At our school, we have many events like the Annual Day, Sports Ceremony and seminars every year. However, this year, we had many more events because of the school’s silver jubilee. We had a life skills programme and a health awareness programme to mark the occasion.
This year was very exciting. Of all the events that took place this year, I liked the Annual Day programme the best. We started rehearsing for the annual day well in advance. The theme for this year’s annual day was ‘Nav Ras’ being presented in a series of dances. Instead of having the dance items one after the other, with no apparent link between them, we had a skit neatly linking them together.
I generally get a chance to act in skits because I am rather good at speaking, but the format of this year’s Annual Day did not require more than three actors. Sad to say, I was not one of the chosen three.
I am a decent singer and I found myself chosen for some of the group songs. At first, I was happy with this singing opportunity, but then, I became more ambitious when I found that I was to be only a backstage singer. I desperately wanted to participate in something else too. I tried getting a solo performance in singing but our music teacher firmly refused me. She said that the whole programme was packed with dance sequences and that my solo couldn’t get a slot. I was rather disappointed at this refusal and felt no hope of finding a better role than that of being a member of a group of backstage singers in the annual day this year.
Every class had its own dance to present in the programme, and so had mine. Most of my classmates were taking part in the dance. Some of them were participating in gymnastics as well. Only I and Ritika were participating in only one thing – Music. There were other girls in the music group but they were also participating in dance. You see, I always believed that I was not at all great at dance and so I made no attempt to participate in our class dance programme.
I was quite unhappy and even skipped some of the Music practise sessions. I thought of not participating in the Annual Day event altogether. However, suddenly, one of my classmates, Aayushi, was shifting from gymnastics to dance. She was worse than I was at dance but confidently went and asked the teacher whether she could join. And what do you think? The teacher said yes!
I felt I too could find a place in the dance programme. So, the next day, I built up courage, approached the dance teacher and asked her if I could participate. The teacher readily agreed and also told me that it was good for she was taking people into the dance in pairs and Aayushi needed a partner. So, I got a significant role in the dance after all. I was thrilled. If I had not tried I would not have got on stage at all. So, always try!
Since I was a late entrant, by the time I went in for my first dance rehearsal, everybody was thorough with their steps. I could catch up with my classmates because there were a whole lot of rehearsals after that. The days were passing by and the grand day was nearing us. Unexpectedly, I turned out to be a fine dancer! I, as well as my friends, was surprised because I was reputed for being a pathetic dancer.
Wasn’t that a grand surprise? That was a great day for me – the day when I found I could dance. My granny too was happy because she wanted me to dance well because when she was a schoolgirl as she tells me was a very good dancer. Well, it was my dream too to dance well but I had given it up after a few exploits with the dance teacher in the past.
That was the end of my enjoyments in this academic year. As the annual day was done, the exams were knocking at the doorstep. So were the teachers with loads of revision. Well the exams are still there. The only difference is that they are not at the doorstep but actually right inside
