I dance even without music ~

My relationship with dance has been the most divine part of my life. It all began in the year 2004. I entered this massive gray-colored old basement, wearing a white Indian traditional suit and a red stall much longer than my height, my hair tied in two tight pigtails, holding Mom's pinky, hoping to see my guru, and embrace an art form, what they call the oldest pride of India, classical dance. I remember leaving my Mom's finger, following the steps of a senior girl before me, touching the ground with my two little hands, and taking blessings of the land, before entering the classroom. I was a little girl with big dreams, who until then had only watched dance performances, but now I was myself entering formal training. It began a dance journey that lasted almost fifteen difficult but rewarding years. Along the way, I found the most beautiful ways to move my feelings and energy through my body, sometimes even without music.

My journey then led me to dance education. At 16, I rose to the occasion,  became a dance teacher for the first time and served over fifty students in an auditorium. The journey from being a student to a teacher was a journey of commitment, persistence, and sacrifice. As a teacher, I had the most beautiful relationship with my students, sharing unique, yet special backstage traditions. These included fixing their makeup, tightening their dress ties, and adorning their ghungroos (ankle bells). For me, it was immensely important to include my Bhagwan (my God) in my pre-performance routine.  I used to offer all that I had by chanting my prayer and submitting myself to the higher faith - to the supreme God of Dance - Lord Shiva. My heartbeat would calm down, sweat from my hands would dry up, my tensed nerves would ease out and I would be ready to break into the most joyous performance of my life, every time. It brought together a feeling of compassion, a desire to serve my students, an impulse to do something greater than myself and pursue a higher purpose.

The beauty of dance in my life is that I never have to search for it. Its healing power comes to me as naturally as singing comes to a nightingale bird. Every time I would feel out of place in life, I would get up and move my body in pure bliss. Instantaneously, I would feel the heaviness of my shoulders vanishing, all of my insecurities and inadequacies fading away and I would sense the movements giving my body and my mind the confidence and clarity to move ahead in life.

This story of becoming better every day at a craft, and truly living the never give up frame of mind is one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had in my life. Dance not only gifted me the values of persistence and hard work but also gave me the self-confidence to dance away the blues of life, physically and spiritually.