DANCE DANCE

I have always believed that every dance form has two halves- Feet and Heart. God was kind enough to bless me with the heart. For most of my life I utilized this gift for the sole purpose of celebration viz. weddings, Saturday night outs and festivals. Unknowingly it had transformed me from an avid dancer to a passionate being. So three months ago I decided to train my feet as well. I enrolled in a dance fitness institute. After the initial hesitation subsided, I was gradually able to let go of my inhibitions. I got my certification in August this year.

Being a certified dance instructor is one thing but teaching the same dance to complete strangers is an entirely different ball game. Maybe I didn’t have enough experience; maybe I was too old, maybe I just couldn’t remember the choreographies. All such discouraging notions stared at me every time I wore the instructor’s cap.

I still remember all the faces that never returned after their trial lessons with me. An entire new batch had rejected me. My energy was questioned and I really did not know where to go from there. I stopped going to the dance studio. In my recluse I locked myself up in the basement and listened to all those music tracks over and over again. The end of my dancing career sounded so sweet over the I-pod. I would sit there for hours (sometimes stand) trying to picture every posture, every facial expression, every hand movement and I practiced those nuances in front of the mirror all alone.

Yesterday I got a call from the owner of the dance studio. His assistant was ill and he was out of station. I reluctantly accepted to be the substitute. They wanted me to take one class comprising of only three tracks. I had no plans for the afternoon. But the thought of all those eyes following my every move made me sweat in that air conditioned room. But I guess I owed the gentleman a favour.

So I walked in to the room of mirrors where everyone mimicked my form. They traced my footsteps. Some even gawked at the sheer effortlessness of my entire routine. That day I took not one but four classes. I showed toddlers how dance could be a game. I corrected the posture of an elderly couple rehearsing for their 25^th anniversary celebrations. To be really honest I merely convinced myself that every dance form has two parts- Heart and Feet.God blessed me with the Heart. the Heart gave me Wings.