Headache for me : Jhankaar'11 updates

Hey people,

I am really getting busier day by day, lots of work as well as show and some stupid electronics good which keep giving problems all the time!!! Now a days, you are stupid if you think that your Ipod, Laptops, Mp3s etc will work nicely without creating any trouble and it's a crime if you take it to service centres because they are not at all interested in your repair but to sell the new one!!

Anwz, I am very tired today to write about first show but I would definitely like to give some updates about Jhankaar'11. So here it goes......

1. Finally on Wednesday, I successfully finished the task of pending checks (yeyyyyyy!!!!) and teacher's payments and finally payment is done, though Kishor's check is still with as he is out of India till 31st May.

2. I had declared ( to myself and few of my friends) at the end of last Jhankaar'10 that I am not going to participate in any more shows and my duty here onward will be to criticize all of you people ( nice!!!! )

    But 2 days back, having a night walk with Rohini, I told her about a song I wanted to dance on, since ages.... and suddenly we thought of something, very tempting dance theme, which includes above song...and so I might be back in the show just for one dance.

   We are in process of forming group for this. We had decided for group for 4 gals which are 8 now..... :P :P :D :D  but I guess we can accommodate all of them and may be can come up with better idea and choreography.

3.  Third and most IMP, I had some biiiiiiig fights with some DC members....It's been a month now, ppl have given preferences and groups have been created.

But still people do not reply the emails regarding dances. Very few groups have replied me back saying their groups have been formed and songs are selected.

Then, a week back , contemporary group had meeting, hardly 4 ppl came out of 10 and 3 days back VD called me saying that Bhangara Group had a meeting and no one turned up. Happens!! this happens every year !!! 

I just hope that they group together fast and submit their songs faster.

Then This classical Group, One group is from the classical dance classes from IISc and Jayanthi mam has happily agreed to choreograph for her students in IISc which includes some young gals around 4-5 years...that's so sweet!! I am very much eager to see them dancing on stage......

Another classical group, the ppl who are learning dances since looong time, will always want to perform one and we are happy if they do...but if they think that... they do not need to reply DC back and conveners are some jobless people writing emails everyday and asking them for their group details...then we really don't need this group.

Attitude looks good only ON-Stage and not OFF-Stage!! Everyone should remember this!!!

Then some people are so full of themselves that they keep asking for the solos even after denying 100s of times!! We have told them so many times that, solo is boring in the show and if we allow any1 we have allow every1....

God know when these people will understand!!1 Such a headache!!!

Anwz I just hope that this headache goes away soon....we have chacha workshop tomorrow and I am going Njoy it.......

See you all soon!!!

The First Show....Planning!!!

Hello All,

PAST:

    So we decided to have a dance showcase around the time freshers arrive,somewhere in august month. We started asking people to participate in the show and after struggling for long time, we finally came up with 8 participants. Actually we had several more dancers but the trouble was many of them were going to finish their M.Tech at the same time and were going to leave Bangalore soon as well some already had a plan for going home. Now that we had our 8 dancers, Me, Kishor, Deepika, Anirudha, Rishika, Vivek, Purvi and Sumit, It was time to finalize dances because we knew very Little dances. So after lot of thinking, Tillu and Kishor came with decision of performing Viennese waltz, Argentine Tango, Samba, American tango and Salsa. Though we had planned about about the show well in advance, real practice started in July only. So the plan was me n Kishor and Deepika n Vivek, were going to open the showcase with the Viennese waltz, then Argentine tango by Sumit and Purvi , Group Samba by me n Kishor and Deepika n Vivek again followed by American Tango of Anirudha and Rishika and finally to end the show was Salsa group dance of all people together. Songs were decided and practise was started in full Josh, for the first dance showcase in IISc.

     Of course most of the times, nothing happens as planned, there will be lot of unseen difficulties. So what happened actually and how did we finally manage to overcome the situations......wait till next time.....

PRESENT:

     Today, the most sad thing is I have not got the dance instructor's Checks till now, even after struggling for each and everyday. I am really tired of calling these gymkhana people and audit people and asking them about the payments. Everyday they answer me the same "it's in the process, surely by tomorrow, you will get the checks" and that tomorrow is yet to arrive. Unfortunately I have fever and cold since 3 days so can't even run around and I am so glad that Semonti is helping me out with this check issue. Now she is the one who is going around for checks. Thank you very much Semonti.....!!!!

