I recently visited one of the most populous cities in the world located on the west coast of India: MUMBAI. Although I have an array of colorful highlights, my major crowning moments include discussing the art of teaching with a Danceworx (DW)-Mumbai faculty member and teaching dance classes – two for The Danceworx students and one for youths living in Mumbai’s largest slum, Dharavi.
Although unplanned, I found my conversation about student learning with the head of The DW-Mumbai’s ballet division extremely fruitful. Known as Butch Sir, the master teacher reminded me of a key ingredient of learning: enjoyment. He shared his own strategy: he spends the first few classes getting his students to enjoy dance. After students are invested in ballet, he believes that teaching and learning dance are a lot easier. Inspiring and sustaining student motivation to grow their passion for dance is an art and definitely not always easy for me to put into practice; but like Butch Sir, I agree on its significance; and when I am able to be effective in this area, I find my teaching experience to be magical.
Magic happened when I taught two classes that reached a little over seventy DW students. The dancers and I definitely had fun as our bodies contracted, released, and rhymthically filled the space. At the end of each class, dancers hungered more. A few students asked me about Katherine Dunham, and others inquired about my next visit 
. It felt good knowing that our brief time together sparked many students’ interest to learn more about the Dunham technique. 
Magic also occurred in Mumbai’s biggest slum, Dharavi. Through the ACORN Foundation, I taught a dance class to approximately twenty-two youths who ages seemed to range between eight through thirteen (for more information on the ACORN foundation, visit http://www.dharaviproject.org/intro.html). Although I did not grow up in a slum, I grew up in a low income, unpriviledged housing project in the United States. As a result, I related to the Dharavi students’ enthusiasm to learn dance on a deeply personal level. Because there was no way to plug in my i-pod, I taught class to Hindi music brought by one of the dancers who played it in his boom box. Bidding farewell was prolonged as students lined up and shook my hand as well as sit me down in order to view a few of their own choreographic works.
Indeed, my trip to Mumbai was special, and I hope to one day return. I am truly grateful for Maria Teresa Houar, the head of The DW-Mumbai contemporary division and my dear friend, who coordinated my teaching and learning opportunities at The DW-Mumbai and The ACORN Foundation. Shukriyah MARIA!
In addition to teaching dance, Maria and I celebrate Holi in Mumbai.
Family and friends, tune in! One of my upcoming blogs will feature a star company dancer from The Danceworx-Mumbai division, Naomi McCoo.
Also, if you are interested in knowing more about my Mumbai experience, feel free to browze my facebook photo album. Click here: – India – Eyes of Sheila.
