Dancing in the streets, writes Sarita A Tanwar

A celebration

My Hollywood source tells me that one day, Mick and Bowie drove past some desi folks dancing in the street, as part of an NRI's baaraat, and that's where they got the idea for the hit track. Need not have been a wedding, really. We take to the streets to celebrate just about anything -- Holi, Diwali, Ganpati, Gudi Padva, Janmashtami, Navratri, victory in elections or a cricket match... 'Have feet, shall dance' is our main motto. The other one being: 'Have roads, will Ramba' (with or without Samba).

Let's nacho!

The thing is, we like to include everyone in our celebrations. Relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues, friends of relatives, relatives of friends and colleagues, neighbour's friends and colleagues, etc, to join us in our happy moments. Our hearts are big, but homes are small. So a wise man of yore, thought hard and then came up with a brilliant idea. He said, "Let's take this outside." Everyone screamed "Yes" in unison and since then, it has become a tradition.

Shimmy, yo!

We even have a kahaawat: 'Jungle mein mor naacha, kisne dekha?' Loosely translated, it means: 'How will the world know you can dance if you do behind closed doors?' So, Hit The Road, Jack! (a hit song by Ray Charles) I wouldn't be surprised if some day during rush hour, I see a man doing the snake dance on the highway and slithering his way in between cars. I might even join him, because that way, I am sure I will reach home faster.

Dekh dance dekh

I no longer get mad sitting in traffic waiting for some procession on the street to pass. I have accepted that Dance India Dance is not just a TV show, it's our lifestyle. When guests come visiting, Indian parents tell their little children, "Beta, dance kar ke dekhao." Men go to dance bars to see women dance while they drink. Hindi films are incomplete without song-and-dance. Those who can afford, pay actors crores of rupees to dance at their weddings and birthday parties.

Filmi funde

One of Hindi cinema's most terrifying villains, Gabbar, kidnapped Basanti and ordered her "Naach".
Factoid: The first ever dance bar was run by Mausiji from Sholay. She didn't want doosre ghar ki bahu-beti to suffer the same fate as Basanti, every time some fella was in the mood to see some girl dance.
PS: Now you know why the ladies in these bars dress like Basanti. Even if some of them look like Dhanno.