Classical moves

It's ancient, it's basic and it still works. Take up Indian classical dance to gain fitness and strength that will last a lifetime

Admit it. All it takes is 10 long,boring minutes on the treadmillto make you swear offworkouts forever. If the gymdoesn't work for you, andyou're not built for high-octane aerobicworkouts, try your hand at classicaldance. It may not sound like exercise,but it offers all the benefits of ayoga workout, while also being fun.

Bollywood dance has been an oldfavourite for those who want to have agood time as they workout. But itsjhatkas aren't for everyone. The controlledyet fluid movements of Indianclassical dance, be it Kathak,Bharatanatyam or Odissi, will help youbuild agility, strength and balance, evenas the complete concentration itdemands helps calm your mind.

Endurance and control
So how does classical dance help youstay fit?

"Dance is much more than a weightloss routine," says Isha Sharvani, whogained fame with her role in the movieKisna, earning much acclaim for herdance performances in it.

The 25-year-old has been dancingsince she was seven, learning Kathak,Chhau and Kalaripayattu from hermother, Kathak dancer Daksha Sheth,who runs her own academy inThiruvananthapuram. She says, "Thindoesn't mean fit and you should neverexercise to become thin. I meet so manygirls who're thin, but their bodies haveno strength."

For Sharvani, the aim of any form ofexercise, especially dance, is to becomefit and gain flexibility, agility and bodycontrol. "You have to figure out whatyou want. Dance teaches how to useyour body as a tool, giving you morecommand over it. Your body and mindlearn to work in sync," she adds. Yougain endurance, from the many hoursof practice, aerobic health and a lot ofstamina.

"Along the way you also lose weight,since you're working hard and sweatingso much, and your body begins totone up. But that is never the main goal,"she adds. It's easy to see the truth inwhat she says. Sharvani is lithe andstrong, and you can see the control sheexercises over her body in even the simplestmovements. She exudes confidenceand poise.

In the beginning
Believe it or not, you can start learningclassical dance at any age. Odissidancer Protima Bedi, who went on tobecome a great exponent of the form,started taking lessons only when shewas 26. Just don't expect resultsovernight; the form works its magicslowly, making you physically and mentallyhealthier.

"Holding a pose can be very strenuousat first," says Pallavi Raisurana, 38,who teaches Kathak at her MalabarHill residence. Though you may not feelit happen, like with any other workout,dance will put a strain on your bodyand you will begin to feel muscles youdidn't know you had. The trick,Raisurana says, is in controlling yourbreath. "A dancer learns to control herbreath, like you would in yoga, becausethat is what brings balance and poiseto the pose."

Every movement a dancer makesmust come from the core of the body."The limbs are just extensions or manifestationsof the movement, the realwork has to be done by your centre,"Raisurana says.

According to Sharvani, new dancersalways find it difficult to control theirbody. "But your body starts respondingeventually. Whenyou keep practisingand repeating a movement,your muscles startremembering what to do,"she says.

To make her core stronger,Sharvani spends an hour every morningdoing yoga or working with weightsto build strength. "Dance trains yourbody to take load without gettinginjured; it makes you stronger and givesyou strong abdominal and back muscles,"she says.

In addition, the complex footwork ofclassical Indian dances and the preciserelationship of the movements with therhythm, contributes to make the dancermore agile and quick on her feet.

Surprise Benefits
Besides making you fitter, dance alsoimproves your mental wellbeing. "Thosewho take to dance when they are troubledabout something, find that it slowlystarts working changes on them mentallyas well. They begin to calm downand see things more clearly," Raisuranasays.

Besides making you a more positiveperson, dance also improves your postureand sense of confidence. Raisuranasays, "You can always tell a dancer simplyfrom the way she stands or moves."

But a word of caution. Anchal Gupta,whose dance studio Arts in Motionoffers training in Kathak besides otherforms, says, "You should only get intoclassical dance forms if you have thededication to learn the technique overthe years. It is not a quick fix, it's for alifetime.

Isha says
Figure out what you want
You need to decide what is more importantfor you -- losing weight or getting fit. Thin is notfit. I can't say this enough. Even thin people haveto work hard to make their bodies strong.

Avoid excess
Doing any one thing in excessnever works out well in the end.So don't just keep doingweights in the gym, anddon't just rely on dance toget you fit. The ideal routinewould have youspending two days aweek in the gym, buildingmore strength in yourbody, and three days dancing,where you learn agility,balance and control.

Get mind and body in sync
Certain movements will seem hard at first.Don't get disheartened. Keep repeating them.Eventually, your muscles will start rememberingwhat to do and you'll just get it. Your mind andbody will be in sync and you'll be able to controlyour movements better.

Set your own pace
Work at a pace you're comfortable with and canmaintain. The goal should not be to lose weightnow. The goal should be to reach the placewhere you can be fit and agile even at 55 andenjoy your life.

Strengthen your core
Remember, the goal is not gym strength but corestrength. Even when you're working out in thegym, you're not just pumping iron. You're givingyour muscles the strength to allow you to hold apose as long as you want.

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