Karma Yoga - Teach Them How to Dance

Lets enhance their Self-Esteem by Teaching them How to Dance 

In the past one year we have interacted extensively with the children in Nallur. We have mostly focused our efforts on teaching them various subjects such as Science, Mathematics and English. However in certain instances we have also engaged them in fun activities such as sports and dancing. From these interactions I have observed that the children in Nallur are very intelligent and are quick learners. They are able to grasp concepts in Maths and Science quiet easily.

But there is an area where I believe the kids at Nallur are naturally gifted. They love dancing and are actually very good at it. I have always been amazed by their ability learn and perform difficult dance steps without any formal guidance.  They truly seem to have a flair for dancing.

I believe we should nurture this talent and try to help these kids realize their true potential in dancing. I am definitely not suggesting that we reduce the regular efforts we put in to teach them Science, Math’s and English.  But I do recommend the institution of a dance school in Nallur. We have already formed a science club which I am sure will help students gain a lot of insights on various scientific concepts from experts. The next step could be to set up a dance learning center at Nallur and organize dance classes there.  I was actually talking to some of the villagers today to see what they thought about the formation of a dance school in Nallur. The villagers sounded really excited about the idea.

So the question that arises is this. Agreed that the kids are naturally talented, how will getting better at dancing help them in their life?

To this the simple answer is that we want to ensure the holistic development of the children. It’s about boosting their self-confidence and making them realize how good they can really be at something. It’s about catching them young when they can be groomed most optimally.  It is a well-known fact that teaching young children how to dance not only boosts physical development, but also instills emotional maturity and social awareness. Dancing also helps them improve their cognitive skills. 

“Dance provides young children multiple perspectives. It is a foundation of experience necessary for the future development of more advanced skills and a way to affirm an inner life and alternate realities”.(Stinson 1990)

As a part of the Karma Yoga project isn’t this what we want to do? Don’t we want to enhance the self-esteem of the children in our village? Don’t we want them to develop enhanced sensory cognition, awareness and consciousness that will help them throughout their lives?        

I feel this can be achieved by organizing dance classes at Nallur and by setting up a dance school. We can collaborate with professional dance teachers and experts to teach various forms of dancing. Great Lakes students can also pitch in. 

I have seen the enthusiasm the children in my village have for dancing. The talent /enthusiasm of the children coupled with professional guidance will ensure the success of this initiative.