Lights! Camera! Music!

With my heart pulsating and my legs shaking, we took the stage around 6 p.m. last Friday at the Palace for World Expo. By we, I mean the South Asian Cultural Club (SACC) and our group of 12 dancers – six males and six females – who performed to the song “Kajra Re.” It was the first time since high school that I performed in front of a large audience, and now I remember why I used to love it so much.

In the weeks leading up to World Expo, we had practice at least twice a week for a few hours in the studios in Ryan. I feel no shame in admitting that the first few practices were a bit difficult – I had some rust to shake off. But with each subsequent practice, the dance became easier to grasp and more fun to perform. It also helped that my fellow performers are all great friends of mine, especially my roommate, Xavier Lafont, and two of the female dancers, Andrea Berardi and Michelle Wiggins.

At times, when we were all trying to get in sync, the dance became stressful and frustrating. With 12 people in the performance, it was difficult for everyone to be in unison, however, it also made individual errors less noticeable. We didn’t want to settle for anything less than perfection, or at least I didn’t. As is with every dance, the standard is set high and we did not want to disappoint. We spent countless hours rehearsing up until the day before World Expo correcting every little flaw. We wanted to leave the audience awed and impressed. I believe we succeeded on all levels.

Following intermission, right before we took stage, every seat was taken and the audience was attentive. Cameras flashed everywhere. Those four minutes were the fastest four minutes of my life, and I don’t think I will be forgetting them anytime soon. We were in the true South Asian spirit, not only in moves, but also in garb. It was a memorable experience and hearing the ovations, cheers and applause after our performance was equally unforgettable. With Dancefest right around the corner, we need to raise the bar even higher if we are going to impress our fellow students again. For attentive first-years out there, Dancefest is the must-see event of every semester. It features the school’s best dance troupes along with select cultural groups, such as SACC, who perform a dance or two. For a school in the middle of nowhere, I’ve been blown away each time by the talent we have, which is evident at Dancefest. With Dancefest the Friday before finals and Bhangra Fever the following night, you cannot get a better ending to the year. If you’re looking for some fun, then mark your calendars, December 2nd and 3rd will blow you away!

Whether it’s seeing guys shake their behinds or girls playing the role of teases, our dances always manage to entertain, which is what it’s all about.

Happy Diwali!