An exam .. with a difference....

I gave an exam on 21st Nov.... it brought with it the usual pre exam nervousness... the tension.. the jitters... afterall this was the first time I was appearing for a dance exam.... I have been dancing for as long as I can remember and I guess before that too... but somehow I had never imagined someday I would be apperaing for an exam....

Whoever knows me knows what Dance is to me... it is a passion... a reason to be happy... a celebration... a stress buster... the only source of exercise :P

Dance is a wonderful form of expression of self.... I dance when I am happy... to celebrate... when I am sad... to lift up my mood... when stressed... to forget everything and just enjoy....Dance for me is Life itself!!!

I cannot describe the feeling.... when i am dead tired... at the end of a long stretch of dance.... the sense of fulfillment... "trupti" i guess could be the right word for it...

In dance I find solace. A friend had said - “Dance is food for her soul”.

I had never had any formal training( except for some 3-4 months of kathak which i had to discontinue due to severe back ache). When I moved to Mumbai, I decided that since dance is something I can't live without, I will try to learn some other form of dance. And so my search for some dance school/ academy began and soon ended. I found an academy - http://www.conradcoelho.com/ which teaches many dance forms like rhumba,samba,jive,rock n roll, waltz, salsa, etc. and the best part was that it was at a walking distance from where I live. They were starting new batches from the same week and had advertised for a first trial class. It was an opportunity I simply could not miss. I loved the first class - Conrad is a wonderful teacher. I decided that I was going to join it. Apart from learning dance, I also made a few friends there. After completion of Level 1, I continued on to Level 2. After that, our instructor told us that we could appear for exams if we wanted and get certified, from none other than ISTD. Since 1904, The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing is a leading dance teaching and examination board based in London, England and operating internationally. Examiners would come from UK to evaluate us. Something like this was happening for the first time. Well who would miss an opportunity like this. The exams were being conducted for 5 dances - Rhumba, Samba, Jive, Cha cha cha and Paso Doble. I decided to apply for all five and so began Level 3 with rigorous training for the exams. Apart from the training, were the other preparations, finding the right dress for the occasion, the right flower for the dress, the appropriate hair do, many minute details. It all ended on Sunday the 21st Nov... when I finally appeared for the exam. On a Sunday morning, my roomie had to wake up early.. to do my make up.. but she did get up early and so did the rest of the girls, to help me with my makeup and in general to wish me best. My fiancé had come down from Pune for being there.. he went to the florist early morning and brought a collection of flowers for me to choose from for my hair. He came with me to the venue, where there were a lot of other girls also appearing for the exam, looking very pretty and very nervous. Some couples were practising. I also practised a bit and got more nervous as I had forgotten most of the steps. I was still reassuring myself that everything would be fine, when I was suddenly called for the exam. It was an overwhelming experience. The lady who had come down specially from UK to conduct the exam, was very nice and friendly. She made a great effort to make me feel comfortable. Soon I had forgotten all my nervousness and was immersed in dance... and in no time I was done... all five dances... I am sure I must have made a few mistakes... but I enjoyed my dance so much, that I hope the examiner would have also enjoyed. The results are not yet out. I hope I will pass. But nevertheless, it was an experience I will always cherish.