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CTRI Number  CTRI/2025/12/099150 [Registered on: 15/12/2025] Trial Registered Prospectively
Last Modified On: 15/12/2025
Post Graduate Thesis  Yes 
Type of Trial  Interventional 
Type of Study   Physiotherapy (Not Including YOGA) 
Study Design  Randomized, Parallel Group Trial 
Public Title of Study   How Bharatanatyam Dance Improves Balance, Flexibility, and Stamina in Young Children 
Scientific Title of Study   Bharatanatyam Dance and Physical Performance: A randomized controlled trial Assessing Balance, Flexibility and Endurance in Children Aged 5 to 9 
Trial Acronym  Nil 
Secondary IDs if Any  
Secondary ID  Identifier 
NIL  NIL 
 
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)  
Name  S Divya 
Designation  Post graduate student in pediatrics physiotherapy  
Affiliation  Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences 
Address  Department of Pediatric Physiotherapy College of Physiotherapy Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences Indira Nagar PONDICHERRY 605006 India PONDICHERRY 605006 India
Room No. 1010 Pediatric OPD Lakshmi Nagar Annamalai Nagar Puducherry 605005 PONDICHERRY
Pondicherry
PONDICHERRY
605006
India 
Phone  6380161947  
Fax  0413-2277594  
Email  divya30shan@gmail.com  
 
Details of Contact Person
Scientific Query  
Name  S Rathish  
Designation  Associate Professor and Head Department of Pediatric Physiotherapy 
Affiliation  Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences 
Address  Room No. 1010 Pediatric OPD Lakshmi Nagar Annamalai Nagar Puducherry 605005 PONDICHERRY

Pondicherry
PONDICHERRY
605005
India 
Phone  9944319384  
Fax  0413-2277594  
Email  rathish@mtpgrihs.ac.in  
 
Details of Contact Person
Public Query  
Name  S Rathish  
Designation  Associate Professor and Head Department of Pediatric Physiotherapy 
Affiliation  Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences 
Address  Room No. 1010 Pediatric OPD Lakshmi Nagar Annamalai Nagar Puducherry 605005 PONDICHERRY

Pondicherry
PONDICHERRY
605005
India 
Phone  9944319384  
Fax  0413-2277594  
Email  rathish@mtpgrihs.ac.in  
 
Source of Monetary or Material Support  
nil 
 
Primary Sponsor  
Name  nil 
Address  nil 
Type of Sponsor  Other [nil] 
 
Details of Secondary Sponsor  
Name  Address 
NIL  NIL 
 
Countries of Recruitment     India  
Sites of Study  
No of Sites = 1  
Name of Principal Investigator  Name of Site  Site Address  Phone/Fax/Email 
Sudhakar Divya  Saradha Kalaikoodam, Temple of Arts & Culture  Embalam, Puducherry
Pondicherry
PONDICHERRY 		 6380161947

rathish@mtpgrihs.ac.in 
 
Details of Ethics Committee  
No of Ethics Committees= 1  
Name of Committee  Approval Status 
MTPG & RIHS Institute Ethics Commitee (Human Studies)  Approved 
 
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI  
Status 
Not Applicable 
 
Health Condition / Problems Studied  
Health Type  Condition 
Healthy Human Volunteers  PHYSICAL HEALTH FITNESS  
 
Intervention / Comparator Agent  
Type  Name  Details 
Intervention  bharatnatyam dance  Weeks 1-2: Focus on foundational adavus emphasizing correct posture and balance. Introduction to a few basic mudras and their meanings. Simple facial expressions. Weeks 3-4: Introduce more variations of the basic adavus, increasing the complexity and tempo gradually. Introduce more mudras. Start pairing simple mudras with basic abhinayas. Weeks 5-6: Introduce slightly more complex adavus that further challenge balance and flexibility. Expand the repertoire of mudras and abhinayas, focusing on clearer expression. Introduce very short, simple narrative sequences. Weeks 7-8: Review previously learned material. Focus on improving coordination and fluidity in the simple dance sequences. Encourage more expressive use of abhinayas and mudras within the sequences.  
Comparator Agent  physical education classes  These participants will have no prior formal dance training and will continue their regular school physical education classes. 
 
Inclusion Criteria  
Age From  5.00 Year(s)
Age To  9.00 Year(s)
Gender  Female 
Details  Children aged between 5 and 9 years.
Beginner-level Bharatanatyam dancers for the experimental group, and non-dancer school-going students for the control group.
Parents or legal guardians who provide written informed consent. 
 
ExclusionCriteria 
Details  Presence of recent fractures or injuries that could affect physical performance,any cognitive, psychological, or neuromotor impairments that could hinder understanding or following instructions,Lack of informed consent from parents or legal guardians. 
 
Method of Generating Random Sequence   Stratified randomization 
Method of Concealment   An Open list of random numbers 
Blinding/Masking   Outcome Assessor Blinded 
Primary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
Paediatric balance scale
Toe Touch Test
3 Minutes Kasch Pulse Recovery Test 		 1st week & 8weeks 
 
Secondary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
nil  nil 
 
Target Sample Size   Total Sample Size="66"
Sample Size from India="66" 
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (Total)= "Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (India)="Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials" 
Phase of Trial   N/A 
Date of First Enrollment (India)   08/01/2026 
Date of Study Completion (India) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Date of First Enrollment (Global)  Date Missing 
Date of Study Completion (Global) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Estimated Duration of Trial   Years="0"
Months="6"
Days="0" 
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)   Not Applicable 
Recruitment Status of Trial (India)  Not Yet Recruiting 
Publication Details   N/A 
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement

Will individual participant data (IPD) be shared publicly (including data dictionaries)?  

Response - NO
Brief Summary   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. 
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