Some philosopher once said,” Dancing
is the poetry of the foot”, I will second that. When we watch those dance
reality shows and talent hunt programmes where people dance as if it is just a
piece of cake, at some point our mind whispers “ oh it looks easy, I can also
dance.” But truth is a bit different.
All
my life I fancied dancing. Honestly, I did dance here and there in my school
and high school. I won’t even call it dancing, it’s just moving around a bit in
the music that was being played. Deep down inside I wanted to be a dancer. My
mum knew about it. I used to tell her how much I want to learn dancing and how
I want to be the most popular dancer in the world.
Unfortunately
with time and maturity, it became just a wish that a wishful dream. I got carried
away with the hustle bustle of life and dancing was nothing more than getting a
drink and dancing to live music when the vodka gets to your head. But even with
that I have never given up watching people dance. Those professional people
gave me that breathless moment and the Goosebumps.
In the beginning of 2014 I
also made one resolution. I convinced myself that I will learn how to dance. So I did join a
class, Classical Indian form of dancing called Kathak. Now the question is why
not Salsa, Jazz or Bollywood (which is more popular in Kathmandu)? The answer
is I always had eastern classical when I
thought of learning to dance.
It was
difficult to find a good teacher because in Nepal anyone who can move a bit of
their arse is a dance teacher or a choreographer. I don’t mean to disrespect
anyone but this is a reality. So, I found this lady who had done her Masters in
Dancing from Allahabad and had been teaching Kathak for past six years. Bingo!
Amby just got lucky.
I
mustered courage and visited the studio, met her and instantly I felt a very
good vibration from her, which is most essential when you are learning
something. She explained to me that a lot of people come with all excitement in
the beginning and quit the class within 2 months time. I said I won’t quit on
her. She smiled and said we shall see.
So I
started my lessons and trust me!!it is not what we see in the television. What we
see in the television is most of the time only the end result. After the first class
I couldn’t sleep the whole night, my arms and legs were dead and I was in a lot
of pain. But I knew it would happen so somewhere back of my mind I was mentally
prepared. I dreaded my second class, thinking of the pain that will come after
the practice but I pushed myself to go.
There
is a lot of technicality when you dance and these things you know only when you
are learning it professionally. The hand should not be bent more than 75
degrees, the arms should be exactly 180degrees when you spread it, your eyes
should be focused and so on. And sadly I
had an illusion that I can dance.
Three
months gone, and I was still struggling with the synchronization of my arms and
legs. My foot should make a “thaap” sound when I bang it….and that is everytime
when I bang. I couldn’t feel my foot skin. It was all dead by now. I had to
scrub it everytime I got back from class, so that I don’t have cracked heels. I
started to feel this is not how I wanted to feel when I do dancing.
I was
trying to make excuses to myself before each class. I don’t wanna go, but I
wanna go. That dilemma was killing me. This was solely my decision and no one else
so I am responsible for all of it. I couldn’t quit coz I didn’t want to
disappoint myself but I want to quit coz
this was out of my expectations.
Oh
tell you what, on top of that my teacher is a perfectionist. When she says she
wants it this way, she WANTS it the same way. Even if we are of the same age,….almost….she
yells at me. It is indeed embarrassing infront of others. I don’t like to be
yelled at, but it was my mistake that I was not doing my homework properly and
going to the class. Yet I didn’t quit. I told her again, I won’t quit so
easily.
Six months
gone, now I can sync my foot movements with my arms, I can play the expressions
in my eyes. I finally got that sound from my foot every time I bang it.
Yesterday she told me there is a tremendous improvement in my dancing and she is
happy. I am happy too. At last I am again enjoying it. I can feel the movement
now. I might not be perfect yet but I know I am getting there.
My teacher and I have
given each other 6 months. We have completed it and we are going for our next 6
months. I look funny when I dance amongst these kids, but who cares; there is
not age bar for learning, there is no rule that you can only learn when you are
young. My friends laughed at me (well! they still do) when I told them I am
going for classes, they make fun of me but what they don’t realize is that when
you think you have come to an age where you can’t learn something new is the
time you actually stop bettering yourself in life.
So do you think you can
dance????
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