Anant Ambani's Fiancée Radhika Merchant Perform Bharatnatyam: What Are Its Health Benefits?

All eyes are on Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, the soon-to-be-married couple whose pre-wedding festivities have been underway for nearly a year. Radhika Merchant’s radiant smile has captivated many, particularly since her first solo Bharatanatyam performance, or arangetram, in June 2022. The bride-to-be is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, much like her future mother-in-law, Nita Ambani, who still performs the dance form. While Bharatanatyam is renowned for its elegance, it also offers numerous physical, mental, and spiritual health benefits.

Bharatanatyam, one of India’s most demanding dance forms, requires significant perseverance and dedication. It offers numerous health benefits, such as enhancing muscle strength, stamina, balance, and cognitive abilities. This dance form demands extensive training and perseverance, exemplified by Radhika Merchant’s eight years of tutelage under Guru Bhavan Thakar at Mumbai’s Shree Nibha Arts dance academy before her arangetram.

History of Bharatanatyam

Bharatanatyam, one of India’s oldest dance forms, originated in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu nearly 2,000 years ago. Over the years, it has influenced the development of various other dance forms. Initially performed in South Indian Hindu temples, Bharatanatyam flourished in the region. Its features include intricate footwork and gestures such as nrita, nritya, and natya. The basic stance involves a squat-like formation with a straight torso, requiring the dancer to balance while moving both hands and legs.

Health Benefits of Bharatanatyam

Good cardio workout: Bharatanatyam is a rigorous dance that serves as an excellent cardio workout. Its movements provide benefits similar to aerobic training. A study published in TMR Non-Drug Therapy found that Bharatanatyam dancers had significantly higher aerobic capacity compared to non-dancers, with the increasing intensity of performance pieces enhancing fitness levels.

Improves flexibility: Bharatanatyam is excellent for improving posture and flexibility. A study in the Bulletin of the Faculty of Physical Therapy revealed that Bharatanatyam requires dancers to maintain their postures for extended periods, imposing significant physical demands. The study, which analyzed 40 female Bharatanatyam dancers aged 18 to 30 and 40 age-matched non-dancers, highlighted the dance's impact on flexibility.

Increases stamina: Similar to other high-intensity exercise regimes, Bharatanatyam boosts stamina. A study in the International Journal of Physiology, Nutrition and Physical Education assessed muscle strength in female Bharatanatyam dancers, concluding that dancers had better lower and upper limb muscle strength than non-dancers and could perform more push-ups.

Improves balance: Bharatanatyam necessitates balancing in a squat-like position for extended periods, involving specific footwork and body turns to create beautiful postures. According to a study in the Journal of Society of Indian Physiotherapists, Bharatanatyam dancers demonstrated superior balance compared to age and gender-matched non-dancers.

Improves concentration: Bharatanatyam can enhance cognitive abilities like concentration and memory. A study presented at the International Conference of the Indian Society of Ergonomics found that Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancers had better cognitive abilities compared to non-dancers, underscoring the memory-intensive nature of these dance forms.