The Beginning
Dancing was something I was exposed to at weddings, watching all the young adults around me. I always thought it was something just passed on from one generation to another. It only began as a compulsory class at the age of five, when I was enrolled in a Bharatnatyam class by my parents. At an early age, I discovered that dance requires discipline, constant practice, and, of course, multiple failures! But the thing that baffles me is that no matter what happened, I never gave up dancing. While kids my age would be playing or studying hard, I’d be sweating it out for hours trying to master a step I had just learnt. I worried a lot when I made mistakes in class and even reached a point where I wouldn’t believe in myself, but some unknown power kept me going!
The first time I tasted success and felt I was a “dancer” was on the successful completion of my Arangetram in the 6th grade. I didn’t know it then, but that was the foundation of everything in my life. Over the years I have explored many dance forms, mainly Indian. I did folk dances like Koli, Naga, and Lavni, and classical Indian dances like Odissi or Kathak and performed on various occasions. I guess that’s what gave me my roots, as an Indian.
First Success
The first time I tasted success and felt I was a “dancer” was on the successful completion of my Arangetram in the 6th grade. I didn’t know it then, but that was the foundation of everything in my life. Over the years I have explored many dance forms, mainly Indian. I did folk dances like Koli, Naga, and Lavni, and classical Indian dances like Odissi or Kathak and performed on various occasions. I guess that’s what gave me my roots, as an Indian.
Having satisfied my soul with Indian dance forms, I began my journey into western dances a few years ago. I started with a Latin American ballroom class where I learnt some Jive, Cha cha cha, salsa, etc. I will never forget how I felt on the first day of class. I thought I would never be able to dance like the dancers I saw there. But in my heart, I knew too well that this was a journey that I had already undertaken in the field of Indian dances. It would take a while, but I would get there! I continued with group classes until I reached a plateau and felt that I wanted to learn more than just the basics. I wanted to really connect with people and understand the dance I was doing.
Love For Kizomba
It was by a sheer stroke of luck that I bumped into Afsar, my current mentor and friend, at a social. He was the first person to introduce me to “Kizomba”. We were both novices to the dance form at the time, but nevertheless shared the same enthusiasm for the dance. I must mention that among all the dance forms I have ever explored, Kizomba is the most special and fulfilling. I soon learnt that it is a dance that originated in Angola, Africa. It comes from “Semba”. I was told that Semba was not just a dance, but a way of life for the people in Angola. They faced a lot of hurdles in their lifetime, but they choose to smile and enjoy life despite all of that. The songs were their stories and the dance was their expression of their love for life. Kizomba was the name given later, which in the local language-Kimbumdu meant “party”. Apparently that’s how Kizomba became popular and spread globally. Kizomba is characterised by a slower, romantic, more sensuous rhythm than semba.
I guess it was my roots in Indian culture that drew me to Kizomba which has its roots in Angola. But that’s just not it. Kizomba forces you to submit yourself to the joy of the moment, to go with the flow. When we dance Kizomba, we converse only through our body movements. The lead, through his embrace, conveys respect for a woman’s presence or for her existence. The follower doesn’t just follow the steps of the lead, but conveys the nature of her personality, her style, her Ginga. Kizomba impels us to relax and to submit to the gentle embrace of the partner and to the rhythm of the music – the master.
Kizomba has taught me patience, given me peace, a sense of fulfillment, and taught me to smile in the face of adversity. More importantly, it has helped me discover beautiful people and helped me make long lasting friendships. I have learnt to trust more and let go of small setbacks. I have learnt to live!
Annabel D’souza – Physiotherapist & Social Dancer
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