Yesterday, we performed again. We were early. The audience was late. We started half an hour late, after our lovely organiser called out on the mike to the society and large, "Green Acres, come on, wake up! Get up and come to the clubhouse!" We took our own music system - a largish one that was actually audible. We also performed indoors, making the sound that much clearer. We were close, close, close to the audience, almost as if ready to break the fourth wall. I actually wondered whether to break the fourth wall and involve the audience. I wonder if classical dance would accept that. It was good fun, but so ordinary that it almost didn't happen. The pink alta stains on my feet really seem to be the only evidence that we did actually perform yesterday! … [Read more...]

When we performed on Ganesh Chaturti for our society, despite all the hitches, we were asked to repeat our performance. We're not quite repeating it; we've chosen different pieces this time. Our encore will be performed today; I hope it's better than the last one! … [Read more...]

I have no pictures yet, but I can't resist sharing yet another performance story. First of all, we were 'late'. Apparently we were expected there by 7:30. Except that we were told we would begin at 8. Being the children of the society (well, we were children when we performed 13 years ago!), we were scolded as soon as we reached. And then, there was no music system. Everybody apologised to everybody else. We were told to sing while everyone waited for a music system. "Sorry," we said, uncomfortably, "we don't sing." Finally, my mother brought a music system from home. But the plug points around the makeshift stage did not work. My father gave us his laptop. We could hear nothing. We set up the music system at some point far away. And then we imagined the music and danced. My father said that coordination was a little lacking this time. Perhaps we could blame that on the fact that … [Read more...]

It's been ages since my sister and I performed together at a programme organised by our society. I remember the time, ages ago, when the two of us practised on the little round stage in the lawn. It was in 97 or 98. How far we've come since then! We played our music on audio cassettes, rewinding and fast-forwarding, working on our synchronisation. Now, we probably practise as much or more, but differently. Synchronisation must be taken that many notches higher. Quality cannot possibly be compromised. I look forward to it! … [Read more...]