Ice and fire

In my quest to smell the roses even if I don't time to stop, I have enjoyed the last two evenings right in my neighborhood, spending my time in doing something that brings me joy. The "Parampara" series of dance shows, featuring internationally acclaimed troupes is performing at Shilpa Kala Vedika, the wonderful auditorium located right next to Shilparamam in Hitec City. We have the opportunity to watch fantastic dance productions for free, right here in Hyderabad!

Yesterday was the Moscow Classical Ballet troupe that mesmerized the audience with their graceful performance. It was my first time watching live ballet and it was an out-of-this-world experience. The soothing strains of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake filled the half-empty hall with the smooth, fluid movements of the artistes. The petite ballerinas in their gossamer outfits glided across the stage like dainty fairies and comets while performing lifts and twirling on tiptoes for moments that seemed to go on forever. They almost did not look like discrete human figures, but resembled the soft, gentle strokes of a painter's brush, floating across the canvas of the stage. The emotions displayed were universal and felt collectively by the audience as they continued to impress with their finesse.

This evening I was once again fortunate to attend another spectacular performance by Flamenco dancers from Spain. In contrast to the icy elegance of the ballet, this Andalusian dance form had all the fiery passion that Spain is famous for. Jose Parcel was superb as he performed solo footwork that was mind-blowing. The dumbstruck audience responded to his performance with thunderous applause and whistles. The live musicians sang soulful ballads and rousing numbers which in turn energized the dancers who seemed tireless as they stomped around with their flouncy long gowns, their furious footwork a source of intense fascination. I watched unblinking, totally captivated by their grace, their controlled passion and their love of this wonderful energetic dance form.

I was reminded of Malcolm Gladwell's central premise in his book "Outliers" that those who perform exceedingly well at any given task, have at least 10,000 hours of work behind them. While this is apparent in sports, nowhere is it a greater delight to watch, than in the arena of performing arts. Each of these artists have put in thousands of hours of practice in their pursuit of perfection. In the presence of such dedication, all that one can do, is feel humbled, and grateful to be a witness.