(A Unit of Sri. S. S. Jain Educational Society)(Affiliated to the University of Madras)
Meenambakkam, Chennai – 600 061.
(A Unit of Sri. S. S. Jain Educational Society)
(Affiliated to the University of Madras)
Meenambakkam, Chennai – 600 061.
By N. Mahalakshmi
Dance is not simply an art. It is a spiritual practice. A dancer gets connected to oneself to realize the divine within. The dance transports a dancer from a comfort zone to a growth zone. The essence of every character becomes a magical personality with a unique expression of a dancer while performing. The proverb “Face is the index of the mind” is very true when it creates curiosity in the audience to identify the character/story from the performance. The dancer is performing and experiencing every aspect of the character. The dance practice helps to spot, overcome and eliminate internal demons such as fear, shyness, jealousy, anger, pride, etc. A dancer can see herself through the eyes of others. Any dance form is cosmic yoga to keep a mind and body fit.
Five elements are the primary origin for the manifestation of the main five Indian classical dances. When a dancer performs ‘Odissi’, she/he flows like water. By maintaining the balanced posture and steps of ‘Kuchipudi’, reminding the endurance and strength of the earth. While performing,’ Mohinniattam’, in the rhythmic movement, resonates with the singing air.
Through ‘Bharatnatyam’, transforms into a blazing fire and with ‘Kathakali style’ synergizes with ether. Finally, the dancer reaches the state of ecstasy and spreads the fragrance of ecstasy all around.
In a nutshell, dance is a “Divine Avenue that Navigates Creations towards Ecstasy.
Besides this, Dr Panneerselvam has organized fifty national and international conferences and seminars as director and coordinator. His fields of specialization include Indian Philosophical Traditions, Inter-cultural Philosophy, Postmodern Hermeneutics, Contemporary Continental Philosophy and Tamil Philosophical Tradition. He is a member of Board of Directors of the Asian Network for Comparative Studies on Mind, Chung-Ang University, South Korea, and a member of the editorial committee for the joumnal, Bio-Cosmology-Neo-Aristotelism, Novgorod State University, Russia. He has been a Visiting Professor of the American University of Sovereign Nation, USA and also at Kumamoto University, Japan.
Presently, Dr Panneerselvam is the General Secretary of the Indian Philosophical Congsess. He is also a Member of the Academic Committee, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Simla, and Member of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi. He is also the Ombudsperson for the Grievance Redressal Cell of Agurchand Manmull Jain College since he academic year 2022-2023.