with the dance which has additional benefitrdquo she elucidates ldquoWhen one comes to dance lsquohappy hormonesrsquo are released and it also acts as a stress buster people get to socialise and make friends and we have seen very strong friendships develop amongst our students These all contribute to a happy and emotionally healthy personrdquoRajeswari VaidyanathanDance movement therapist Zankhana Joshi explains the activity involves a psychotherapeutic use of movement to improve health and wellbeing It integrates an individual on emotional social cognitive physical and spiritual levels ldquoOne doesnrsquot need to be a dancer Using simple movements creatively and spontaneously a trained therapist guides the individual through a wellstructured session taking them towards awareness expression and release all the while supporting themrdquo she saysDance therapy creates a therapeutic space to tap into the reciprocal mindbody connection That means a trained therapist lets the inner stories emerge through movementmdashallowing that intuitive dance of the soul to arise letting the inside flow out and express itselfmdashtaking one towards healing ldquoMovement that emerges most authentically can influence our moods emotions and mental health DMT has shown to decrease anxiety and increase quality of life Through the use of movement and breath one can successfully deflate hyperaroused thoughts regulate emotions restore balance and improve groundingrdquo says JoshiBoth experts observe that people from various backgrounds and age groups have shown interest and attended these sessions From corporate professionals to children and senior citizens sign up to destress and express themselves ldquoWe have seen interest coming in from all walks of life People wanting to deal with their stress and traumas people healing from body image issues I have worked with people having relationship issues mdash using it as a nonverbal method of expression Even people exploring their spirituality find refuge in movement meditation And the list can go onrdquo Joshi saysSharing an example of the benefits she has seen people experience Joshi observes ldquoWhile working with a group of individuals suffering from severe mental illness we found their emotional awareness expanded beyond the commonly felt expression of anger there was an improvement in cognitive abilities It also improved their social interactionrdquoZankhana JoshiThese sessions like most other things shifted online during the pandemic That brought with it a set of challenges From internet connectivity to the need for a safe space within the participants homesmdashwith everyone being stuck at home that was a difficultymdashthere were quite a few roadblocks ldquoIn the webcam sometimes only a part of the body tends to be visible It limits the therapistrsquos observations The therapists had to find novel ways of holding a virtual session when deep buried issues came up for healingrdquo says JoshiBut the pandemicrsquos impact on mental health did cause more people to be interested in exploring dance therapy Joshi even held some lsquogrief circlesrsquo using movement where people released the loss of their loved ones jobs and incomes ldquoOur bodies are designed to move and mind is designed to stay still This pandemic brought stagnation into the body while the mind was consumed and overworked with fear anxiety stress trauma and griefrdquo Joshi says ldquoDance Movement therapy offered so many avenues and opportunities to bring movement into the bodies which also started resulting in some stillness in the mindrdquoDisclaimer This article is not meant as a replacement for a medical practitionerrsquos advice One must always consult their doctor first before initiating any changes to their lifestyle or signing up for any therapy