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The healing treasure

Reshmi Sunil, Director of The Temple of Dance

Indian dance school, The Temple of Dance is an organization formed by me to promote
physical fitness and to teach the rich cultural heritage of India. The school’s name has been

coined by taking inspiration from “Kalakshetra” which is the fundamental technique in Bha-
ratanatyam. Since 2000, the school has provided basic dance training to many students in
South Florida, USA.

Today as I look back, I feel content with the journey I came along. I am writing this article to
share my thoughts on classical dance and its benefits. The Natya Shastra is the foundational
treatise for classical dances of India, and this text is attributed to the ancient schol-

ar, Bharata Muni. This art form is not only the essence of sweetness, beauty, and power of
our culture, but it is also a prayer and meditation, attracting divine blessings, happiness, and

peace of mind. To counterbalance today’s tough competition and the need to acquire the
best grades in school, dance could play an important role. It helps to soothe and relax the
minds of stressed school children and, at the same time, educate them and stimulate their

concentration and creativity. The first thing a student must do is undergo hard training to
learn discipline and patience, which are essential in a child’s life. With the movements of

dance, the child gains physical fitness and retains control over the body. It’s also a mode of
expressing feelings, helping to develop self-confidence. Since Indian classical dance is

based on mythology, it teaches children the value of the rich literary and cultural heritage of
India. It’s been said, “Science is curiosity about life, art is wonder at life, philosophy is an atti-
tude towards life, and religion is reverence for life.” A rich culture includes these four as-

pects. It is therefore obvious that aesthetic education is as essential, if not more, as intellec-
tual, or physical education. A complete or balanced human being will remain an illusion un-

less his emotions are trained, developed, and sublimated. Another aspect of dance is that it
creates a bridge for traversing cultural borders. Even when we do not necessarily share the

same cultural beliefs or even speak the same language, we can use the language of dance
to communicate cross-culturally. Movement is a reaction of how a person senses and thinks
in relation to their surroundings and what is happening within that environment. So as differ-

ent cultures begin to merge because of immigration and technology, the dances that result
reflects towards a more multicultural world. It brings the people of different cultures closer

together and gives them a common ground on which they can communicate. Therefore,
dance is a powerful reflection of the cultural changes that are taking place in our world. I
would like to conclude with the infamous Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s words, “Culture is the

widening of the mind and of the spirit.”

NAVAKERALA MALAYALEE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA 2021