Salsa,Jive and the Cha Cha Cha.

I was intiated into formal dancing at the tender age of 6 years.Like any Tam Bram girl I was learning Bharathanatyam.The school in which I studied encouraged Indian art and motivated the students by giving them various platforms to showcase their talents.Performing well meant good recognition amongst teachers and classmates.Being rotund in size did not deter me from qualifying to the finals of the Bharat Kalachar Scholarship for exceptional performance in Classical dance.Thereafter my dancing career spiralled down due to health problems.

I loved dancing.Bharatnatyam especially called for poise , grace and a unique blend of facial expressions .Since my formal dancing career was defunct , I tried my hand at dancing for any kind of music that I heard.This usually consisted of Tamil Gaana songs,or sizzling hip hop music.The dancing was all done in the confines of my room or at New year parties with my family.This kind of informal dancing was fun mainly because I was tapping my legs to the tunes of good music.

After years of no formal training,when I got an oppurtunity to learn the Salsa,Jive and the Cha Cha Cha I was thrilled.These three dance form unlike Bharathanatyam require a partner.Its more like a team effort.If you manage to master all the steps and happen to feel glum about it , you are completely mistaken.You might still end up looking silly in front of the crowd if your partner is gauche.So its all about getting the rhythm and being in sync.Unlike Bharatnatyam these dance forms require no specific facial expressions other than carrying a smile on your face.The thrust is on the leg and hand movements done gracefully and in tune with the music.
But like any other dance form , its a great way to get some exercise.

My legs and hands are aching , but I dont seem to mind it.Afterall learning any form of dance is tough be it Kathakali, Odissi,or Salsa.

But yes , learning a form of art gives a lot of creative satisfaction.