When the elderly dance to raunchy songs

"We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams." - Unknown

The colorful lights and joyous beating of drums welcomed me to the celebration that is an Indian wedding. I had just entered the hall decorated with beautiful silk curtains and flowers. There in the center sat the bride and groom on two majestic thrones.

I watched the action as the DJ played the hottest bhangra numbers. On the lighted dance floor was this cute old lady in a shocking pink salwar kameez showing off some amazing dance moves to the young ladies around her. The DJ switched songs. 'Kajra re' a hindi film song with 'double meaning' lyrics came on. All the 'young girls' disappeared to their tables in a major attack of 'Kajrarephobia'. The only dancers left were a handful of toddlers and the cute old lady. All eyes popped out as the fifty-plusser shook her booty to the beat. The videographer crouched to capture some really revealing low angle shots. Everyone was being entertained by the 'mujra' when suddenly her extremely cross daughter yanked her off the dance floor.

A couple of songs later when the dance floor got re-filled our pink old lady was back. This time she dragged some of her young female relatives to acompany her. As soon as the naughty young DJ saw her on the floor he replayed 'Kajra Re'. As usual the prudish young ladies left the floor in panic. This time however there was no stopping the pink old lady who was joined by some enthusiastic 'young at heart' middle aged guys who blindly shook their hips wildly to the raunchy lyrics. It was really a sight to see and I could'nt stop laughing for days.

As for me, I spent the evening alternating between trying to pick up courage to dance alone and day dreaming of my marriage to various crushes, filmstars and pop singers. A wise man once said, "You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart.". Many may not have the pink lady's guts or energy but I know that like myself, their souls are performing the tango, kathak and ballet all at once.

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