Thakshak

Suddenly, I miss those dancing days back in primary school. Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali, Annual School Concerts, Dancing Competitions, Girl Guides Jamboree 2000, Girl Guides Camp 2001, Haziq Kindergarten Annual Concerts, Hari Guru - you name it I'm in it. Ahhhh the wonder years, when I could actually bend my fingers kasi lentik gitu to dance to traditional Malay song and Hindi songs.

Yes, Hindi songs. Rang De, to be exact, my favourite by far.

I remember the time we were discussing for the dance outfit when Pn. Badariah asked us to get a long skirt, a top and a shawl. It sounded weird to me (plus, I didn't own any skirt back then) so I called Mum and told her the details. Called her again later and she told us the outfit is called a Lengha (picture below), so we went to Jalan Masjid India after school to get ourselves a pair, for Faiqah and I, that is.



I remember how it felt like walking into the store in Masjid India - good god, the gold, the bangles, the lenghas, the materials, they were simply gorgeous! We had a ball browsing through a wide selection of choices - I remember wanting to own a pair when I grow up so that I could get the really really expensive material, with the embroidery and the beads sewn, just like in the movies. Ah, the dream. We settled with a pair each, mine with a copper top and cream/gold embroidery and cream satin skirt and shawl while Faiqah's was a deep/dark green satin with gold beads and embroidery. We even got ourselves the bangles, the bindi, the anklets that has about a hundred bells - you name it we got it. Well, at least we used to.

And the dance, oh the dance. Mariam was the one who suggested the song to Pn. Badariah, and I'm glad she did. She was the leader, Mariam, teaching us the moves she learnt from the video and changing a few moves here and there to make things easy. It was fun, dancing during recess time and staying back after school to practice, practice, practice. Come to think of it, my parents were surprisingly supportive with our interest. If only they'd let me do ballet or continue dancing. Le sigh. Anyways, the performance went well. At the time, only Faiqah and I wore Lenghas so hell yeah it felt great alright! Hah ha.

I don't know what happened to them, I think we lost or threw out most of the accessories and probably did the same thing to the lenghas too since we've outgrown them and my other two sisters were not into dancing.

Ah the good old days. If only I could turn back time - I would love to relive those moments. And well, not-so-secretly, I'm trying to do it now. Farah said it's a surprise I still remember the steps even though that dance was in 1999, which was, Oh-Em-Gee, eleven years ago. Not so bad, eh. But I have to admit I have gotten a little (okay a lot actually) rusty over the years and I could not bend my fingers or my body as easily as I could.

In an attempt to relive the dancing days, I've downloaded the video so that I could learn the steps all over again and have a good sweat. Terasa nak beli lengha pun ada! Tapi untuk sendiri pakai la orang tak boleh tengok. Heheheh apa salahnya kan? But of course, I'll only be doing this in the room when no one's watching, except for my sisters, and Farah perhaps. But I won't do it in front of anyone else, that's for sure. Don't know why but I've gotten all shy to do just that AHAHAHAHA shocka.

As a gift for you readers out there, if I have any, this video is for you. Take a look at what I'm attempting to do ;) Ahahahaha turrah!