Hooked to a groove

One can tell how culturally aware the people in Chennai are, from the sheer number of music, dance and art forms that thrive here. From classical music to contemporary dance, Dancehall, and now Kizomba, Chennaiites are always eager to try out new ideas. Kizomba, especially, is becoming quite popular in the city and this summer will play host to a number of events and workshops promoting this dance form.

Originating from Angola, Africa, the rhythmic and romantic dance has a lot of takers worldwide, but has only recently started getting some attention in our city.

Arun Srinivasan, founder of Salsa Madras, a dance company, tells DC that he has been involved with promoting the African dance since 2013, when he learnt it under Nelson Campos, an internationally renowned dancer and instructor. While it’s not new, it only entered India in the past couple of years. In fact, our city was pivotal to its emergence in the country — so much so that Chennai is considered the capital of Kizomba in India! “It is much slower than salsa and thus, softer and nicer. It's very sensual and has seen an evolution in terms of the music used. A lot of modern songs and remixes are being used today,” he says. They're also planning another pool party at Taj Gateway Hotel, IT Expressway on May 7.

Meera Mithun, a city-based model has also learnt the dance, and she finds it to be a stress-buster. “First I learnt salsa, which got me interested in other forms like jive, bachata and merengue. It’s like an adventure for me and that's why I tried Kizomba as well. From my experience with Latin-American dances, it was easy to adapt and was a unique experience. The music in Kizomba is mesmerising and the best part about it is getting lost in the sway and musicality,” she smiles.

But Kokila Hariram, founder and dancer at Academy of Modern Danse in Russian Culture Centre, points out that there could be another reason to its slow rise when compared to other dances. “There is another side to it. Kizomba is very erotic and much more sensual than bachata.

Many are sceptical about trying it out, because it’s Chennai! It requires one to be close to the partner, which is agreeable for few couples. It’s a very graceful dance and the dancers move as one body, not two,” she says in conclusion.