Dance Off

I have a friend who loves to dance. This is most fortunate because it’s a love we share. In Seattle, there were few opportunities and companions with which to dance, but in New York, people are always throwing down.



He recommended we go to one of his favorite spots on Thursday nights to dance Bhangra at a club on the corner of West Houston and Verick. We met at 9:00 so we could take the pre-dance lessons. Lord knows I needed it.



Dancing Bhangra is kind of like being in Bollywood movie. The drums are heavy, the sitars are tight, and everyone dances with their hands in the air and a wiggle in their shoulders. The lesson was similar to an aerobics class. The beautiful woman on stage would show the crowd 8-32 counts of choreography and turn on the music so we could mimic the steps to our best ability. After a while, she started putting things together and inviting people on stage. I couldn’t stop smiling. I know I looked a bit goofy, but it was certainly a lot of fun.



When the lesson was over, the woman left the stage, the music grew even louder, and the good dancers started to file in. The crowd was heavily East Indian, but overall was a quite a mix of ages and backgrounds. The one thing everyone had in common seemed to be their smiles and enthusiasm for the dance. Most of the crowd threw themselves into the music, abandoning any attempt to be “cool” or “sophisticated.” It was quite refreshing for New York.



I pointed out to my friend that it was rare to see men dancing with such joy and vigor. Men danced in clusters with their whole bodies moving to the music; their hands waving in the air, their hips shaking, shifting side to side in lateral leaps and kicks – it was a true expression of joy.



The man I was with got completely drenched in sweat as he moved his own body around to the beat for the few hours we were there. He too was smiling nearly the entire time. With every shake of their shoulders, the driving beat and the warm, welcoming environment, men in the room were allowed to shake off the pretenses of being a typical stoic, macho New York man, and resign themselves to the joy of Bhangra.