The Neuroscience of Natyam

"Bharatanatyam isn’t just performed it’s lived and in living it, something profound begins to change within you"

I have always believed that art has the power to shape who we are, but watching my friend Siri brought that belief to life. As a dedicated Bharatanatyam dancer, she radiates a unique blend of calmness, discipline, and quiet strength. Her ability to make decisions with clarity, her boundless energy, her eagerness to learn, and her remarkable memory made me pause and wonder if there is any influence from her years of natyam practice.

This question led me down a beautiful path of exploration into the science, the philosophy, and the unseen influence of classical dance on the mind. Curious about how this ancient art form may subtly shape not only dancers but also deeply evolved individuals??

Let’s journey back 2000 years to explore the origins of Bharatnatyam. This classical dance form originated in the Thanjavur temple in Tamil Nadu, It is believed that lord Bramha handed it to Bharatha, which was drafted in a book called Natya Shastra.

This dance form has three aspects called :

Nritta (Pure dance)

Nrithya (Expressive dance)

Natya (Drama)

Bharatnatyam challenges the brain as it integrates multiple domains of cognition at once: memory, motor coordination, emotional response, rhythmic processing, and spatial awareness.

The Basic posture of Bharatanatyam is called Araimandi. This posture demands a fine balance, midline stability, and core control, relying more on the cerebellum for coordination and the corticospinal tract for executing voluntary movements. The Sensory feedback from muscles and joints helps maintain alignment, enhancing proprioception and body awareness (Kinaesthetic intelligence, one of the 7 types of intelligence), which over time strengthens the motor pathways and improves posture control. The continuous synchronization of steps with rhythm refines sensory-motor integration, sharpening attention, timing, and cognitive flexibility.

As one moves up to the margam, the complexity of the choreography, rythms (tala), and emotional narratives (Bhava) increases, which demands more from the working memory, executive function, and multi-tasking ability. Simultaneously, performing for an audience activates social cognition and emotional intelligence.

The complex Adavus, patterns, sequences, and transitions involved in it trains for short and long-term memory, and this sharpens the recall mechanisms. The coordination in rhythm, posture, and facial expression is believed to train the prefrontal cortex, enhancing the attention span, focus, and the ability to juggle multiple tasks effectively. The repeated emotional engagement through Bhava improves emotional processing, self-awareness, and empathy.

Many studies investigating the neurological correlates of dance suggest that long-term dance training leads to structural changes in both gray matter, which contains most of the brain’s neuronal cell bodies, and is associated with muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions, and decision-making. The white matter, which is responsible for communication between brain regions, suggests improved connectivity and faster neural transmission in the brain and exhibits enhanced connectivity in the Action Observation Network (AON), which includes regions in the occipito-temporal, parietal, and premotor cortices areas crucial for interpreting and replicating observed movements. These neuroplastic changes not only enhance physical performance but also contribute to better memory, emotional regulation, and executive function, making dance a holistic brain-body workout.

Bharatanatyam is a powerful tool for both artistic expression and neurological development, This can be explored not just as an art form but as a powerful tool for stroke recovery, improving gait and supporting neurorehabilitation.

As I reflect on everything Bharatanatyam embodies the strength, the serenity, the story-telling, and the soul it fills me with gratitude. I’m thankful not only to my friend but to all Bharatanatyam dancers who continue to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of India with such grace and devotion.

"In every beat of the tala, every flick of the hand, and every gaze held in silence there’s a story not just of dance, but of a brain blossoming into its highest potential."

References:

Chatterjee, S., Banerjee, N., Chatterjee, S., & Bardha, S. (2022). Cognitive ability improvement in Indian classical dancing: A study in Bengalee females. In H. S. Behera, D. Mohapatra, & B. K. Panigrahi (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent and Smart Computing in Data Analytics (pp. 757–766). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94277-9_62
Hosur, C. R., Thakkar, M., & others. (2021). Reflections on Bharatanatyam and neuroscience: A dance studies perspective. Navrachana University. [ResearchGate Publication].
Iyengar, S. (2024). Indian dance (Bharatanatyam) to ease social loneliness and isolation in older adults. Critical Public Health, 34(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2024.2384938