Thursday, January 10, 2008

Dance and me

Yesterday, when I went to my new GYM (no, the Gym is not new, it is me that is new to it!) to attend my first aerobics class there. I was taken aback to hear that the class for the evening has been changed to Latin Dance Class! Nevertheless, I decided to try it. If it is too much for me, I can always run away in the middle of the class faking some urgency to get somewhere!

It was not bad. The lady coach was very cheerful, energetic and she looked so good dancing! Every girl in the hall seemed to do well. I liked the exercise part of it and got some work out - but I wish if I could 'dance' like them. Dance is not just imitating the steps, I can do that, but the grace and the lachak (Hindi term!) has to be congenital.

Here is my dance history!

When I was in primary school, we had the dance class as part of the school curriculum and it was the same song every week. My dad till date remembers that song 'Velli mala thazhathu..maanathu' and we burst out laughing even today. Then in middle school, I remember I practiced in the Thiruvaathira team for school day celebration. Thiruvathira is a Kerala group dance for girls. When the day neared, the teachers moved me from the dance team to the team that sings for it! Was it because I was a better singer, than a dancer? Obviously. Dad and mom kept teasing me for being removed from the dance team!!

I did successfully dress up and take part in Thiruvathira in high school. Probably they needed me for making the count!

When I started working, it was the official parties that killed me. The company hosted parties where there was music and dance.Those had me hide behind the pillars in a chair and take a sneak peek at the bold guys/gals who danced. I was always the one who will get pulled for being a slacker - 'come here and dance, you cant sit there!'.I enjoyed watching people who danced, but never dared to be in that group.

Dancing as a couple - oh God, I dread those too. When you are dressed in suit/dress, with those fancy shoes, I cannot bring myself to swing and sway. I don't think he is big on it either, so we did not have a problem. But I think it would be good to go train for a formal couple dance once in our life!

Recently, it has become a norm at some parties to dance. Here is my logic now - I can dance if the group of friends I am with are really close to me. I can get rid of the inhibitions and do whatever I do coz I know they will accept me as I am. I can also dance if I dont really know them all very well and it does not matter what they think of me. The easiest thing to do is to stand in the floor and clap. I get away with doing that for some time.

I am still fighting the inhibitions and am not 100% comfortable at the thought of dancing in the parties. It does not matter how you look when you dance (especially when the crowd around is half drunk), it is about how happy you are! I realize that all that matters is having fun. I am trying to do more of that.

4 comments:

Laksh said...

I am even more chicken than you are :) BTW where is this gym you go to? I would love to have company. Nice post! Adding you to my blogroll btw.

Laksh said...

You are tagged!

Anonymous said...

Interesting to know.

anamika said...

@Renata - welcome here!