Roaring and Scoring (performing at half-time for the Warriors)

Bollywood & NBA, an unlikely combination. But boy did it work!
                                          Mona Sampath Dance Company in action

The Golden State Warriors versus the 76ers game held last night at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, was on India Heritage Day. And so Mona Sampath Dance Company was invited to perform at half-time.

There were months of excitement and anticipation but only 4 rehearsals, owing to other events. So those 4 rehearsals were intense, grueling and LONG. We would not fit in the studio where we usually rehearse; we could not fit our entire team of 50, properly spaced, ANYWHERE. So we booked a basketball court in Newark. The court was partitioned, and some folks were still playing, who watched curiously as our endless party streamed in. We stretched, positioned, practiced. Then the BEST part. We  had to resort to using their PA system and suddenly "Ringa Ringa" started blaring in the basketball court. Half-embarrassed, half-zealous, we danced!


make up, curls & more...
 The 4 days melted away in soreness and joy, fatigue and excitement, as we danced, danced, danced. Finally yesterday was IT. We showed up at the Arena, frozen due to the constant downpour. An army of 50, ranging from ages 8 to 30, with golden tikas peering from hoodies, long plaits pinned to sweatpants, the usual glitter and glamour, trying to camouflage (quite unsuccessfully!) with the viewers. We were led to our seats where we sat for all of 5 minutes. Then we were taken "backstage" to the locker rooms.

We had already spent a few hours getting ready before we even got there. But there are always loose strands to gel back, stray fabric to be pinned, the usual touch up and Amrita's INSPECTION. She will detect a gold pin where a silver would be more appropriate, a gray hair tie, which will be promptly changed to black, and other details which most people cannot even see with the naked eye.

warming up those legs
Then finding a place to warm up,which can be challenging with 50 people. People going over different parts of the routine in all possible spots, including the restroom. Dancers practicing the lifts, the flips, the crucial timing for partnering. Dancers dodging flying limbs, flipping bodies, turning circles. And somehow we were READY. We stood in a circle, holding hands, CONNECTING one last time, before being led out into the court.                                                    
We stood in two single files, pressed against the door, watching the stadium and taking in the shear numbers. It was ELECTRIFYING, it was NERVE-WRACKING, the wait, those last few minutes. Deep breathing, running in place to keep ourselves warm, random hugs and arm presses and then the music began. Everything went away. Only the dance remained. There was a WHIRLPOOL of energy as we danced, jumped, ran, turned, while 15,000 people watched. As Brian brought me dofrom the last lift, I felt our energy echo in the stadium, as the audience cheered. It was EXHILERATING!
                                                                                                                                                                              waiting to exhale...

I don't think any of us have performed in a stadium, in front of 15,000 people before. It was an incredible opportunity to share our vision and passion with so many people. It was also great to showcase and represent our culture at the NBA. Bollywood is becoming mainstream, and since Bollywood in the Bay Area is almost synonymous with Mona Sampath, as part of her team, we were all extremely proud. People actually said that it was the best half-time performance they have ever seen. As we went back to watch the last quarter of the game, we felt part of something intangible. It is like the roar of the crowd, the excitement of the game, the hysteria of the fans. Something which cannot be explained, can only be EXPERIENCED.

Jai Ho!

For a video clip of the performance click here
For more pictures click here

Living with Kittens

We recently adopted 2 kittens called Too Tiny and Jazzy, whom we then renamed Masti and Zanzi, then changed Masti to Pixie and have finally settled on TUNA and JAZZY. Of course they respond to NONE of these names!

They are beginning to recognize our TONES (when we attempt to assume an annoyed tone, a warning, welcoming or accusing tone, though that could just be wishful thinking!)

So the joy of having 2 kitties in the house? Where do I even start? They are completely and absolutely ADORABLE, from their tiny pink noses to their constantly wagging tails. There is nothing like 2 cuddly fur balls on either side of you, purring away happily. Coming home to an empty condo versus these two, stretching slowly, and coming to greet you.

And nothing beats their INSANITY over a piece of string. They go BALLISTIC. Tuna & Jazzy also entertain themselves by attacking their reflections in the mirror, soaking the sun on the window sill and grooming each other.

The word MANIAC acquires a new meaning when it comes to meal times. They will be chilling, taking a nap on my shawl, dress, blanket, Hash's office bag, or wherever they fancy, and we just have to pick up their dishes and that is it! Within the few MINUTES, while we wash their food dishes, open the cat food tin, fill the dish and replace it, the pitch of their mewing has gone up by many OCTAVES. But unlike dogs they do not sit and beg for food, so we can happily sit on the couch with our food and them, and they will not try to put their mouths in it. (though that could be a comment on my cooking!)