     Coming weekend we have Chacha Workshop by Tillu for 6 hours. We had Ballroom jive and Salsa workshops as well on past weekends and they were awesome!! I am sure this chacha workshop in going to rock too. Actually these all workshops are planned by Tillu just before the show , the reason is newcomers get to learn these dances and they get the inspiration to perform in the show. No doubt we have got so many new people to perform in Jhankaar this time.

                               Tillu rocks!!!Cheers!!! 

Dance Showcase.......????

Hi all,

When I started this blog, I had decided to write daily posts, with daily updates of preparations of Jhankaar'11 but last 2 days were real busy and tiring that missed the post. You know, after all I have a PhD Guide too......

But whatever happens…. dance never sleeps (stops I mean) ……

So.......

PAST:

     I still remember those early days of dance class, when there used to be hardly 4-5 couples (that's 8-10 people) in a class. Slowly in 2-3 months, the number reached to 14-15, but it was good in a sense that Tillu could concentrate on each of us personally (she still does even with a huge number too…how?? only she knows….). Some of our very initial members I can remember are Mario, Rakesh, Sumit, Divya, Shradhha, Vivek, Anirudhha, Kishor (he is a teacher too),Deepika, Purvi and Rishika (both are in US now doing their PhD) and myself. Dance class was such a relaxation and entertainment in that deadly tight schedule of course work and study and exams and assignments.

    I vividly remember how busy I used to be!!! 4 courses in that short term of Jan session, Dance classes, Department in-house symposium, Temporary Aerobics club convener ship, TMC Science quiz Volunteer, student’s council active participation..........too many things to do in just 24 hours!!!!!!   I remember having 8 different IISc T-shirts in that year :P !!!

    And at the end of the sem, I was glad that I could finally manage with so many things. After that came a big holiday at home and return to lab and then came June. As June starts and July approaches, It means It’s time for Freshers!!! That means each and every club of IISc including student’s council will be very busy welcoming the fresher’s in their own styles.

   At that time, June-July 2008, DC was a comparatively newer. The other clubs in IISc like Music club, Rhythmica.......used to have their showcase 3-4 times a year and those used to be very nice!! What a glory to perform on stage of SDA !!

    And then, we, DC, thought that if We want to grow faster and want maximum people to know about us, Dance Showcase is the best way to express ourselves. And that’s how the Idea of Jhankaar was born!!! Of course, name of the show case was different that time.....Now the trouble was we had very less number of people around and we knew very few dances to perform...there was no way that we could present an hour showcase in SDA.....but then what to do....Some where we had to start with something........so.......?????

PRESENT:

     I keep checking the dance club emails at least 3-4 times a day, hoping that someone might have replied and whenever I open the email, I get huge pile of email saying “Delivery status Failure”. Damn!!!! People can’t even give their correct email-ids. What a Disappointment!! But Finally I have got 2 replies saying that they are not in town and they will contact us back once they are back……not bad!!! Also Many people have started talking about the show in campus as well many dance club member are asking me about dances available…”Can we do this dance?? Can I have this partner?? ….When can We start the practice??....Who has key to dance room???...” not bad at all!!!!!!!

    Even Late night discussions with Srikant, Nishchal, Ankur and Vijay @ Pavillion, then conversation in mess with Rohini, Rahul, Hema, Mamta, Summy and Lucky…..I feel these all are promising signs for the show. I am happy that people are thinking seriously…after all a huge dedication is required from all of us to make the show successful!!!!

       Actually, In the month of March, I was at home enjoying my holidays with mom and dad, and this one guy called me asking for the dance club…..name Harsh….Department Neurosciences (CNS), IISc. I remember I was with my mom doing some shopping and Harsh called me…..” Hi, I came to know from someone that you are in dance club, I want to dance in showcase , I am Harsh from CNS ( funny thing is I didn’t know that CNS means Neurosciences and I was thinking he was not from IISc)  “…… He did sound very Enthu…..I tried to explain him that I was not in Bangalore, I was on Roaming, I was with mom and that I would call him back once I was back to campus and of course Showcase was faaaaar away!!! But he really didn’t stop talking, He sounded like Showcase was already going on somewhere and he wanted to dance in that, at that right moment!! This Enthusiasm is always good for Performances…. Anwz, once I was  back to campus, I came to know that he already found dance club people and He was in. Now that the showcase is been announced, I am hoping to see him somewhere, during dance workshops, auditions….But I am not able to ….I have heard he is doing HIPHOP this time. Nitish, Nishachal and Gaurav keep talking about him…..I really want to meet this Harsh……after all I am very curious to meet this person who was really so impatient to dance in the showcase in March and now at the time show, I Don’t see him….:P. If not anywhere, I hope at least I will see him on the stage on show day!!!!!!!!

