"Dancer's Pose, or Natarajasana: A Comprehensive Guide"
Dive into the world of yoga and learn how to perform the captivating Dancer's Pose (Natarajasana), a pose that embodies the spiritual and artistic essence of Lord Shiva, the cosmic dancer.
Steps to Perform Natarajasana
- Begin by standing tall in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), the foundation of many yoga poses.
- Shift your weight onto your right foot and ground firmly through the standing foot, engaging the glutes and core to stabilize your pelvis.
- Bend your left knee behind you and reach back with your right hand to grip the inner ankle or foot.
- Keep the standing leg strong and straight, but not locked.
- Begin to lift the grabbed foot upwards and back, simultaneously lifting your chest forward and up, creating a gentle backbend.
- Externally rotate the shoulders as you hold the back foot to open the chest and keep the hips square.
- Extend your left arm forward or use a wall or chair for balance support.
- Press your hand into your foot and foot into your hand to create a stable isometric engagement.
- Inhale deeply, deepening the backbend slightly, lifting the heart more while maintaining balance and core engagement.
- Hold the pose, breathing steadily. To deepen the stretch, you can fold forward slightly while continuing to pull the foot back.
- Exhale and soften the pose gently when ready to release.
For beginners, modifications such as using a wall for support and starting with a strap can make the pose more accessible. As you strengthen the muscles involved, you can gradually work towards removing these supports.
Benefits of Natarajasana
This sequence emphasizes balance, strength, and opening the chest and heart while stretching the hip flexors and strengthening the standing leg and core. Natarajasana also strengthens leg muscles, primarily the quadriceps in the standing leg.
Regular practice of Natarajasana improves balance and concentration, stimulating the nervous system, promoting energy and vitality throughout the body. The combination of balance and backbend in Natarajasana enhances flexibility, particularly in the thighs, groins, abdomen, and spine.
Monthly Challenge and Rewards
This month's Pose of the Month challenge is Natarajasana- Dancer's Pose. To enter, participants must share a post of the pose of the month on their IG feed, tag the platform, and share it to their stories, also tagging the platform. Participants can win the Online 200hr Foundation Yoga Teacher Training or a discount on in-person Yoga Teacher Training Programs.
Details about the pose of the month are provided in a detailed blog post and a 20-minute video. A free class with Victoria is also available for Dancer's Pose. Both training options enable participants to become certified yoga teachers and teach anywhere around the world.
Embrace the grace and power of the Dancer's Pose (Natarajasana) and join the yoga community in this month's Pose of the Month challenge.
Incorporate the Dancer's Pose (Natarajasana) into your health-and-wellness routine to experience its benefits, which include improving balance, concentration, and energy levels. This fitness-and-exercise move also promotes flexibility, particularly in the thighs, groins, abdomen, and spine. For those interested in becoming a yoga teacher, the Monthly Challenge and Rewards offers a chance to win the Online 200hr Foundation Yoga Teacher Training, or receive a discount on in-person Yoga Teacher Training Programs. This lifestyle choice extends beyond the home-and-garden realm, as it involves a mix of science, art, and spirituality, similar to the science behind yoga teacher training courses.
