A dance workshop aims to improve communication and understanding between parents and children

As teenagers, we have all gone through the ordeal of feeling that nobody cares about or understands our thoughts, feelings and aspirations. That no matter how hard we try, things just don't work out between our parents and us. For those of you caught in such a situation, here's good reason to stop fretting.

'Let's Talk in Dance' — a workshop to facilitate communication between parents and their children will be held at the Father Barco Hall, St Xavier's Church, Camp on December 13. The one-day experiential workshop is the brainchild of clinical psychologist Dr Natasha D'Cruz, who's also a trained dancer. "Dance is the hidden language of the soul. If you've ever wished that you and your parents spoke the same language or wished you could comprehend what your child is saying, then this is for you," informs Dr D'Cruz.

For a clinical psychologist to also be a qualified dancer is a little unusual. So, how did her two varied interests came together in this venture? "Movement therapy (involving dance and music) was part of my PhD thesis in Clinical Psychology and since I was already trained in jazz ballet, the amalgamation seemed quite natural," says Dr D'Cruz. "A large number of my patients are teenagers, who are distraught at having differences with their parents and claim that they have to rely solely on peer support to get their voices heard. The focus of this workshop will be to break barriers of communication by using expressive art forms as a medium," she adds.

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