Folk Dance
13.01.2017
"She went first and then I went first too. I moved my right foot and she moved her left foot...but wait, it was the same foot. I bumped into her and she toppled over. We brushed it off with a smirk but that's what it's all about right? New cultures, new experiences and in my case...NEW DANCE MOVES!"
For me, the Folk Dance session was definitely one for the books. First of all, our instructor Mrs Elisabeth was one of the most adorable and enthusiastic humans I have ever met. The session started off with the history of the Folk Dance and where it stands today. During this part of the session the history of this form of dance was efficiently explained. This allowed me to understand where and how this dance came about. Elisabeth also showed us the traditional attire that is worn when the dance is performed. I enjoyed this a lot as I got to see and touch a traditional €2000 leather pants (which on an average day would not be compatible with my student budget;)).
We then moved onto doing the actual dance. I paired up with Stephanie and she was a killer partner. The dance itself intrigued me as the very first step is rather modest as it's considered a "greeting" step. I thought that this was rather cute. Thereafter everything went upbeat and the moves got more complicated and much more faster. I managed to keep up whilst enjoying every bit of embracing this tradition of the German culture. After dancing, having refreshments and drinking water (to stop my lungs from killing itself) a few of my peers were given the opportunity to dress up in traditional German clothing. They looked absolutely stunning! This gave the whole session a new feeling of sophistication whilst at the same time nostalgia for a time period I have never lived in but wished I was born in.
In conclusion, my experience of the Folk Dance session will be held dearly for the years to come. I hope that future TSAP participants will also be able to partake in this workshop!
Sarfaraaz Ganie
