A quest for catharsis, a rhythm for release

Dance as therapy for people with special needs

By a staff reporter

It was back in the early 80s that danseuse Tripura Kashyap started toying with the idea of putting dance and music to therapeutic use. Her brother, suffering from cerebral palsy, had always had the most "excited" reaction to music, and the possibility of stretching her art form beyond its aesthetic value was a powerful prospect for the young Bangalore-based dancer.

Now, Tripura works with special educators, children with mental and physical challenges, autism, cerebral palsy, and even adults suffering schizophrenia. In Calcutta for a series of workshops since last Wednesday, Tripura now has no trouble finding an audience eager to learn more about her methods.

She is working with special educators for the hearing impaired, instructors of those with cerebral palsy and NGOs. Invited by Sanlaap, an NGO working with victims of trafficking, Tripura has been kept on her feet with the "overwhelming" response.

It was purely providence that she met Dr Grace Valentine, director of the Hancock Center for the Movement Arts & Therapies in Wisconsin, visiting India for a lecture tour. "She invited me to do a course at the centre, which was the beginning of my foray into the form," explains Tripura.

But when the petite practitioner of the alternative technique returned from Hancock, the concept of dance as therapy had not caught on in India at all. On her return, Tripura targeted special needs institutes to practice her methods. Despite the added qualifications, the early 90s still did not hold a more receptive audience to the idea of dance therapy as part of the curriculum. "It was very difficult convincing teachers that dance therapy could be an effective way to reach out to children and adults with special needs," she recounts.

Last weekend, the director of Apoorva Dance Theatre took time out to work with the girls at Sneha, Sanlaap's Shelter Home for minor girls in Narendrapur. Around 10 girls at the sprawling home for 18 have formed a cultural organization, Samved, and learn classical dance forms for public performance. "We have seen that through dance, the girls find an outlet for their emotional troubles," explains their teacher Sohini.

There is a distinction between the cathartic effect that dance as an art form has and the results seen from dance therapy. "A side-effect of dance could be catharsis and release, but the aim of dance therapy is that release," says Tripura. So there are no rigid or traditional movements that are to be used. "We start with the movements that come out of the body naturally and develop from there."

With the diverse profile of clients that Tripura has had, she has researched into the individual requirements of quite a few conditions, schizophrenia proving the most challenging. Work has already started in Bangalore, with various schools ready to use dance in education for curricular courses. She hasn't had any feelers from schools in Calcutta as yet, but with the hectic weeklong programme, involving two days in Ranchi as well, Tripura isn't complaining.

Source: The Telegraph
Dated :27th July, 2002