Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jun 24.
doi: 10.1007/s10912-024-09861-1. Online ahead of print.

The Use of Hand Gestures (Hastas) in Bharatanatyam for Creative Aging

Sloka Iyengar  1
Affiliations

The Use of Hand Gestures (Hastas) in Bharatanatyam for Creative Aging

Sloka Iyengar. J Med Humanit. .

Abstract

Bharatanatyam is a traditional Indian dance form that involves the use of facial expressions and body movements to tell stories. A key aspect of Bharatanatyam is the use of hand gestures, also known as hastas, which are used to communicate with specificity and precision. Hastas are symbols, and along with facial expressions and body movements that are contextually relevant, they help to communicate narratives. I am a neuroscientist and have been immersed in Bharatanatyam for 25 years; true to the tradition of the form that emphasizes lifelong scholarship and immersion, I continue to learn from my gurus and supplement my dance training with the study of Carnatic music and Sanskrit. My journey in creative aging started after losing my mother and witnessing the lack of access to expressive movement that was available to her; for fear of falls, my previously-dynamic mother spent the last three months of her life without leaving the bed or feeling the sunshine on her skin. By using hastas in the context of creative aging, I describe how we can promote the acquisition of new skills, the physical benefits even in the face of arthritis and limited mobility, the ability to ascribe meaning to the gestures, and the capability to form new meanings and new gestures that are contemporary and relevant to the lives of older adults. Above all, we can engage older adults actively in the creation and appreciation of art.

Keywords: Hastas; Age-friendly; Arts-based methods; Bharatanatyam; Creative aging; Geriatrics; Older adults; Story; Symbols.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Ager, C. L., L. W. White, W. L. Mayberry, P. A. Crist, and M. E. Conrad. 1981. "Creative aging." Int J Aging Hum Dev 14 (1):67-76. https://doi.org/10.2190/65xq-ju8v-e8a4-lgv0 .
    1. Bharata-muni (2nd century BCE), The Natyashastra. Bibliotheca Indica-A collection of oriental works. Translated by Manomohan Ghosh. Work 272, Issue 1559. https://jambudveep.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/natyashastra... .
    1. Bureau, Population Reference. 2021. "Fact sheet: U.S. dementia trends." Population Reference Bureau. Accessed January 30. https://www.prb.org/resources/fact-sheet-u-s-dementia-trends/ .
    1. CDC. 2023. "Arthritis related statistics." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed January 30. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm .
    1. Chacur, Karima, Rodrigo Serrat, and Feliciano Villar. 2022. "Older adults’ participation in artistic activities: a scoping review." European Journal of Ageing 19 (4):931-944. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-022-00708-z . - DOI

LinkOut - more resources