Despite the fact that we need to scoop away the poop from the litter, have them walk all over us in the morning, if they wake up early, and the (not so) occasional scratch when they get excited, I couldn't be happier to welcome these two in our home.

Not to mention that writing this has been a bit challenging due to their INEXPLICABLE fascination with the laptop. They need to gently paw the screen, sniff the track pad and walk all over the keys.

Is the house messier? yes! Is life better? YES!

Spreading the loooove

So my Valentines eve was EVENTFUL...I mean literally! I was at a Valentines event at the Indian Community Centre, where I did this hot hot duet with Brian to a luscious, soulful song. My Valentine did come to watch which was PERFECTO! (We will do our romantic, celebratory, somewhat traditional Valentines celebration next week. I am tempted to go for the pillow fight in San Francisco, but Hash is not too excited about it.)

Anyways so the event tonight was SUPER fun. You can't go wrong with chocolate fountains, an open bar and of course, performances choreographed by the Mona Sampath Dance Company. I LOVED working with and watching Jollywood, our SENIORS' performing group. The girls SIZZLED in gold tights and orange feather boas, shimmying to the tunes of "aap jaisa koi" The boys matched their rhythms in "ek main aur ek tu." Jollywood are just amazing, and their ZEST is inspiring.

Then of course the company kids set the stage on FIRE, like they always do, and the StayFit group did a bunch of SCINTILLATING numbers. I really had fun dancing with Brian; we were INCREDIBLY connected and it felt really, really good, especially after the few but intense rehearsals, that resulted in cuts, bruises and the usual soreness. And of course our SHOW STEALER Akhil was the compere, the most ARTICULATE 5-year old I have ever met, with a VOCABULARY that far exceeds his years (and cuteness I cannot even begin to describe).

We followed up the performance with drinks and dancing. Now I am home and it is past midnight, so its already Valentines, the day Hash proposed 3 yrs ago. Today I teach and rehearse from 12 to 5pm. It will be another CRAZY day. Hash and I will probably do dinner together.

So even though Valentines wasn't what I had thought or hoped it would be, it was still a BEAUTIFUL day. I got to share my love for dance with so many people and spent the evening with a lot of people I care about. As the day closes, I am HAPPY and THANKFUL for all the wonderful people I have in my life, some who are far away, but always in my thoughts.

"Better it Stays a Hobby Only"

"So what do you do?"

How many times do we encounter this question in our lives? People ask out of a mild curiosity, genuine interest, to fill up awkward silences and as an opening into what could develop into an engaging conversation. 

What happens to me is something like this…

Person: So what do you do?

Me: I am a dancer

Person: ohhh! (sometimes "how nice!" as an afterthought)

(SILENCE)

 photographer: Rob Kunkle

Sometimes they venture forward.

Person: So what kind of dance?

Me: Modern Dance

Person: Ohh! (PAUSE) So what is that?

Me: Modern dance originally began as a reaction to the rigidity of ballet…blah bah

(FIRSTLY, it is difficult to define Modern Dance. SECONDLY, the whole point is, it is constantly evolving and subverting prior definitions. THIRDLY, what Modern Dance means to me is a different discussion altogether.)

This is usually THE END.

But I often hear “so it is like what you see on MTV?”  No comment! In fact, in December, in a dance workshop in India, where we had to do short solos someone asked me, with the air of superiority which several Indian Classical dancers acquire, if I did Hip Hop. Honestly, I do not believe in compartmentalization and I have seen performers blend Hip Hop and Modern Dance with absolute flair and finesse. (And they can choose to call it Modern Hip Hop, Hip Hop Modern or something else altogether.) But I DO NOT do Hip Hop. And Hip Hop is not Modern Dance.  

Anyways, this is just one scenario.  More often, this is what happens, (usually in India), after I say that I am a dancer. (In fact, the same someone also had this conversation with me before he decided that I did Hip Hop)

Person: So you do Bharatnatyam or Kathak?

Me: neither

Person: Ohhh (SILENCE)

And sometimes…

Person: But Classical is a MUST.

Me: I have studied Western Classical forms like Modern Dance, Ballet and Jazz.

Person: Yes, but Indian Classical is THE BASE.

10 years of immense effort, my B.A. in Dance, and all the work I continue to do: DISMISSED. But I don’t take it personally. It usually reveals their ignorance or bias, rather than my lack of knowledge.

There are stereotypes that trail me in the Bay Area too. A lot of times, I am asked “what ETHNIC form I do” as if that was a given. I have been invited for a few South Asian showcases and I like to clarify that I am an Indian doing Modern Dance, so I know I am not chosen to represent something that I don't do. The STRANGEST experience was when my choreography was performed at a Contemporary Dance Festival and the organizer kept asking me what Indian Classical form I did! I couldn’t believe that after watching my application dvd and the live performance, she was asking me that!

