Dilip Cherian

I happened to meet a well-known dancer recently who has been keeping ill health for a while. I went to meet her at her house and got to know that she is sleep deprived and lack of sleep is the reason that she is not able to dance for a few years now.

And when she was telling me her health issues, she mentioned that she gets nightmares all the time and these nightmares and bad dreams keep her awake all the time. The terrifying dreams have become so bad that she is afraid to even sleep. This has caused all problems in her dancing life.
Dreams and nightmares are subconscious clues that our body and mind try to give us. She is trying to discover herself as to why she gets these nightmares for over a year now. To understand and decipher them, we need to get to the bottom of what they actually are trying to indicate. She said she gets five recurring dreams all the time and is trying to find out what these nightmares could be an indication of. Her illness got me thinking that I too did get similar dreams sometime or the other.
I asked a dear student of mine, who is a friend and a well-known doctor for personal issue and problems. Dr Anjali Chabbria helped me write this piece today. The legendary dancer had the following dreams and this is what they normally indicate I am told:
Teeth falling, crumbling or being spat out while giving a dance lecture: It’s usually an indication of communication problems that you have been facing at work or at home. It reveals your anxiety about getting your words out. If you are facing this problem, the best thing to do is practise before you decide to face an audience. Make a note of the points you want to talk about so that you don’t get nervous and skip them. As a dancer we always practise before we step on stage or prepare for our lecture on dance.
Falling from the stage and are dead: Emotionally one is drained out and this nightmare could indicate the turmoil one is facing inside. Talk to someone you are close to and get the support you need to voice your feelings.
Naked on the dance floor: This is a sign of your vulnerability, or fear of talking in public and being judged for it. It could also be about a fear of expressing your feelings. The best way to handle this is to face your fears. Work towards building trust if it’s a relationship anxiety that you are dealing with. And well, if it is fear of speaking in public, remember, practice makes perfect.
Having a spat with legendary dancers and choreographers: You maybe miffed with a person, but are not venting it out; as a result, you are frustrated. Try to work on your relationship and avoid holding on to negative feelings.
Chased by something dangerous: This is generally a sign of fears and responsibilities that you just can’t cope with. Try time management and review your demands on your time so that things don’t seem that daunting. Don’t be afraid to say no if you are not in a position to cope with such a situation.
After talking to Dr Anjali about her case, I asked them to meet and I hope the amazing dancer benefits from Dr Anjali’s expertise. She was known for her dance perfection, grace and immaculate shows. Every performance of hers was picture perfect so well rehearsed and presented.
I just hope and pray that she gets well soon and we all can see her perform again, she is true magic on the floor and I hope that she can mesmerise us all over again soon.
Lets all pray for her speedy recovery.