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A true crossover
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Dandiya fever has caught on big time with foreigners going in for dance classes as SMITA PYLEE discovers
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Sticking it out bruised knuckles and all — Photo: K. Ramesh Babu
THEY CAME to help polish our accents... and fell for our ishtyle of letting legs and batons talk at the same time. So, this group of teachers from the US, now divides their day into two productive parts. Part I - they help green card-aspirants roll out those r's and z's in the deep-throated Yankee way. Part II - they sweat it out at the garba-dandiya classes at Steps, the dance school at Banjara Hills. It is another matter that the instructor has to remind them not to beat each other's batons to pulp. "We are only into the second day. It will get better," responds Tisha to repeated entreaties for `subtlety'.
The six-member team is here as part of the International Cultural Exchange and teaches at Vishwas, the American Accent Training Centre at Ameerpet. They were bitten by the dandiya bug at the Dasara celebration hosted by the Rotary Club in Kompally.
"It was so vibrant. We wanted to have a go at it," says Amanta, a native of Oklahoma. After the six-day course in Steps, (at a fee of Rs. 600) the teachers have serious plans to perform at the Dasara festivities they get invited to.
Bruised n' loving it
On the first day, the class was declared a minor disaster zone. The sticks landed right on the partner's knuckles and the swirls and twists took some time in coming. "There were bruises all over. I enjoyed my mistakes, though," says John, Tisha's husband.
Amit Kumar, the instructor, is optimistic. "They picked up fast and should be able to grasp the basics in six days," he says. As the class progressed, with the remixed version of panchi banoon, udke phiroon mast gagan main... ' blaring in the background, the group eased into rhythmic steps. Symmetry was not found wanting either. What if some had to do with plastic rods and imaginary batons...
Steps' artistic director, Prithviraj is keen on providing the "original" touch. "You are conveying your love to god through this dance form. It has to be authentic," he reasons.
The team, which will return home next July, is busy collecting colourful memories. And some like these, `stick' out.
There were bruises all over. I enjoyed my mistakes, though.— John
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Metro Plus
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