Most of the people who?ve come across So Many Journeys are full of praise for her coffee-table book, but danseuse Geeta Chandran (left) cannot help feel a sense of discontent. ?I put so much thought into the text. But all people talk about are the photographs,? she rues.

Her misgivings, though, might be a little uncalled for. At 40, Chandran looks like a million bucks, and it is indeed difficult to stop looking at her photographs and start reading the texts. The one-of-its-kind book is truly a visual treat. Not just because of the aesthetics of Chandran?s face that the photographers have reproduced with perfection, but because you understand what the phrase ?the figure of a dancer? really means when you look at her photographs.

Chandran, clearly, likes to celebrate her body, and has the necessary ingredients for that. You begin to realise her amazing agility as she strikes one of the most difficult poses in Bharat Natyam at the blink of an eye. ?This is the semi-squatting position, and it takes a lot out of our pelvic muscles and knees,? she explains. In the last 20 years, she says, traditional dance has gone through a sea change. ?Now, we have to perform a lot more often than the dancers of the last generation,? she says. Dancing alone, therefore, is not enough to remain fit. There is a lot more to it.

Chandran is among the new age Bharat Natyam dancers who?ve realised that now that the dance form is out of the temples and onto the stage, it has to be rethought. ?We have to market the dance now. We have to organise shows, print our own brochures, select our costumes and then make the dance form more interesting and not just an evening of classical entertainment,? says Chandran. The mantra is to respond to current needs, she says. And for that, the dancer will have to keep herself a lot fitter, and not treat Bharat Natyam as a leisurely activity that one can do in one?s own time, she says.

When she was learning the art, Chandran went ahead with practice, without a prelude. Now, having learnt from experience, she asks her students to start with a few warm-up exercises, not a part of the Bharat Natyam routine. ?But those few minutes are extremely important, as they prepare the body for the difficult positions, and strengthen the required muscles and bones,? she explains.

Her own fitness regime begins at six in the morning. Yoga is followed by pranayam and then meditation. A traditionalist, she believes in the ethnic way to fitness, and is not much of the gym-going kind of person. For her, a rigorous physical activity would be a walk around the premises of the local club near her Gulmohur Park residence in Delhi. However, during this walk, she connects with nature, and says her soul is affected by the changing of seasons, colours, flowers, trees and birds.

Chandran believes that it is only now ? 20 years after she decided to drop her job in media research and take up dance as a full-time profession ? that she has finally come of age as an artiste. ?Earlier, you are obsessed with whether your mudras are flawless, and whether your pose is perfect. But as you grow with the dance form, you realise there is so much more,? she says. Chandran has now perfected the art of the right costumes, the right look and expressions, and the best way to make her body look beautiful on stage and on the page.

How dancing helps

Geeta Chandran says Bharat Natyam is a total regime for the body and the mind. Since the dance is a beautiful combination of yoga, movement, mythology, music, etc., it is complete in its own way and opens up the mind, says Chandran.

It improves concentration among children and helps them develop better eating and sleeping habits. Children who learn Bharat Natyam also study better.

You are also more in charge of your movements, mainly because the mudras are all about control. “At the same time, your soul comes alive with every performance,” says Chandran.

Dance is also therapeutic and helps people with disabilities lead better lives. One of Chandran’s students had a problem with the movement of her arms after she suffered from juvenile jaundice in her early years. She’s more flexible now. Chandran’s moment of triumph came when one of her students with a hearing disability performed flawlessly on stage after years of practice.

Up the pole

Stars who dance to stay fit:

• “As far as keeping her curvaceous body in trim, Catherine (Zeta-Jones) admits that, frankly, sport bores her and she doesn’t go for the muscular feminine form. Instead, her secret to maintaining that hourglass figure is dance. Zeta Jones is an expert tap dancer.”

Hello Magazine

• “Thanks to celebrities such as Sadie Frost, Heather Graham and Zoe Ball — who are all fans of the saucy dance — pole dancing is fast becoming one of fitness’ hottest trends. Even top model Kate Moss — who recently showed off her prowess on the pole in a video for top rockers The White Stripes — has confessed to loving the sexy sport.”

The Sun Online

• Many celebrities are pole dancing to stay in shape, including Pamela Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Goldie Hawn — and even Oprah! Pole dancing has become the hot ticket in spicing up your romance, gaining self-confidence and getting into shape.

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