In the last post, we saw that the study of Bharatanatyam can help strengthen attention and focus, and possibly the underlying neural circuits of attention. Anyone who has watched this dance form can attest to its complexity. Between remembering hand gestures, facial expressions, and the movement of the eyes, hands, and feet, and conveying the story or message, we can think of Bharatanatyam as the complete mental workout. So, how can this complex dance form be adapted for all?

Over the last four years, I have worked with several hundred older adults and have realized that many things make Bharatanatyam the ideal dance form to adapt for everyone. These adaptations are all helped by the fact that Bharatanatyam can be taught in a modular way. We can learn and pay attention to our gestures, eyes, arms, rhythm, and the meaning, and bring them all together in a cohesive way. 

The complexity of the dance is paradoxically its strength, as learners can engage in a variety of ways! Participants learn to notate the steps, count rhythm, sing, and learn the mythology in addition to the movements that make up the dance. All these modalities give us a sense of achievement and agency, so that we can assist others.

Below are images that show learners writing the gestures and the rhythmic syllables ("sollu") so that they can pay attention, focus, and remember. 

"What hands should my eyes follow"? For this gesture, does it matter which hand is above the other one?" "What is my face doing while my arms are outstretched?" Participants usually ask these questions during sessions, and it shows not only that they can pay close attention over long periods of time, but also that they grasp why paying attention is critical to the study of Bharatanatyam.

Bharatanatyam has considerable nuance and detail, and to the uninitiated (or impatient), these details may seem trivial. As people lament the lack of attention in our lives, I observe that the practice and study of Bharatanatyam can serve as a vessel for focused attention. The neurological basis of attention is complex and involves many brain structures. The fronto-parietal network is a collection of brain regions that helps us pay sustained attention and focus for cognitively demanding tasks [1]. 

"Spring into Dance" at Marine Park Alliance, PC: Brian Moreno, Canarsie Times 

Why are there so many species of fishes? What is the "freshwater fish paradox"? Why and how do fishes speciate?
And.. what is a fish?!
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I am so excited to start teaching the course The Diversity of Fishes to educators as part of The American Museum of Natural History's Seminars on Science course. 
Growing up near the river Sabarmati and now living by the Hudson River, I have always been fascinated by bodies of water, the diversity of lives they enable, and the impact they have on ecosystems.
 I look forward to learning more and sharing! 

Comments from readers:​

• "This is great! I hope a lot of people will see this unique opportunity to get some perspective on not just rivers and fishes, but a deeper sense of ecology and what it means to be human. You do great things, Sloka!" 
• "Love marine life too! - we, humans can learn so much from these amazing creatures!!!!!!!!" 
• "Amazing creatures. Love learning about them."
• "The freshwater fish paradox is such a cool concept, excited for the course!"
• "The freshwater fish paradox is a perfect opening question for educators!"