BRING IT ON 2015 - Meet the performers Part 2

Bring It On 2015 - Meet Your Performers - PART 1

Bring It on 2 - Meet the Performers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esxG1FASPbU

Bring It on 1 - the Journey

In case if you all wondered what Bring It On 1 was about

A Fusion of Culture

    - of passion infused to the bone.

At a time, when performance arts is slowly diminishing and losing it’s sheen and where dance has lost it's meaning, Dance Central founded by Vineet Bangera came up with an idea, to show case the hidden meaning in to why people dance. If people thought dance was boring, they would definitely think again and renew their perceptions towards this art form after watching the show. Sometimes it’s easier to express one’s thought and emotions on a canvas alike a dance floor/stage than to convey it face to face in front of a person.

40 people from different walks of life, age groups varying from 17 to 60 came together to put their feet together…how the language of the soul was   through the poetry of the feet. The feet moved to the rhythm of the beat, the body absorbing the vibrations and the energy from the crowd. No wonder, then, they were able to come up with a Perfect Performance, despite the given time constraints that they had to cope with. They danced as if they were alone, in their own space, in the comfort of their zone, without being judged and to celebrate the various happy emotions. It was about the virtues life - of the passion, the glory, the attitude and mysticism – all rolled into one.

Very seldom, do we see a dance performance that is simple, straightforward, honest and one that touches you, right there in your heart. Dance Central's Annual Showcase, does just that. It strikes a chord with the audience, for the sincerity, ease and elegance in its approach. There is an underlying message here - to give back to the school and fraternity that has made them what they are today.

The show, which was about the journey of students, is a simple tale of a travel - a travel into rediscovering who you truly are and in redefining your personality. It's not an individual journey. No, this is where it stands out. It is a story of courage, conviction, compassion, faith and belief. It is a tale of perfection in all it's simplicity, spelled out through hard-core dance performances.

It’s a show that deals with the road less travelled. For some, it was a form of prayer; for some, a confidence building tool; for others, about the joys of celebrating life and for the remaining - just a way of expressing something that they felt from within

The dance performance had a particular theme around it, which gave a holistic overview of the performances.

The Salsa Numbers were spicy and hot just as the term salsa suggested. The Opening Song Dave Sinco, with a combination of black and red, where black here, signified attitude - the introspection and self-examination in overcoming problems and red - passion. What else does one expect, when there is Attitude and Passion in one combined other an explosive chemistry. How else, could one better understand the dance better where the man is looking at the girl, the girl tells him to get lost. He tries to pursue her, stops her at one point of time and then goes on to lift her up. For an onlooker, it certainly made the "chase" worthwhile. The combination of black and red as also the routine that was performed also gave it a more sensuous and mature feel. Sonaris El Tamba, a classic salsa routine where the guy just asks the girl to dance was a little softer in its approach. The colour combinations of pink and black highlighting the underlying attitude and approach towards creativity and hard work thereby signifying a new dawn.

Darte e Banco, a bachata sequel, where the girls were in frills was brimming in romance, passion and new age love. The colours in the sequence signifying balance, growth, trust and peace - terminologies associated with the meaning of Love. Love, ah, the feeling, that makes the world go round and round and round. The number was all about a guy wanting to propose a girl and the girl accepting the proposal. The cuteness that was added here, was the umbrella!! The performance took you back to the past – to the “good times” of experiencing and having found first love or then young love, the tenderness and the innocence that is associated with the subtle emotions/feelings of love.

This was also the first time, many of the performers were performing on stage. Hence, to get over their stage fright, there was a beginner level Bachata and Salsa score. The Bachata score being Ya No Aguante Mas, where a group of people came together to perform a nice romantic song. Lalave being the salsa score helping the shy people to come out on their own. It's not easy performing on stage - that too in front of a live audience but here, there were people who were probably dancing for the first time on stage or on a particular dance form and what came across was the sheer energy, enthusiasm and the hunger into giving it their best. It was sheer dedication towards the cause at hand that saw such a finesse performance by both the men and woman alike.

