A Rendezvous To Remember

Today was something I was looking forward to since the last 4 Years! I was meeting the inspiration of my life and I couldn't hide my excitement! My Dance teacher Mrs Hema Govindarajan - she has groomed me since I was 6 years old.. I don't remember too much of my first few days in dance class.. but what I remember is the house in Wilson Garden which - though the structure has changed now holds a lot of memories for me and many others who shared those classes.. We would wear White Salwar Kurtas and a Purple coloured belt - a cousin of mine would tease me that I was attending Karate classes and not dance! I had a couple of friends staying around my house and we would all get together and walk up to Miss' house.. The best I remember of that house was the flawless Red Oxide flooring and the beautiful garden (we had some pictures in dance poses taken here) I remember how strict Miss used to be - one look from her and it would send shivers down our spine.. The day when my parents would say they would come to meet Miss would be a day of reckoning - After the chat with Miss I would get a good hearing at home saying I should be listening to my teacher because she knows what is best - after all she is the TEACHER.. And if I didn't want to do that I could quit dancing.. That was not something I could do - one because I would be disappointing my parents and two, because I didn't WANT to quit dancing..
She gave us the opportunity to dance on stage by organising an Annual Day Event and that was the time I realized I wanted to dance for a really long time to come. But the day after those annual events would be yet another day or reckoning - since we would get a 'REVIEW' of the program from our teacher and she would rest assure us that we would not be put on stage again for the pathetic performance we put up! But, now I realize, that was the only way she could motivate us to do better and more than anything else not let ourselves down. This way we had our feet firmly on the ground and would always strive to do better and not be satisfied at all. Because with Satisfaction, in art, comes stagnation.. And in any kind of art form, constant growth is absolutely necessary. This is a lesson I still carry with me and the results I can see in the audiences' reaction when I perform on stage.
When she left India, to go to Nairobi for a long time to come, I felt orphaned.. I had just begun to really enjoy dancing and not see it as a tiresome activity anymore. I had just decided to take it up as a full time profession and I couldn't believe that my teacher's presence would not be with me.. But contrary to what I felt, though she has been away her support and guidance, I realize, will always be with me.. She sent me to another teacher - I didn't want to change teachers but realized if I needed to achieve something I would have to take this step - and I trusted her choice... Much to my delight the other teacher was amazing! As dedicated and as beautiful a dancer as Mrs Hema Govindarajan was Guru Bhanumati (who incidentally happened to be the Guest of Honour at my Arangetram.. She was an amazing person at heart and a extremely inspiring dancer and teacher.. I felt grateful that I was being taken from safe hands to another set of safe hands...
But I still miss Mrs Hema's presence in Bangalore.. She's back here for a holiday and as I mentioned I'm meeting her almost after a four year gap and it was just so thrilling to see her again... Not changed a bit but now I guess I have matured more to be able to talk to her without 'putting my head down' and being able to share with her all that's part of my life and dance..
THANK YOU MISS FOR MOULDING MY LIFE!