I started dancing when I was four years old. I focused mostly on ballet, competed in jazz and lyrical, and I did a few years of Bollywood and Bharatnatyam (a classical Indian dance) when I was younger. Dancing was my thing. Some people sang or played instruments, some played sports, I danced and I loved it.
In 2020, I took a break from dancing, as I wasn’t able to dedicate much time to it. Then COVID-19 happened, and it was even harder to dance. When I got to campus the fall semester of my sophomore year, I decided I was going to try out for some of the dance clubs on campus. Unfortunately, I fell sick during audition weeks and I didn’t make any of the ones I was able to audition for. Being rejected for something you’ve spent so much time and money on is heartbreaking, so I decided maybe dancing wasn’t for me anymore and I gave up on it.
It wasn’t until my friend dragged me to an audition for Jazba, a Bollywood and Bhangra Dance Team on campus, that I realized how much I missed dancing. I was surprised when I got accepted on the team, and I was even a bit hesitant to commit since I wasn’t very confident in my dancing, especially in Bollywood and hip-hop styles. However, joining the team was the best decision I made.
My first practice, going through warm-ups, learning new choreography, and meeting other lovely dancers reminded me of the dance community and experience I was missing the past couple of years. My feet glided across the floor, the beats vibrated through my body, my arms pushing against the air; all the motions came back to me and I fell in love with dancing again.
This semester, the team got to travel to Tennessee to compete in our first national competition, which was so exciting. It required a lot of practicing, staying up till 2 a.m. every day for a couple weeks, while we perfected our dances and prepared for this competition, but when we placed second, it was all worth it.
More than rediscovering my passion and love for dancing, I rediscovered my culture. Living in a predominantly white town and having mostly non-Indian friends, I had lost touch with my Indian side, especially as I got older. I didn’t really listen to Hindi music or watch many Hindi films unless my grandparents were in town or my parents really wanted to. But coming to college, joining an Indian dance team, and going to SASA (South Asian Student Association) as well as other Indian events, I was exposed and immersed in my culture again, and I regained a love and appreciation for Indian music, Indian dances, and Indian clothing.
So, to all the freshmen and all the students looking to get involved on campus, my advice is to join a club that unites your passions and your culture. It will allow you to continue that thing that gives you joy, help you to find community, and get in touch with your roots, and it’s one of the most rewarding things you’ll do.
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