HEALING WOUNDS AND CHANGING LIVES: A STUDY OF DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY IN INDIA

Abstract

There has been a lot of work on dance but the majority of it is still limited to the aesthetics of performing arts. This research project aims at expanding this field by understanding its relationship to society and community development in India. My objective is to understand the ways in which dance is used as a mode of recovery in India and how it aids in healing and rehabilitating an individual.

I conducted semi-structured interviews and participant observation sessions in three big cities of India namely Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. I spoke to both dance therapists and their patients to understand the ways in which dance has helped them overcome certain personal struggles. My broad aim is to examine how dancers that are socially committed can impact their communities using dance that is not only aesthetically engaging but that which could also be an effective means of social development.