Lavanya

Hello Everyone!!!!
It’s funny how even so far away some things are universal. Those things seem to pop up in unexpected ways and sometimes provide you with a little bit of home when you least expect it. My little bit of home today is Lavanya.
Lavanya is our third dancer, our resident princess, our fashion consultant, our set order consultant, and occasionally our choreographer. Lavanya is……….three.
Lavanya is staying with her parents here at the hotel. They have been here for I think 4 months now. They are somewhat in limbo due to her father’s company going under. They come from America although I believe her father is originally from India. Lavanya spends her days mostly with adults although she does go to school so that she has time to interact with children. She has made friends with all of the staff and she is quite at home in Café Mozu. Lavanya first started dancing with the dancers who were here before us. They got here around the same time as her family and they all became friends. Prior to this, she had never even seen belly dance. She started dancing with the encouragement of the other dancers, after all children often enjoy dancing at the shows. She now dances with us, almost every night.
It amazes me to see Lavanya dance. She often comes to dance in a dress that one of the managers bought for her that makes a perfect belly dance dress for a three year old. She brings her bag (just like us) with her props and her fan (that I got her) in it. She even puts on her dress up make-up and sometimes has her nails painted. She often compares her nail color to mine. She picked up many of the basic movements and continually watches us to add new moves into her repotire. She is a very fast learner and has a terrific memory. I’ve even seen her pull out moves that we did the day before without seeing them again. Sometimes she makes color requests for which costume we should wear. She also makes set requests, she likes the umbrella (cane) dance a lot. Last night she was dancing with me and she started making step requests…she likes to do “big circles” with the hips and hair flips together and she likes to watch me roll my stomach….and thinks every table should see it too. She has her own canes that she got from the other dancers. Khazna and I bought her a scarf that is the perfect size for a veil for her…..she now has quite a veil entrance complete with the walk and the spins. I even have her posing and saying “taa-daa” at the end of the set.
Watching Lavanya reminds me how lucky I am to dance. I was three when I started taking ballet and I never stopped dancing. She reminds me of the joy it has brought me all of these years and of how much it is a part of who I am. I am also reminded of all of my students back home, both the children and the adults. Of their excitement before a show, when they get to dress up. Of their excitement when they get to show off all that they have learned, and of the hard work they all put into what they love. She also reminds me of my family. Of my parents who took me to dance, and sat through all of my impromptu shows growing up and encouraged me to do what I loved, of my sister who always danced with me, of my brothers who still “bust-out” a shuffle ball change from time to time. And of my nephews…..one is three and one is 9 months old. They are two of my favorite dance partners.
I just wanted to share this bit of home with all of you, and maybe give you all something to think about. I hope to talk to you all soon……and a great big “taa-daa!” for Lavanya.
Yours in Dance,
Sabrina