Bharatanatyam Dance and Physical Performance: A randomized controlled trial Assessing Balance, Flexibility and Endurance in Children Aged 5 to 9

Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles among children have become a major public health concern, often leading to reduced motor skills, poor posture,and diminished fitness levels. Dance, particularly Indian classical forms, offers a structured, enjoyable, and culturally relevant mode of physical activity. Bharatanatyam, with its intricate postures, rhythmic footwork, and expressive gestures, can enhance balance, flexibility, muscle strength, and cardiovascular endurance. However, limited evidence exists on its therapeutic use in paediatric populations. Hence, this study aims to determine the effect of Bharatanatyam dance training on physical fitness parameters in children aged 5 – 9 years. This randomized controlled trial included 66 school children aged between 5 – 9 years. Participants were stratified by age and randomly assigned into two groups. Group A 33 received an 8-week structured Bharatanatyam dance training program (3 sessions per week, 45 minutes each), while Group B continued with their regular school physical activities. Outcome measures included the Pediatric Balance Scale, Toe Touch Test and 3-minute Kasch Pulse Recovery Test. Pre- and post-test assessments were conducted and statistically analysed.The findings revealed a significant improvement in balance, flexibility and endurance among the experimental group Bharatanatyam dancer and Non Bharatanatyam dancer. Within-group analysis further confirmed that Bharatanatyam training produced statistically significant gains across all three fitness parameters.The study concludes that Bharatanatyam dance training is an effective intervention to improve balance, flexibility, and endurance in children aged 5 – 9 years. It can be integrated into school physical education programs as a culturally relevant, engaging, and evidence-based strategy to promote overall health and motor development in children.