‘If you get it AMAZING, if you don’t get it BEAUTIFUL’

With this thought (put forward by Ashley Lobo) in mind, we enter our jazz class each time. It’s been over four months now. At the end of each fantastic but equally grueling three hours session we get a pep talk from our instructor. Well those three hours mean you have no bones left by the end of the class. You want to simply splash in pool or dig deep in your bed but you gather your bottles and towels and sit around the instructor. And he begins,

So, how was the class today? After some murmur, someone pitches, ‘it was good.’

Okie ….. Anything more than good? Something different that you felt from your usual day to day activities?

Few more questions and the discussion begins to warm up a bit. 'It was very liberating, especially when I have joined dance after so many years’, comes a reply.

I like that. Anyone else? Oh, Anika! How did you find the class? Easy? Yes? You liar! I saw you huffing by the end of the class. But you enjoyed it right? That is more important. Oki everyone, remember what I told you at the beginning of the class. ‘If you get it AMAZING, if you don’t get it BEAUTIFUL.’

And why is it beautiful, because if you don’t get in the first class, you will get in the next class or next to next class. But what is important is to TRY. Because if you don’t try, you won’t GET IT.

And what happens when you try? You look STUPID. And when you look stupid …. What should be your ATTITUDE? ‘What is the big deal?’ You come here to look STUPID. You have paid to look STUPID.

Amidst giggles he continues. No, I am serious. I remember when I joined Danceworx some seven years back. I entered my first class with the attitude 'let's see what it is all about'. In one particular step, my instructor asked me to put some style in my step. And what did I do? I raised my chin up in the air and did some thing in a very bollywood style. At that time my instructor didn’t tell me anything. But later, they told me how they’d laughed over my ‘chin’ style.

So the point I am trying to make here is that even if you don’t get a particular step, don’t stop. It’ll come to you. This is the place where you are allowed to experiment with yourselves. So just go mad with yourself. See what suits you, what makes you look hot, what doesn't.

Right now, when I see you dancing, I can see that you are making an effort. But in some of you it is visible. So while your body is dancing, your face is either wrinkled or completely blank, looking Up, looking down, thinking, ‘ok, so what’s the next step, should I put my foot here, oh my god the instructor is looking at me!’

See. Then you are not enjoying. You are only doing the steps. You are looking like 'try hards'. But all I want to say is for the next few classes forget about the steps. Just enjoy what you are doing. And let it show through your face. Let’s make it simpler. Just give me that attitude. Don’t give me steps.

Imagine you have a hook outside the class. You hang your present self there before stepping into the class. Here you can be all you want to.  I want you to go all out and have fun. This is one place where you can be all what you want. So just stop thinking and start dancing.

CLAP for yourself guys, for a wonderful class today.’

With that we dispersed and by the time I wipe the last drop of sweat from my forehead, I can hear those words echoing in my head, ‘If you get it AMAZING, if you don’t get it BEAUTIFUL’