Dance With Me

In 2005, the lead up to the joint freshers' welcome and farewell ceremony, 'Bonhomie 2005' organised by the final year Masters course students of our Calcutta University Journalism and Mass Communication department students was no less memorable for me than the programme itself. For about a week leading up to the occasion, I was busy practising a dance composition to the tune of 'O ri chhodi'. This was the first time I was to dance on stage.

I was a bit jittery at the beginning. But thanks to my co-dancers and another choreographer, all of whom are my classmates, I got my steps correct. Of course, I had to modify the movements according my comforts. On day one of the rehearsals, I was in formal dress and my movements got stifled. Still I had the confidence to sort things out and so was it. But come day two, the steps appeared so unnatural that I felt leaving out would be the best option, for I did not want to be a laughing stock. But, one of my partners was finally able to convince me that our dance would be a hit. I kept on remembering my steps and practising hard. However, it was an altogether different ball game practising alone in the absence of my talented partners.

On D-day, it took our dancer-choreographer, who also happened to be the 'entrepreneur' for our performance, to deck me up. This was the first time in twenty-three years of my existence on planet Earth, that I had put on so much of colour on my face. I was even wearing wooden bangles!And finally I managed my dhoti well, even while dancing, which received astounding response, from the teachers and students alike. Our Head of the Department was quick to respond, "Arjun is lucky. He has got the opportunity to dance with two girls."