Poetry With Feet

“Dancing is poetry with feet”, I had come across this proverb many years ago but as a child I thought I could not quite comprehend it… ‘How can anyone create poetry with feet? Surely one is not supposed to hold a pen with their toes and write’. But my sub conscience had probably already understood the meaning.

I remember being smitten by a Bharatnatyam performance on the television — the movements, the impeccable synchronization, the expression, the costumes — it had held me spellbound. I had seen poetry in the making. Even as a child, not fully four years old I knew I wanted to learn the magic.

And today decades later after endless hours of lessons and performances I know that it is probably the best way that this art form is defined.Poetry is the best expression of human emotions and dance joins our mind and body in an invisible connection.

Dancing with joy is not just an expression; it is an ultimate expression of joy.

Even those who have never taken any formal dance lessons or even have two left feet have sometime or the other have felt this inescapable urge to let go and let the feet and body do the talking.

Whenever we are joyous we want to dance, of course contrary to what our Bollywood films preach we can’t possibly start dancing on the street whenever we feel like unless we are ready for public spanking and a trip to the lunatic asylum.

But parties, functions, socials are all incomplete without a dance floor. The increasing number of dance schools and discos are live proofs of its increasing popularity.

It has been years since I have given a dance recital. Work, responsibilities, family have somehow taken precedence. The only form of shaking a leg that I do now is at parties, which let’s be honest is not quite the same thing.

I don’t know for sure if I will ever be able to return to the stage or give the vocation the time and dedication it deserves. But, dance will always be my first love, not matter where I am or who I become.