The Nonsensical Babbles from Marvah Gorlorwulu: “Who knew you had some Indian in your blood.”: At LCS, students have required CAS (Creativity Action Service) hours to fulfill every school year. The 10 th grade has to complete 15 hours...of Creativity, Action, and Service each, totaling 45 CAS hours. When I learned about this, I had no idea what I was going to do for Action. I like art and wanted to learn more about photography so I knew that would join one or both of those clubs for Creativity. The service trips would always be available to go on every Wednesday after school so I was good on Service; however, my biggest concern was the Action. Without a track team, I really can’t physically do any other sport. I was never good at basketball, soccer, and volleyball because of my poor hand-eye coordination (or I guess foot-eye coordination in the case of soccer), and I am a horrible swimmer. Not being in the Leadership PE class also would make it difficult to fulfill the fifteen hours of action.
With no background of Indian dance, it was really hard for me to pick up the moves in the beginning. I was stiff and robotic instead of graceful and free like Sanskriti and Anagha, the other member, but I practiced the moves at home for hours after our group practices until I felt more comfortable with them.
My improvement from my extra practices even made the teacher whose classroom we used for practices jokingly considered the possibility of some Indian in my blood. Though, the practices were hard work, Sanskriti, Anagha, and I were always joking, laughing, and just generally keeping the mood lighthearted. Bollywood Fridays were the most fun days in Ghana for me so far.
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While I was worrying about my dilemma, I became friends with a girl, Sanskriti, who was in a similar situation to my own. We talked about our shared lack of athletic skill many times, trying to think of ways to get our hours done. Then she told me that for her Personal Project, a large project every tenth grader has to do, she had created a Bollywood dance club, Bollywood Fridays, and only had one consistent member; since dancing is considered Action, of course I joined the club! I was a little hesitant at first about joining because I thought that people would find it hilarious that an African-American was doing a Bollywood dance, but everyone was really supportive and in fact found it impressive. Not only did I join the club for Action hours, but also because Sanskriti was and has been really good friend to me, and I thought – and now know – that Bollywood Dancing could be – and is – lots of fun.
We spent four Fridays after school and three extra days at Sanskriti’s house practicing a dance she partially choreographed. The song she chose, “Dheem Ta Dare”, was from a stiff, lifeless dance sequence from a movie, so Sanskriti changed some parts to make the dance feel less like an exercise video and also to make it easier for us less experienced (in my case, no experience) dancers.
Dheem Ta Dare (the original dance from the motion Thakshak)
Sanskriti (front) trying to teach Anagha (back) and me (middle) a new move
With no background of Indian dance, it was really hard for me to pick up the moves in the beginning. I was stiff and robotic instead of graceful and free like Sanskriti and Anagha, the other member, but I practiced the moves at home for hours after our group practices until I felt more comfortable with them. Sanskriti (left) teaching me (right) part of the dance
My improvement from my extra practices even made the teacher whose classroom we used for practices jokingly considered the possibility of some Indian in my blood. Though, the practices were hard work, Sanskriti, Anagha, and I were always joking, laughing, and just generally keeping the mood lighthearted. Bollywood Fridays were the most fun days in Ghana for me so far.
