BrieFNcounters: GOA HAS MANY FINE DANCERS... BUT LACKS THE TEACHERS Twentyfour-years young Annette D'Silva of Porvorim long loved dance. Then, she met up with a couple of Londoner expats living in Goa, teaching and dancing the Salsa. One thing led to the other, till she ended up dancing professionally for over a year-and-half.
Over the past five weeks, she's been in Covent Garden, learning advanced techniques ranging from the Argentinian tango to Contemporary, Jazz and Modern. Says she: "Dance is something I've always loved to do and my parents always narrate stories of how, at a party I was always the first one on the dance floor and the last one off!" But, as with any family in South Asia, it was not encouraged as a career option. Plus there were no proper dance schools at the time and nowhere to study. "Now I want to teach and promote Salsa in Goa," adds the Bombay (Mumbai)-born young lady, who like many Goans caught up in migration at a global level, moved to Nigeria where her dad worked. Back in Goa later, she did her higher secondary at Xavier's in Mapusa, and then a degree in nutrition at the Goa College of Home Science. Her instructors Debi and Tony Ainsley (see http://www.redhotsalsa.org.uk) were proud of her progress. Said Tony of Annette <annetteflo at hotmail.com>: "We pride ourselves in taking our students as far as they want to go in dance." Extracts of an interview with the young achiever who opted for a career with a difference. She answered queries from Frederick Noronha <fred at bytesforall.org> sometime before getting ready to fly back to Goa on this weekend: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ What's your current mission in the UK? What are you learning and where? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tony and Debi wanted me to come to the UK to further my education in dance and to give me the chance to see for myself the dance scene and attitude to dance in the West. Through their Red Hot Salsa Dance Company they organised my scholarship to the Urdang Dance Academy and arranged my sponsor. My trip to the UK is mainly to reach a higher level of professionalism as far as dance is concerned. I must say that my eyes have really been opened because of the standard of things here. It's really high! Presently I'm attending Summer School at the Urdang Dance Academy in Covent Garden, London, learning Jazz Ballet and Musical Theatre and also doing advanced classes in Salsa, Tango and Lambada at various locations. I'm also here to experience the Latin dance scene here in the UK and have been to many Latin Clubs already. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How do you see this helping your work back in Goa? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I am here to improve my dance style and learn new techniques. Also the certificates I obtain here will make people take me more seriously as a dancer back in India. This trip to London is a step for an even firmer footing in dance. I plan to continue working with the Red Hot Salsa Dance Company, and have my own dance studio under their umbrella. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ What is the dance scene in the UK like ... I know it's unfair to expect a two-para reply on this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yes, it is! The dance scene here is amazing! Peoples' attitude to dance itself is different so it gives dancers, performers, teachers, or just ordinary people who like to dance, the opportunity to take the art form to the high international standard that it is here. While I've been here I've been to several dance studios and dance clubs... and I must say ... that here in the UK the performers are simply mesmerising and fantastic to watch. They look so graceful and polished. There are so many people dancing Salsa here that the teachers and the performers have to be at the top of it all and maintain that position. Even the teachers attend each others classes, because the general attitude here is that no matter how good you are, there is always scope for improvement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How does it contrast to Goa? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Entertainment in Goa is so stagnant in comparison. Everywhere you go you will hear the same music being played over and over again and even though there is talent in Goa, very few people seem brave enough to be original or do something different. While dance is hardly viewed as a noble profession in India, here parents will spend a lot of money to put their children through dance school because they know that a child needs to have all rounded growth and development and learning dance helps build confidence, keeps you physically and mentally fit and is fun. People here in London pay very high prices to go to watch dance shows, whether it be Classical Ballet or Modern Dance. There is a great variety -- including traditional Indian dancing -- to choose from and so there is so much more potential for everyone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ What prompted you to go in for Salsa in Goa? Do you do other dance forms? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Throughout school and college I performed at the cultural programs and dance competitions, but that has been at a very amateur level.... A friend of mine had seen Tony and Debi perform and was fascinated when he found out they were teaching Salsa, jumped at the opportunity and asked if I'd like to come along. Well, they are such good teachers and the class was such good fun that I soon found myself being unable to stay away and looking forward to the classes every week. I've always enjoyed dancing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Which areas do you see Goa lacking in currently, for Western dance to grow? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Goa lacks trained dance teachers....Goa lacks proper venues (that is dance studios). But more importantly I think it's most peoples attitude to what constitutes a good dance performance that needs to change, if Western dance is to grow here. Also there seems to be a misguided belief in Goa (and India) that anyone can learn to dance in a week! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Who are the people you look up to in the field, both in Goa and overseas? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The best dance performances I have seen in Goa have not been performed by Goans (or Indians)! They have mainly been dance acts brought from abroad. I am always inspired watching Tony and Debi's performances even after seeing them dance every day for a couple of years now! Goa has many fine dancers but what we lack is is the training and, believe me, dance requires dedication! Overseas, there are too many dancers to name, and many whose names I do not know. One Salsa Dancer who does spring to mind is Susana Montero. I first saw her dance on video and have recently had the pleasure of meeting her, seeing her dance and even attended her class. She has won the UK Salsa championships and represented UK in the world championships in Puerto Rico. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lastly, musicians complain about being treated poorly in Goa, and talent not being appreciated. Does the same hold true for dance as well? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yes very true! If a band are composing and performing something original, audiences will complain however good the musician(s) because they don't recognise the music. The same is true for dance. I think it's to do with lack of dance education and awareness of the many dance forms out there, both Asian and other. People feel safe if they see something they know but that prevents growth and improvement in any field. ENDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India * fred at bytesforall.org * Ph 0091.832.2409490 or 2409783 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post to Goa's first-ever Usenet newsgroup: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To read it, search for 'soc.culture.india.goa' on http://groups.google.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
