Dancers Pose: Natarajasana
Name: Dancers Pose
Sanskrit: Natarajasana
Pronunciation: NAH-tah-rahj-AHS-ah-na
Alternative Names: Lord of the dance pose, King Dancer Pose, and Dancing Shiva Yoga Pose
Pose Level: Natarajasana is a pose for intermediate level
Anatomy Involved:
Dancer Pose is a deep backbend that requires patience, focus, and persistence. It targets the legs and core muscles and helps improve body balance.
Benefits:
- Dancer Pose enhances body balance, awareness, concentration, postural cognition, and kinesthesia.
- It augments energy, reduces fatigue, and elevates confidence.
- Natarajasana helps strengthen the feet, ankles, legs, core, back, and arms.
- It also broadens the front body, including the chest, stomach, hips, and shoulders.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Stand in Mountain posture and face the mat. Notice your pelvis and trunk symmetry. Alternatively, you can stand facing the top of the mat, feet together;
- Then, draw one leg in towards the chest using both arms;
- Now, begin to press into the mat with the one grounded foot;
- Contract the standing leg quadriceps and tighten the glutes toward the midline;
- Your gaze should be forward;
- Then, grab the ankle of the raised leg with the left arm only, and attempt to bring the bent leg toward the back;
- At this time the bent leg should be in line with the standing leg;
- Lean forward slightly, bring the bent leg back with the left arm. Simultaneously, bring the right arm across the body and grab the “lifted foot”.
- Reaching underneath with the left arm, once again grab the outside of the lifted food. Then turn your torso back to center;
- The right arm now goes up and then back to the foot of the bent leg to also grab a hold;
- Pull upward and straighten the standing leg;
- This is the final pose.
Pose Modifications:
For example, could the yogi use a supportive pillow, blanket. Is there another variation of the maneuver?
- For maximum opening in your chest, grab your bowed leg with both hands. To alter shoulder stretch slightly, try holding the foot from the inside.
- To enhance your body, balance your position near a wall to hold with one hand.
- You may also try a strap to bring your lower leg upward.
Related Article: Improve & Complete Your Yoga Routine: The Essential Yoga Props
Contraindications:
If you have following conditions avoid Natarajasana:
- Ankle or back injury
- Dizziness
- Balance issues
- Make sure to protect your bent knee by not locking or flexing it.
Poses Commonly Transitioned too:
Standing Forward Bend (body folds forward), Downward-Facing Dog Pose (body inversion), and Child’s Pose (body kneels) are transition postures to dancer pose.
Poses Commonly Used Before Hand:
In preparation for the dancer pose, practice balancing postures and stretches like Tree Pose, Cow Face Pose, Low Lunge, Humble Warrior, Hero Pose, One-Legged King Pigeon Pose, and Camel pose.
