FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Ajit John
Monday was celebrated as International Dance Day which is a global celebration of dance. The day is the anniversary of Jean Georges Noverre who is considered the father or creator of modern ballet. The day strives to encourage participation and education in dance through events and festivals held on the date all over the world. Music and dance are important aspects of Goan culture. The day is a celebration day for those who can see the value and importance of the art form dance. The Goan creative landscape is full of dancers and musicians who have made their mark.
Dr Martin D’Costa of Dance Illusion has been in the business of learning and training people in dance for eighteen years. His interest was spurred on by his love for music and making friends. Being aware of the aura of people moving together which kept everyone active and the passion in ballroom dancing attracted him to dance. When he started off all those years ago, he had 2 or 3 students and now it had increased to 150 a month with classes being conducted in Porvorim, Fatorda and Vasco, thrice a week. He said he was the only teacher and had no instructors. “Today, people were taking fitness seriously and want to grow socially together as a dancing community. People wanted to be fit so they were taking up dancing,” he says. To keep track of new trends and developments in Ballroom dancing, Dr Martin travels abroad every four months.
For another dance teacher in Panjim, Shai Shackleton it was something that she loved doing as a child and she was sure she wanted to do something with dance. So when the opportunity presented itself she chose to teach dancing which makes her happy. A teacher of Latin ballroom dancing, she has students across all age groups with the oldest being 80 years old. She said she intended to do this for the rest of her life and spread the joy of dancing.
A student of dance, Saurabh Jain, said he had a love for dancing all his life but learned in a formal manner for a couple of months. He learned the Bachata and jive. He loved the fact that the jive was a lot of fun and he needed to increase his activity so when he danced it was his cardio activity. For him, he loved the fact he could exercise and move and have fun while doing it. He said he did it three times a week.
Sinitta Dias Juliao awarded herself a dancing course as the world entered a new decade and she decided to do something different. She wanted to do ballroom dancing but was offered Bachata which was out of her comfort zone. But having decided to do something different, she went ahead. She said it changed her perspective. She said, “ Dancing has taught me to be more empathetic towards men, as a woman. It has also broken stereotypical notions one has about Latin dancing.”
For a man in the armed forces, it was an opportunity to do something radically different free of the rules that governed life in the defence forces. Commander Anup said the freedom to express without being bothered by what the world thinks was interesting. He said that people may not like the dance they were watching but the fact it gave the person dancing such happiness was what prompted him to take it up. He took up Latin dance a year ago and said he would continue dancing for the rest of his life and wherever he was transferred, he said he would find someone to dance with. He was quite proficient in jive and salsa.
For Yasmeen Nariman, who has been dancing for eight months, she first came across the Bachata at a restaurant and liked it. She said she would dance at parties and in certain restaurants. And yes she intended to dance for the rest of her life.
For Andre Shackleton, the move to dancing was spurred by the fact that he lost a bet and he took up dancing a decade ago. When asked what was it about dancing that he liked he said, “The ability of my body to move to rhythm that was appealing to others and myself as opposed to a fish on the shore having an epileptic fit.” He said he knew around 8 to 9 styles and when asked which dance he liked the most he said, the one that made his partner smile.
The most important aspect of dance is the capacity to build confidence and a healthy self image. Cecille Rodrigues, who teaches various styles of dance depending on the needs of the client said dance was a universal language. It helps reduce stress. She said, “Dancing onstage can be a stressful experience for many people. Once they have the courage, it helps in confidence. It helps you excel in life. Movement of the body helps you keep healthy.”
Dance is a vital part of human existence and to be able to dance is to experience joy and the sense of abandonment that comes with dance.
