I've been to Peacock Dance class twice now...

... and no, miracles don't happen. I'm still crap. Just over a fortnight ago now, a student came up to me and made a big fuss over how she had to speak to me in private. She then asked me to join her for her Peacock Dance class as she thought someone as "graceful" as me would make a great dancer. My flattery, which had resulted in a mroe or less instant agreement, became panic rather quickly when I realised what I'd signed up for: It wasn't just the simple old folk dance that I'd pictures, it's bloody ballet! Originally from Chinas's southern Yun Nan province, Peacock Dance is a tradition of the Dai minority, one of the country's more than 50 ethnic minority groups. Imitating the movement of the bird's "dance", peacock dance is a series of quick, smooth and precise movements, little kicks and a lot of skillful "flapping" of the arms. As funny as that may sound, watching a couple of clips had me mesmerizes- this was the most beautiful and sensual thing kind of dance I could have ever imagined! Here and here are some samples- watch and be stunned. The second clip is performned by none other than the grand dame of Peacock Dance, Yun Nan's Yang Li Ping, who is the dance's most important ambassador, having made it famous in all of China. Even though my teacher had been trained exactly by this dancing authority, I was still facing a major problem- How could someone like me (or me, to be more precise), with the posture of a wet washcloth and the coordination of ten elephants in a China shop (painful pun, that) ever master those smooth, sexy movements?

Meeting the teacher, whose English name is Peacock, once again confirmed that old rule that a male dancing teacher just has to be a little bit (or very) camp. A slim, muscular little package with a waist to kill for and clad in a skirt (for Dai men, as I was assured), and sporting a single, massive dangly earring, he was full of smiles and pride that a foreigner should take an interest in his people's traditions. After the first class, in which I proved my complete and utter crap-ness at following someone's movements and at, like, moving, I was held up chatting for an hour or so by him and my student, with him chatting away about his people. He even tried to teach both of us some words in the Dai language (at the pronunciation of which I'm almost as crap as at dancing). I attended my second class full of determination only to find out that it really doesn't happen that quickly. But it is fun, the dance makes me feel all sumptuous and womanly ad the music is brilliant. And nothing wrong with a bit of exercise either!

A couple of days ago, however, I was made to feel all that less special when I learned that the same student had also asked (and won over) my colleague at EF to join her for Peacock Dance, only on a different day. Disappointed at first, I then began to feel encouraged: Said colleague, who hails from the US and A, is nothing less than a loud, painfully common, elephantastically obese, bull-faced mess of a woman (poah, that was mean!) I couldn't possibly do any worse than her!

Not sure how exactly Gloria would have convinced her to join though- "You know, I think with your version of grace and beauty, it would be nothing short fascinating to watch you try to do this dance..."

Anyway, I'm sticking with the dancin' see how it goes!

Bis dann,

Nadine