By: Sumati Huber
Oh gosh! What is this chat group I have been added into now? “Dance for #RajSoniaInLove”? I have been forced to perform at weddings since I was five years old, when is it going to end? I’m not even good at dancing and I’m so uncoordinated. I shouldn’t even be allowed to get on stage.
OK, I know it’s my sister’s wedding but surely I can just give a speech or something instead of prancing around like a fool. She should already be grateful I’m missing five days of work for her celebrations.
Who else is in this group? Payal, Simran, Diya… oh my God, they are such amazing dancers! I’m going to look ridiculous next to them. What! They are arranging a practice for tonight at 8pm? Let me see if I can get out of this.
“Hey guys! So sorry, I’m not free to meet this evening. Please go ahead without me.”
Ugh, why are they asking me to propose a different time? I don’t want to dance! The whole sangeet becomes so stressful like this. I won’t even be able to enjoy myself until the performance is over with.
“Sorry guys. I don’t think I’m going to do the dance this time. Thank you though, I’ll be cheering for you.”
I can see Diya typing something. What did she write? “You have to do the dance, it’s your sister’s wedding. We expect you to be in the front and centre. We will go ahead with the practice tonight and send you a video so you can learn the steps.”
I wonder if it’s rude if I leave the chat group? Fine, I guess I have no choice anymore. It doesn’t matter that I spent my whole life covering for my sister to our parents, helping her with her homework, and letting her borrow my clothes. She won’t forgive me if I don’t dance at her wedding.
Let’s see this video they sent. It can’t be that bad, right? What did I just watch?! That is ridiculous, their hands and feet are moving everywhere! I don’t understand the moves at all! The song is so fast too! I can’t move my hips like that! What is this next step? It looks like I’m supposed to be hopping while wiping windows? I better message them to set up another practice quickly because there’s no way I can learn the dance from this video.
That was super stressful. There are only three days until the sangeet, and now I have to spend every free moment practicing. I can’t be the one to mess up. I suppose it’s too late to ask them to change the song to something slower. How am I going to dance in my super heavy lehenga? Perhaps I have to take my shoes off during the performance, but then I’ll trip over my skirt because it’s too long. Maybe I can just hold it up the whole time.
Wow, the sangeet decor is so beautiful. I better find something to eat before it gets too crowded. What’s this message I’m getting? “Guys, where are you? We need to meet in front of the bathroom to go over the dance again NOW!”
Oh great, the MC is calling for all performers to come to the stage. Wait, we are the first group to dance? Oh my God, that’s the beginning of our song! Here goes nothing…
I have no idea what just happened. That was all a blur. I’m sure I messed up so many steps. It was fun, but I’m so happy it’s over. I’ll be at the bar the rest of the night.
An unreformed party girl and mother of two, writer, editor and observer Sumati Huber tries to make sense of our unique Thai-Indian society and the aunties that she will one day become.
