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| Dance dance |
| Friday, October 13, 2006 |
A friend of mine, who I often see at the gym has been trying to coax me to come to those group classes they offer everyday. I have been shirking away from attending them. Initially because I knew I didnt have the stamina to take it on. I didnt want to look like a loser huffing and puffing doing everything out of sync because I got tired quickly. All the same I used to look into the room with a yearning look, watch the chic women move their bodies with agility. Yesterday it was a series of Dance related classes, and I decided to give it a shot. How bad can it be, it is just dancing to music.
The first time I ever danced on stage in front of an audience was when I was 11 years old. We had just moved to Chennai from Bombay, to a new Quarters, with lots of kids in the same age group as I was. It didnt matter if you didnt dance well, everyone was included. They organized cultural events for Independance Day and Republic Day. And later we organized something called 'Quarters Day' conveniently in the month of May. A lot of preparation went into preparing for the big day. Almost a month before the D-day, all our play time in the evenings were utilized for practice.
My first dance was for 'Chinna chinna vannkuyil' from 'Mouna Raagam'. We were three girls dressed in Pattu paavadai, and a dupatta borrowed from Akkas pinned on our heads, dancing elegantly to the song in front of the Quarters crowd. It was greatly appreciated, we thought we were so good, we started planning dances for every other event to follow. :--D We got ideas from school, ripped of cassettes, and dance moves and utilized them here. In May, we spent every single day of the month to practice for the various events like dance, skit and singing that we participated in. It was the most fun Summer Vacation I had ever. There was a house in the quarters that was empty which we got permission to use for our practice sessions. At this time we were experienced dancers and we even choreographed the dance sequence for the younger kids. :--D The song was 'Chinna chinna aasai'. We bigger girls danced for 'Aasai adhigam vachu' choreographed by a bigger Akka, from College. It was a grand success.
Later on, I started choreographing my own dances, I didnt have any stage fear, had become matured enough to do solo performances, did a few more dances for special occasions at Dad's office, and also at the Church. I remember dancing for 'Konjum nilavu' from 'Thiruda thiruda' and from 'Yaayre yaayre' from Rangeela with a bunch of kids my brother's age. :--D
In College my dancing was limited to off stage free style dancing during Light Music after symposiums, culturals and hostel day events.
During my second Summer in Graduate School, I enrolled for Ballroom Dancing. The course was taught by a professor, who I am sure was gay, it was written all over his face and his body language. I enjoyed the class though I messed up easily. I struggled to remember the sequence, and move with grace at the same time. But since the class had both boys and girls, and given boys are naturally not made for moving their hips and hang on to the rhythm, I wasnt the worst in the class after all. I did get the rhythm, but just the leg wrong. I learnt all flavours of Western Dance, from Waltz, on to Tango, Rumba, Cha cha, Salsa, Mamba. It was a pleasant experience, and I did pass the class. One of my lab mates was a ballroom dance enthusiast. He used to always coax me into coming for those free sessions they had at the Union. Some nights in the lab were spent discussing dance moves, and dance music instead of doing research work :--D
Coming back to yesterday, when I went for those Dances classes, crushing my little left ego, I was all limbs through out the class. :--( I simply couldnt get the leg right, I couldnt move my hips, basically I was totally out of sync with the instructor and the rest of the class. They have these huge mirrors all along the four walls, and it was mostly embarrassing to watch myself, moving my arms and legs pretending to dance! But it could have been worse, atleast I knew some of the basic moves, like Salsa, Cha cha, Mamba, from my Ballroom Dance class, even though the complex sequence were way too complicated to get in the one minute she taught.
But I am not giving up, I may not be a good dancer, but hey practice makes perfect, and I am going to practice and pratice and not give up. Besides, the dance steps are made to wake up every part of your body, muscle you never knew existed, and it is also a lot of fun! |
posted by SK @ 6:47 PM  |
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| 4 Comments: |
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Good singer, good dancer, good student - you seem to be a complete all rounder :-)! Hats off to you :-D!
I went for salsa classes sometime this year too. I really liked it :-) - but I doubt I will ever be confident enough perform in front of someone!
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Arey what Archana,
You are making fun of me.
You didnt read the last pargraph of my post? I suck at it. :--(
Yes salsa is a lot of fun if only I can get my steps right :--)
All those performances were when I was young, you know how adults appreciate every single thing kids do.
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Oi, I wasn't pulling your leg - honest! I was really appreciating you! Young or old, fact remains, you did something and were good enough to be asked to do it again and again :-)!
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:--), Dank you! You are too nice to me :--))
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Good singer, good dancer, good student - you seem to be a complete all rounder :-)! Hats off to you :-D!
I went for salsa classes sometime this year too. I really liked it :-) - but I doubt I will ever be confident enough perform in front of someone!