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Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.
DANCING WITH TWO LEFT FEET |
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Did you ever consider dancing with your hands?
This might be a strange question to ask folk dancers. We are always concerned with stepping on the right foot while our hands do little as we hold our neighbors' hands, shoulders, or if we are really into Balkan dancing, their belts.
Very seldom do we break loose from the confines of the circle or line to do some turns and raise our hands above our heads.
On the other hand, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and most dancing in that region of the world, is all about hands. The hands are the primary part of the dance while they relate the role of feet to a secondary position of simple walking steps.
On our recent trip, we had the opportunity to participate in several workshops of Vietnamese and Cambodian dancing. The teaching started with a short performance as we watch the young and graceful boys and girls dance with their hands. The arms, fingers, and hands moved in tune to the music to perform a dance of their own. They gracefully touched their thumbs with each finger after another, as the rest of the fingers arched backwards. The hands became shy deers dancing in a forest of the music.
It seemed so easy!
We were in for a shock, when our young host took us by our hands and attempted, to no avail, to show us how to bend our fingers in a graceful backward arch while keeping one in the opposite position. We tried to follow the intricate patterns of hand movement and various hand positions. After a few minutes, our hand muscles, not used to these movements, ached and would only obey the directions of our brains. Not only did we have a hard time imitating the various finger positions as our hands seemed to quickly fill with lead as gravity took over.
At that moment, I suddenly realized that not only did I have two left feet but I also had two sore left hands.
On the other hand (pardon the pun), our young smiling hosts did not lose patience with us and their enthusiasm rubbed off and drove us to try harder. I am sure that had we more time, we would eventually master some of the simpler movements.
This brings me to our own dancing
We have many newcomers, to whom our dancing must seem similar to us trying to do the Vietnamese and Cambodian dances. Just like those kids, we need to show enthusiasm and patience with our newcomers. I am sure that some of the steps our teachers show us seem difficult and almost impossible to do. After a while, as our dance muscles develop, the steps will become easier and we will be able to enjoy the dances
So keep on dancing. Trust me. It will become easier.
Printed in Folk Dance Scene, "DANCING WITH TWO LEFT FEET (25), April 2007.