Dance like a Man!

Dream, no one can stop you from dreaming. You are your own boss, you can dream whatever you want. Its cheap and very simple to dream. Its doesn't cost you a penny, however, power of dreaming is exceptional, very effective and makes you do things to achieve your dreams. They don't go away. Mahatma Gandhi had a dream look where it let India too? MLK had a dream look where it left African Americans in USA to? It leads you to success and eventually you can change history. These are some exceptional example of how we can utilize the power of dream, harness it to our advantage and moreover its free.

Growing up I had lots of dreams. Some are simple ones and some didn't come to for a long time. One of them is learning dancing, learning Bharatanatyam to be very precise. Bharatanatyam is one of the Indian classical dance forms. I was introduced to this when I was in First grade. Ever since my Music teacher checking out my classmates adavus, I was hooked. It happened often and I went home and performed my version, whatever way I remembered to my mom and sometimes, I was asked to perform before my neighbors. I loved doing it. I suppose a male child was not supposed to, I don't think I ever expressed my interest to my parents neither did I tell them nor did they see the potential in me. Many other dreams I pushed way deep into my mind and dared to dream about them. I thought I was being considerate towards to families financial situation. A modest upbringing will do that to you and realize and see lots of things when you are younger. You don't have to be an adult to see many things. perhaps I matured faster in that environment. Perhaps I lost my childhood to that environment? Perhaps I didn't fit in. Perhaps I was like that by nature. Perhaps its my destiny. Perhaps its natural to adapt to situations like that.

I grewup, went to college graduated, moved away from home to Calcutta and after few years to US. Years went by and again I was Introduced to Bharatanatyam by my dear friend Sudharshan. He is a very talented male dancer and exponent of this art. He is a self styled ambassador for arts and culture. His performances over the past few years fueled the fire within me. Deep down the dream I had as a little boy, was dormant. It awoke with this pleasant stimulation and it germinated into a plant. My desire to learn dance once again burnt like a wild fire within me. It grew bigger and bigger day by day.

This time around, I am independent and not a child anymore. I can seek whatever I wanted. I have the freedom and resources at my disposal. Not that I want to be a senator in the congress or senate. Just want to quench my thirst for arts. Appreciate the finer things my motherland offers. Coming from a rich culture like in India, music and dance plays a very important role in depicting the countries heterogeneous culture, the way of life, religions and the history. The influence of so many different great cultures that arrived in the subcontinent either via trade, missions or forcibly via wars are integrated over the centuries. Its a perfect amalgamation of so many languages, religions, cultures and needless to say, its has been a inspiration for many in different parts of the world.

The desire to learn and to dance was so great. In Spring of 2006, Cambridge Asian festival by River Charles was held. Sudharshan Belsare, Meena Subramanyam and Soumya Ramanathan danced representing the Indian subcontinent. The amazing recital of by the three got to me a point where I said, this is it. I better do something about this right now before its too late. I am not getting any younger. I was 32 at that time.

I talked to my friend Kishor and he expressed interest and also my friend Kannan with whom I went to the festival. He expressed interest as well. Being south Indians we appreciated the dance form more than our Northern counterpart. Because the songs were mostly in Tamil. And we relate to the beats and Tals and stories well. I am sure some of my North Indian brothers and sisters going wild on my comments. But honestly its my interpretation. Perhaps others may have a different perception about this whole South and North thing.

We three approached Sudharshan to find out anyone is giving lessons to 30+ adult men in Bharatanatyam. To our surprise, Meena Subramanyam's name came. We contacted her immediately. We were invited to a introduction class in Medway in the summer of 2006. We watched the class dance. Its not easy, but I loved it more than I did. I was dying to start my lessons.

The classes were over for the summer and the next semester starts only in the fall of 06. Unfortunately Kannan couldn't join us because of his travel for work. So Kishor and I have joined the class in Spring of 06 and we have since been learning the dance form from Meena and Soumya. Arai Mandi, Mulu Mandi, Adavu, Jathi, Talangu ThakaThiku Thakka Thanringinathom, Adami, Pathakam etc were added to our vocabulary. I am constantly analyzing songs that I hear for beats and think about choreograph those songs.

I am looking forward to the day when I will be finally able to perform a formal dance. It may take years, but I have a dream. Its very powerful and with my dance teachers help and my friend Kishor as a dancing partner and practice partner, I can achieve that milestone. My dream will be a reality soon.