Dance from the heart!

“Only from the heart can you touch the sky”- Rumi

There’s a reason why they say that if you put your heart and soul into what you do, success will surely follow. There are not many who are able to realise their talents and if you are one of the few then it’s totally worth it to pour your heart, mind & soul into your art. If you are passionate about dance then it will truly show on your face. The audience connects better with a genuine face. Do remember that just because you are asked to, you don’t have to try and force an expression. Stay natural and let your emotions flow with the music.

Connect with your music!

Turn up the volume, close your eyes and let the music take over your soul!

It’s very important to connect with your music to perfect your expressions and eventually your dance. A dancer is a medium between the music and the audience. Understand the feel of the music or song. If you connect with your music, expressions will come from within. Take some time out and listen to the music piece or song as much as possible. Just sit down in a room, close the doors, play the music, close your eyes and listen.

Souris! |SMILE|

Because a smile can do wonders!

Practice smiling! Yeah, that’s right. Even though it should all look natural, it’s important to put your best smile forward. It’s similar to how we practice our steps a number of times before the actual performance. A good performance is when the dance happens flawlessly, but that’s achieved only after a lot of practice. Similarly, expressions are an integral part of your dance, if not done right then your performance may look dull or lifeless. Do you know that just as how the muscles in our leg and arms have muscle memory, our facial muscles do too? Practising your smile repeatedly will let your muscle memory take over the next time you’re on stage.

The MIRROR is your best friend!

“Mirror is my best friend, because when I cry it never laughs” – Charlie Chaplin

You must have noticed how almost all dance studios have huge mirrors on the walls. The presence of mirrors supports the learning environment as it helps the dancer to view themselves from the eye of their audience, it helps in technique and posture training and provides immediate visual feedback. There are a lot of dancers and instructors worldwide who use mirrors in their routine, but there are a few who also hold reservations about this technique as using a mirror may make the dancer too self-conscious about how they physically appear while performing and lose their sense of proprioception- the perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body. So, definitely use the mirror but don’t overdo it.

Let eyes do the talking!

Eye contact: how souls catch on fire!

Ever observed how in Indian Classical Dance be it Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Folk and especially Kathakali, the dancers line their eyes with bold eye makeup? This is done as eyes are one of the most striking features and also a focal point in Indian dance. Eyes can express a whole range of emotions and play a huge role in non-verbal communication. Establishing eye contact with your audience is also very important and leaves a memorable impression on them. A smile may not always work in a dance performance. Learn more about eye movements in the next point where we explain the Navrasa.

NAVARASA

The 9 emotions!

Navarasa is a concept elucidated in the Natya Shastra, attributed to Bharata Muni. Here “Nava” means 9 and “Rasa” literally means “juice, essence or taste” and signifies emotions.

The 9 emotions as mentioned in Navarasa are:

RASA MEANING Shringara Love, Beauty, Romance Hasyam Laughter Karunyam Compassion, Mercy Raudram Fury Veeram Heroism Bhayanakam Horror, Terror Bhibhatsam Disgust, Aversion Adbhutam Wonder, Amazement Shantham Peace or Tranquility

Expressing these “Rasas” in Indian classical dance form is referred to as Rasa-abhinaya. Navarasa Sadhana is the systematic and daily practice of evoking the 9 emotions. Practice these emotions to perfect your facial expressions. Understand the song or music piece that you are performing on and figure out the emotions involved. Again, practising in front of a mirror will help you perfect the Navarasa.

That perfect dancer’s face!

The “I love what I am doing” expression!

The emotions that we display comes from within. All you need to do is allow yourself to relax, take a deep breath and enjoy your dancing. This way the expressions you convey will come out naturally. Follow these tips to put on your best face forward:

Relax your jaw and allow your tongue to relax inside of your mouth.

Lift your eyebrows slightly, this will make you appear interested in what you are doing.

Use your eyes. Look around at your surroundings, especially when you need to spot.

Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth.

Smile as if you are having the time of your life!

Follow these tips and you will definitely improve your facial expressions while you perform and your presence on the stage.

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Happy Dancing!