For the fourth session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of nature and its depiction in dance, through the poem "Over the green and yellow rice fields" by Rabindranath Tagore. 

Over the Green and Yellow Rice Fields
Rabindranath Tagore

Over the green and yellow rice-fields sweep the
shadows of the autumn clouds followed by the swift-
chasing sun.
The bees forget to sip their honey; drunken with
light they foolishly hover and hum.
The ducks in the islands of the river clamour in joy
for mere nothing.
Let none go back home, brothers, this morning, let
none go to work.
Let us take the blue sky by storm and plunder space
as we run.
Laughter floats in the air like foam on the flood.
Brothers, let us squander our morning in futile songs.

Flying High Together (Group poem)
Brothers and sisters, we shall... 

​Eat the rice for dinner,
Sing with joy,
Dance in the rice fields with the stalks,
Catch the fish, prawns, and crabs,
Go to work and go back home, 
Fly high with bees and ducks, 
Meditate. 

For the third session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of rhythm through the poem "The Same Stream of Life" by Rabindranath Tagore. 

The Same Stream of Life 
Rabindranath Tagore
 
The same stream of life that runsthrough my veins night and day runs
through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.
It is the same life that shoots in joy
through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and
breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle
of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow.
I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world
of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages
dancing in my blood this moment.

Rhythms of Life (Group poem)
Sirens, traffic, traffic lights, taxis honking 
Day and night, the subway 
Pedestrians walking, bicycles 
The rhythm of nature, leaves, flowers, birds
Construction, doors opening and closing, beeping
Cellphones, conversations, and music. 

One of the reasons Bharatanatyam is so suited for older adults is that it gives a way to build on complexity of movement in a modular way.  Simpler movements can be combined together to create something longer, giving participants a sense of accomplishment. 
The video below comprises a pattern that we learned in this sequence:  we first learned the rhythm (3 steps + 1 gap), the sollu (the way the rhythm is articulated and spoken), feet movements, hand movements, and then hands in four different directions. At any time, participants can choose to pick all, some, or none of the modalities, as watching is also considered a part of dance in Bharatanatyam. We also did these movements in different speeds, adding an additional layer of complexity. 

Participants of the sessions at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood were inspired by the sights of spring today (some pictures below): 

For the second session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of spring and rejuvenation through the poem "Ecstacy" by Sarojini Naidu.  

Ecstasy 
Sarojini Naidu
 
Heart, O my heart! lo, the springtime is waking
In meadow and grove.
Lo, the mellifluous koels are making
Their paeans of love.
Behold the bright rivers and rills in their glancing,
Melodious flight,
Behold how the sumptuous peacocks are dancing
In rhythmic delight.
 
Shall we in the midst of life's exquisite chorus
Remember our grief,
O heart, when the rapturous season is o'er us
Of blossom and leaf?
Their joy from the birds and the streams let us borrow,
O heart! let us sing,
The years are before us for weeping and sorrow ...
Today it is spring! 

Today is spring/ Group Poem
Blossoming rain 
Brings flowers 
Doves cooing, birds cooing,
Colors and smells, 
Beckoning us towards rebirth,
Joy and happiness. 

At Arts for the Aging, we have been trying to come up with ways to include more cultures and disciplines in our creative aging work, and also reach more older adults. In March of 2023, I worked with Annetta Dexter Sawyer with hybrid programing. 
A few images are below (image credit: Susan at Kensington Club Parklawn)

Our first session as part of the poetry and movement workshop on March 24, 2025 at Kips Bay NYPL, we explored a poem by Ravindranath Tagore titled "Vismaya"/ Wonder (below):

Vismaya (Wonder) by Rabindranath Tagore
"My heart sings at the wonder of my place
​in this world of light and life.
at the feel in my pulse of the rhythm of creation
cadenced by the swing of the endless time.

I feel the tenderness of the grass in my forest walk,
the wayside flowers startle me:
that the gifts of the infinite are strewn in the dust
wakens my song in wonder.

I have seen, have heard, have lived;
in the depth of the known have felt
the truth that exceeds all knowledge
which fills my heart with wonder, and I sing."

Gifts of life/ Treasures (group poem) 

"Sunlight, the moon, starts, rain, nature,
Space 
Happiness, joy, family, 
Life, flowers
Imagination, creativity, transitions,
Time, youth, old age,
Lifecycles, existence,
Empathy, compassion, love, gratitude, wisdom, freedom,
Completion." 

Image credit: Elissa King at Kips Bay NYPL 

In an earlier post, I talked about how Bharatanatyam gives learners the unique opportunity to learn and analyze various rhythmic patterns. At the YM&YWHA, Nagle Avenue, participants different combinations of steps that can make up the count (e.g the count of 9 can be 4+5, 5+4, or 3+3+3. 
One learner analyzed the five jaatis as shown in the image below, and shared it with the rest of the group. This also gives an opportunity for learners to share among themselves, building community and trust. 
Hence, the study of Bharatanatyam for creative aging provides a structured learning opportunity that participants can focus on and master (if they so choose), and provides avenues for creativity within this structure. Additionally, as we see in the example below, it provides ways for learners to build community and trust with one another. 
In these ways, the study of Bharatanatyam provides a structure that participants can focus on and learn. 

A few weeks ago, I talked about how the study of Bharatanatyam lends itself to a study of patterns. At the YM&YWHA, Nagle Avenue, we have been learning the five Jaatis that make up the talam (rhythm) repository in Carnatic music. I create videos (like the one below) for learners to practice. 
On the right is an image of the five Jaatis (3,4,5,7,9) that a learner created and distributed to others.