So this isn't really a first dance as such but I wasn't sure what category to pick. For the wedding we're having a straight-forward civil ceremony and sit down meal. To tie in my Indian heritage I am having my BM's in sarees and since the date happens to fall on diwali (which my Mum still hasn't fully forgiven us for yet) we're going to have LOTS of candles everywhere (votives on the tables and traditional clay diyas outside). Still toying with the idea of having fireworks to keep the older family members happy too. There's a traditional dance with sticks that is done at most celebrations but especially during a 9-day festival a couple of weeks before diwali. I was thinking of teaching the dance to my BMs and then we get up and start the dance and invite people to join us whilst the tables are cleared from the dancefloor and the DJ is setting up... we'd ditch the Indian-ness and get back to the 'normal' reception as soon as the DJ is ready to go so our English guests won't be out of their comfort zones for long. The dance is super simple: there are only 5 steps (2 of which are repeated, so really there's 3 steps) so you get the hang of it within about 30 seconds. There are basically 2 big circles, with people facing each other and the person opposite is your partner; everyone has a stick in each hand and in unison everyone tilts their sticks to the right and hits them against their partner's sticks, repeat to the left, strike your own sticks together, hit just your right stick against your partner's and then as you strike your own together again you take a step to the left and get ready to repeat with your new partner. I used to go with my grandparents and do this dance when I was about 3-7 years old and my Grandad only stopped going when my Granny died. A lot of people also add in twirls and things. If you want to see it in action there's a video online called: Garba-Raas At Gujurati Wedding. The evening reception doesn't start until 7pm so there may be a gap of up to an hour depending on how long it takes to get through the speaches. Anyway, my question is: if you guys were at my wedding would you join in with the dance or would you prefer to just wait at the bar?
CommentAuthorWhovianbride
thats sounds so awesome, I would love to go to a indian wedding (well the reception, not sure on the whole hours and hours ceremony)
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CommentAuthorLauraK7
edited
Sounds good but to be honest I probably wouldn't join in unless I knew a lot of the other guests as I may feel awkward but I imagine a lot of people would join and the others would enjoy watching x
CommentAuthorMrsManiatt
That sounds amazing! And don't worry we are getting married on Pentecost (Christian festival of lights and celebrating the Holy Spirit - so a bit similar to Diwali really!) and my choirmaster loves to keep reminding me!
My brother in law is Indian, and at his and my sisters wedding I was expecting more Indian traditions etc but he didn't do them thinking that the Welsh family would feel strange - but we all would have loved it! After all - its 2 families combining - everyone would love to be able to say they took part in an Indian dance!
My work had a charity ball last year which was Bollywood themed and they did a dance involving sticks that sounds similar to this, it was so exciting just to watch and then we all started joining in. It was SO MUCH FUN, doesn't matter if you know what to do it was great. Definitely do it! Ps can I come too? :D I now have a churidar!
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CommentAuthoralmost a year wife!!
YES YES YES!!!
im a bellydancer and have "dabbled" in indian dance and ive danced Saiidi before, dancing with sticks is uber fun and awesome!
Ill marry my hero
CommentAuthorkittyh
I would definitely join in! i would probably be the first up! i usually find once you have a few people like me getting up and joining in some of the less confident people get up too...sounds great fun anyway! xx
CommentAuthorElinor Claire
I'd probably join in. It sounds a bit like a dance with sticks that I used to do with a school Morris dancing group. If you missed and bashed fingers it really hurt.
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CommentAuthorShowgirl
Thanks ladies, looks like we'll be dancing during the lull between the meal and the reception then.
