Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)

Advancedbalance

Root the standing leg firmly. Engage the thigh and lift the kneecap.

A graceful backbend on one leg — reach back to catch your foot and arc open like the cosmic dancer Shiva Nataraja.

Key points

•Standing leg straight and strong
•Back foot held from the inside with the back hand
•Front arm reaching forward and upward
•Chest opens as the back leg kicks up

Practice with Guru Ananda

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Hold each pose, breathe, and let the guide speak.

Theory & Technique

Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose) is named after Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva whose cosmic dance symbolises the cycle of creation and destruction. The practitioner balances on one leg while holding the back foot and pressing it away from the body, creating a deep backbend and a graceful arc from fingertip to toes. The standing leg must be locked in and stable, with the quadricep fully engaged. The back leg kicks into the hand to deepen the backbend — the hand does not simply pull the foot. A common mistake is compressing the lower back by crunching rather than extending through the entire spine. Think of the chest lifting toward the ceiling while the back foot presses toward the sky.

Fun Fact

The iconic Nataraja sculpture, depicting Shiva in a ring of fire performing his cosmic dance, is the emblem of CERN — the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. A statue was gifted to CERN by the Government of India in 2004 to symbolize the parallels between the cosmic dance and the dance of subatomic particles.

Step-by-step guide

Follow these steps to get into the pose correctly.

1
Stand in Mountain Pose. Shift your weight firmly onto your left foot.
2
Bend your right knee and reach your right hand back to catch the inside of the right foot or ankle.
3
Inhale and extend your left arm forward and upward, reaching toward the ceiling.
4
Begin to kick the right foot into the right hand, pressing it back and up away from you.
5
As the back leg lifts, allow the torso to tilt slightly forward while keeping the chest open and lifted.
6
Press the standing foot firmly into the mat and lengthen through both the front arm and back leg.
7
Hold for 5 breaths, gazing forward or at the front hand, then slowly release and switch sides.

Benefits

Deeply stretches the shoulders, chest, and hip flexors

Strengthens the standing leg, ankle, and core

Improves spinal flexibility and back extension

Develops balance, poise, and mental focus

Opens the front body and counteracts rounded-shoulder posture

Watch the real thing

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