These are some of my FAVORITE comments:

Person: so is dance a profession or a hobby

Me: Not sure (This was 10 yrs ago)

Person: Better it stays a HOBBY ONLY

Person: What do you do?

Me: I am a dancer

Person: No, I mean REAL WORK.

Person: You should do something that is PROFESSIONAL

Person: Do something WORTHWHILE.

Person: People will not want a dancer in their family. No one will want to MARRY you.

What is my SAVING GRACE? I have a degree in English Literature from LSR in Delhi. People can relate to Eng. Litt. and LSR and it means that I have the potential to have a REAL JOB, even if I am wasting it!

What makes it WORSE?

 I do Bollywood Dance, which is a further negative for a lot of folks who revere the Classical Arts and brings to mind a preconceived image.  (Again this brings up the question of what Bollywood is to me. I like to stretch existing definitions, but that will be another posting!)

Anyways, I have learnt not to dwell on the words of those who typecast me or don’t appreciate my art. Instead I focus on the amazing RICHNESS of the Bay Area Dance Community, the wonderful dancers who inspire me every day and make my vision a reality and friends and family who support me, sometimes from 1000 miles away. I don’t want to list their comments as it would sound narcissistic, I’d feel shy and they are private. But they understand that I am constantly EXPLORING, QUESTIONING and FINDING MY VOICE. That I choose to speak in the language of Modern Dance is merely incidental.

Dancing for & with Shah Rukh Khan

Being a diehard SRK fan, when I heard about the event at the Fairmont in San Jose where people would get to interact with SRK, my immediate reaction was “I'M GOING!”

One look at the ticket prices and my plans were DEMOLISHED... $500 (later reduced to $250) for VIP and $100 for regular. I mean, who can afford that? YA RIGHT! There were folks, with full family, bacchas and all, bejeweled and caked, to take their pics with SRK.

That same evening, Mona, with the demeanor of a person who is going to drop a freaking bomb, told us about the event. Veiling her words in an air of complete nonchalance, she told us how they approached her to feature her brand new company, Mona Sampath Dance Company, which I am a proud part of.

The next few days were unreal. We had one week to put together a MIND BLASTING (for the difference between mind blowing & mind blasting, watch Russell Peters) act to honor King Khan. Besides the incredible excitement was the nagging fear that this may not come through. I mean there is no contract, no mention of our name, NOTHING! Not to mention

several Bay Area companies, swarming around the organizers, offering to PAY THEM to perform!

But we set out to do what we know best: DANCE.

Mona put together the mind blasting medley of song and dialogue, selecting epic songs from SRK’s movies. The medley itself was a driving force, but TREMENDOUS work lay ahead. Over the next week, we worked endlessly to prepare something that would truly capture the essence of Shah Rukh Khan. We incorporated different dance styles, moods, and props to prepare a 9-minute dance. Buckets of sweat, toil, endless rehearsals and bottles of Gatorade, led to our SRK medley.

Then of course, the costumes arrived and we realized that we had to wear heels. It was immaterial that we were expected to jump on tables, run from spot to spot, fall on the floor and basically tear apart the stage. Blisters followed soreness; but the dancing continued.

Finally THE DAY arrived. We arrived at the Fairmont, at 3 pm, for the technical rehearsal. Then began the waiting game.SRK was supposed to arrive at 8pm, but didn’t arrive till 11pm. Meanwhile we waited in the room, the corridor, the room again, the corridor again and finally the dingy kitchen. All this while, with 3-inch long heels, curled hair kept in place with half a bottle of hair spray and several props. All this while, we grumbled about not being at the grand entrance, where the fans were milling to greet him. Luck was on our side though, and at 11:05pm, SRK walked in, not through the grand red carpet entrance, but THROUGH THE KITCHEN.

After a quick picture, and the fact that some of us had been rendered BREATHLESS and SPEECHLESS, it was show time. We began dancing.

SRK pulled his chair closer as dialogues and soundtracks enmeshed. And closer when "main hoon don" came. And closer, smiling now, as "kaali kaali ankhen" blared on. Finally he stood up and started walking towards us. There was confusion, commotion, CHAOS! Security restrained people, asked SRK to stay put, waves of people charged forward and us? We danced! And Then. There was Shah Rukh, in front of us, on the dance floor, as waves of people rose and fell around him. He rocked with us, until the crazed fans enveloped the stage and security had to lead him away. But those few moments when we danced for him and then with him, justified EVERYTHING.

It was incredible to share our passion with him, and see him affected by our zest for dance. We were told that it was highly unlikely for him to join us on the dance floor, due to his injured shoulder; but there he was, doing “Dard-e-disco” right in the center.

It was an incredible first performance for our company. We can never forget how despite protests by the security, and the mob of fans, SRK couldn’t help joining us on stage. What greater compliment can there be?