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Thiruvananthapuram
Making hearts dance with joy
Elements of drama enliven the dance
THOSE OF us who love to get onto the dance floor and boogie all night, keep worrying now and then about whether we're getting the footwork and timing right. But whether jitterbugging at a late night party, celebrating the arrival of the New Year, or improvising at a cultural festival, there's no time to think of those who find it difficult to even walk a few steps without the aid of crutches.
That's one good reason why the youngsters of Pinto's Dance Academy have decided to set apart one day every year, to remember all those who cannot walk and run, or climb and dance like the rest of us. With funds generated from their annual dance show, `Dance Mania', they have been helping deserving schools for the handicapped, in Coimbatore region.
During their first show in 1998, the first batch of 30 dance students collected Rs. 30,000 and distributed the amounts to the beneficiaries, during a break in the show. This year, the dance academy decided to do the annual show without sponsors, and raise the entire amount through tickets sales and their own voluntary effort. They even designed and put up the backdrop, which depicted an "irregular" heart beat becoming "normal", when it touched a big red heart.
Saturday evening's show, `Dance Mania-2002', was a merry mix of vibrant and energetic dances, to the accompaniment of thumping sound and flashes of coloured light, to say nothing of white clouds of smoke that swirled and drifted around the stage.
Param and Channi, the popular disc jockeys from Music Junction, who were in charge of the light and sound, kept the tempo going throughout the evening with a rich collection of English, Hindi and Tamil chart-busters. Youngsters in their teens and twenties executed smart footwork and dynamic movements onstage, as the powerful bass pouring from the giant speakers, and set dozens of feet tapping and hands clapping all over the packed CIT Auditorium.
Ronnie Pinto, the `Dance Guru' and brain behind the event, joined his students in the more exotic numbers, especially an eerie `ghost dance' featuring dancers clad in black. Some of the scene-stealers of the evening were the dancing kids, who brought smiles all around. Whether dancing in groups or in twos, the little ones went through their routines without any visible trace of stage fright. Picturesque costumes added to the general effect.
All for a good cause
Enthusiastic youths in the audience kept the atmosphere alive with catcalls, wolf whistles, loud cheers and boisterous shouts, besides the occasional hoot and the intermittent scream. It all helped to keep energy levels up, and made everyone forget the pangs of hunger and thirst, for well over three hours.
Throughout the evening, the indefatigable sections of the audience never failed to applaud the performances of both the experienced types as well as those who were appearing on stage for the first time. At times, the applause and cheers came only after a bit of prodding and prompting from the cheerfully radiant Divya, who was the master of ceremonies.
She drew a fair share of applause every time she appeared on stage, and made quite a few fans before the evening was over.
This year, the dance academy contributed cheques to `Families for Children', and Presentation Convent Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled.
By Michael Raj A.A.
Photos: K. Ananthan
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
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