Unforgettable

"Do your best, pour your heart and soul into what you do. God will take care of the rest." These words of Guru Mitra echoes in my ears.
There is always a challenge for classical dance teachers to find new talent. The dynamics of a group are disturbed when teenagers leave to pursue other interests. Unlike other dance schools,who have multiple entries or large numbers of participants, we had to make do with a mixed group of 5 adults and teenagers. In the previous years, when we did the opening and closing acts for Zalak, there were many more high schoolers. The team was well balanced.
Would we be able to pull this of? Would we be able to leave a lasting impression on the judges and the audience?
It would be heartbreaking for all of us if we lost. It was the first time we were entering the Zalak dance competition. This dance was my personal favorite. We had always brought the house down with this routine. Conjuring up those happy memories, I tried to forget it was a competition, I lost myself to the music. It was one of my most spontaneous performances aptly captured by the Marathi Vishwa photographer. The combination of expressions, footworks, and imagery won us a deafening applause from the audience.
We were still not sure about winning. I realized that numbers doesn't matter. You can win with a small team. It is the confidence and technical skill of each dancer that counts. The judges were unanimous in their decision when announcing us the winners for Zalak 2009.
We had finally done it. We had won New Jersey's most prestigious dance competition. This was an unforgettable moment for Guru Mitra and Rhythms of dance and music. What a start to 2009!