This article is part of the CCA Previews for 2016.

By Maanasa Sri Ganesh (16S06Q), Chairperson, and Huang Jiawen (16S06G), Vice-Chairperson

Raffles Indian Dance, or RI Idance for short, is a performing arts CCA dedicated to promoting Indian Dance and inculcating in our members a love for dance. We aim to provide a platform for all members to grow as dancers and freely express themselves through dance. For years, RI Idancers have been a closely-knit bunch, and we hold our members’ interests close to our hearts. Even as we seek perfectionism and take on ever more difficult dance routines, we leave no one behind, and newer members are often patiently guided through the choreography by their amiable seniors.

“In the beginning of the year, I was quite worried about my performance during CCA sessions as I had no prior experience in Indian Dance, but my seniors’ encouragement and guidance really helped me to become more confident and passionate about dance.”

– Huang Jiawen

Many may think that Indian Dance CCAs only dabble in traditional Indian Dance items. This, however, cannot be further from the truth. We love to explore different genres and styles of the fascinating art form. We are given room to experiment with genres ranging from the timeless and classical bharathanatyam (traditional Indian Dance) to the fiery and sassy Bollywood. You will definitely be able to pick up some signature Bollywood moves and improve your knowledge of exotic Indian folk music and popular Bollywood songs from CCA sessions!

Indian Dance meets twice a week on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. However, nearing performances, practices may be longer and increase to three times a week. Throughout the year, we will have numerous opportunities to perform in events including but not limited to the biennale Singapore Youth Festival (SYF), Sangamam (the annual concert by Indian Cultural Society) and major school events such as National Day Celebrations. Last year, Indian Dance managed to attain a Distinction award in SYF 2015. Our CCA sessions include drills in basic Indian Dance techniques, physical training as well as the learning and practicing of dance choreography. Members will also have the opportunity to choreograph items for non-SYF performances, and this enables us to gain deeper insights into the various dance styles.

We firmly believe that dance is a collaborative effort that unifies individuals of diverse personalities and backgrounds. As a dance item comes to completion, meaningful bonds are forged along the way, and time and time again we witness the growth of our members as dancers and individuals. For our dancers who are not trained in Indian Dance, learning a new dance form had certainly not been an easy feat. Nonetheless, they can always turn to their CCA mates for support and encouragement, and everyone can learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it is not essential to have prior experience in Indian Dance or dance background to join our CCA! What’s most important is a willingness to learn and a strong interest in dance.

If you love dancing and are eager to try out a new and exotic dance form, then give Indian Dance a try! We look forward to welcoming you to the Raffles Indian Dance family :)