Remember, “The way you make me feel”. The song there was about a guy trying to get the attention of a girl. Both men and woman alike find each other charming and enticing and want to attract the attention of the opposite sex. Everyone loves living life in the fast lane. A special reference to the case would be that of, either or both in uniform. Woman like men in uniform coz of the integrity and courage they possess. Men (with a few exceptions) on the other hand like a woman in uniform, simply because they find them too tempting to be resisted. There could perhaps be no other way than to narrate the adventure of an ordinary guy trying to woo a cabin crew than a Rueda Number - Asa Fata. The sheer intensity, naughtiness, trying hard to woo - sometimes succeeding, sometimes not attitude in the number took one back to the younger days of infatuation and crushes coupled with a yearning to have them in their lives.                                  

The essence of a woman lies deep in her eyes that are windows to her soul. It is their silence that does the talking. They, however, love being loved. They love being appreciated and admired but what makes them, what they are is their resolute power they have in them and their inner strength, not to forget the oodles of attitude, they possess to boost them up and the air of mystery that surrounds them. The Ladies Cha cha was more in terms of an attitude of a woman and woman power – one that signifies that they have their own style that they wear up on the sleeves and which gives them a boost….one that states that they were proud of being a woman. The colour combination of all red also signified, that they knew what they had to do, where they had to go, how to get there and how it had to be done. It comes with an approach they have towards life and with an inherent belief in self. 

But woman would be incomplete without the man. When man and mystery are together as one combined, it isn't explosion. It isn't Rage. It isn't Desire. It’s something more. The sequence of Vogue attempted to answer this question. The sequel started with the men and women both entering with mask, throwing their masks away and then with a bohemenian kohl look, thus giving it a very abstract and different feel in trying to see what the eyes could only see. Dressed in all black, it was not about the negative shades to a personality. It may or may not be about pain (sometimes, a woman's smile and a man's silence or then vice versa can also mean pain) but more about an elegance, sophistication and a dignified approach that comes in the upmarket niche crowd. It certainly wasn’t about the retro look but was more in terms of looking deep inside within you and realizing that it’s the inherent faith and belief that guides you in trusting the person beneath the mask he wears, the person with a mask or the one within.

Perhaps, it is this inherent belief and ability that eventually leads a person to celebrating life and the simple joys and pleasures associated with it. Hip Hop attempted to highlight just that. It showed what it means to free yourself from the baggage of the past that you carry along and let yourself loose in order to just enjoy.  A mixture of naughtiness and aggression, Hip Hop was this very chic, funky, street friendly, youthful and vibrant performance, brimming with loads of energy, enthusiasm and positivity.

An Energy that only transcended to the finale performance – that of a Bollywood folk and thus giving a very brief yet precise insight into some of the cultures of India. The plethora of colours in this one and an influx of a bengali dance form coupled with gharba thereby giving it a very festive and happy feel.

The finale, in a nutshell spoke what the show was all about. It was about triumph over obstacles. It was about celebrating life and spreading the cheer. An influx and fusion of dances, it was about the vibrance that radiates from the hearts. More importantly, it was about being your own slogan and  poetry.

You know what dance does - It gives you the confidence to face the world, eye in eye, heads on. That’s what this show did. It gave a feeling to the audience and the performers that there is still hope.

Perhaps, that is what this show was all about - HOPE.

In more ways than one, though, the show was also because of the man, who gave that confidence cum ego boost to his students. Perhaps, it was because his sheer humility, dedication, commitment, passion and a personalized feel because of which Dance Central has been able to set a benchmark of sorts for the salsa fraternity - that dance just isn't all about fun. No, it is much more deeper than that.

Vineet Bangera - Thank you for touching our lives and making a difference. Here's to a beginning that you made :-)