Tillu.....and Her Dance class

Hi,

I am thinking to divide the post in 2 parts, every time. The first part with past memories and other one with the present troubles and fun!!

PAST:

     It was my 4th day in IISc; I had snacks in mess and was hoping that Mario, Rakesh, Ganesh and Sumit could give me a good trip around the campus. But instead they said that they were going for Dance class. As it is...No work to do in first week, I too left with them for the same. I did not even bother to ask that what dance class, which type of dance, who is the teacher etc etc......I was walking with friends, with no idea where we were going.....I crossed the over bridge and  then I saw a very big ground, that was the first time I saw gymkhana and the SAC.

     As soon as we entered the SAC, I saw some people dancing Salsa in couples. Of course like many of us, I used to think SALSA is The couple dance (by the way, that dance was not salsa, it was swing). And then Mario was talking to One cute,young Lady ,asking some doubts (he always has too many doubts)......"OKkkkkk. So this is our dance teacher....." I thought. She looked at me and gave me a big and very sweet smile. "She is Tillu..."  Mario told me. Actually on the way to gymkhana, all the time I was thinking that no one of my size dances....and I was sure that even My dance teacher was going to ask me the same...something like..." are you sure, you are right place??"... Or “do you really think you can dance???" ...... But with her one smile, I felt all my doubts vanishing and within next few minutes I was dancing swing with all of them. And best thing.......my size (I was real fatso that time) did not matter to her at all. She believes that anyone can dance...and so do I....you just need that right attitude for the dance.  So this was my first Intro to Tillu and dance club (DC). 

       Today, Tillu and DC, both of them are like my bestest buddies. :)

PRESENT:

      It's been almost 20 days now, since the date, we have released the notice for Jhankaar 2011. Me and Nitish....Nitish and Kiran are the Dance Club conveners this year. Kiran, getting married on this 22nd May, was too busy in his lab work as well as marriage preparations.….. It's now, me and Nitish who are trying to organize the things. We have sent the applications forms to all IISc through which people have registered their preferences already. We are in a process of forming the groups and deciding the couples for different couple dances.

    The most irritating thing is…… What people have done while giving the preferences…… many many of them…most of them….. have given choices blindly. I mean I wonder whether people even know the dance forms which they have opted for......OK…..that is also fine....now for these people Tillu has organized FREE workshops on weekends so they get familiar to different dance forms and this lot even refuses to come for the workshops. Now how on the earth… is anyone going to train them????????

    Kiran is @ Hydrabad Njoying his wedding, Nitish is @ Chhattisgad Njoying his holidays at home and me….I am here in IISc....grouping the people, making the couples, writing the emails for auditions and.....saddest thing ......nooooo one replies.....Every year this must be happening, I am sure. Conveners start the preparation on time hoping that let everything be ready on time....and it never happens :(........ I am planning to wait till this weekend at least, before taking any decisions about finalizing people and their dances. On top of that, Gymkhana has not signed the checks for dance Instructors and here I am running around the gymkhana and the audit section, asking for the documents, resubmitting rejected forms (Nitish's fault, I am going to kill him for this once he is back)  and Convincing teachers that they are going to get their checks soon!!! For a while in a day, I completely forget that I am doing my PhD. I feel that days are getting smaller and list of "to do's” is growing bigger and bigger. I just hope that people will reply to my emails and Nitish comes back soon to help me with all this chaos........

Me and IISc dance club

Hi all,
This is my Fourth year in Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore as a PhD candidate. I joined IISc on January 1, 2008. And before knowing anything about my Lab, my Guide the first thing I had visited was Dance Club of IISc (Thanks to my friend Mario, who was already a part of club before). So I can say that me and Dance Club (DC) are good old friends.

The major reason that I thought of writing this blog Regarding DC is this year we are about to Perform our 4th big one (actually 5th one, including one small show for 10 minutes) dance show, JHANKAAR 2011. There have been so many good as well as bad changes in DC throught my journey with it. And now this time I am having joy (as well as headache) of oragnizing it with Nitish, I felt like sharing each and every experience behind the stage that I am coming across once the idea of show hits the campus!!!!

Jhankaar 2011 :
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=153315764736427