Teenage Dream

Chapter 6 - I have a love hate relationship with dance class

"Shruthi, what are you doing?" yelled Urvashi, pointing at the girl next to Aru.

She saw the girl's face fall as Urvashi corrected her.

"Sit more aramandi! You're nearly standing! And what happened to your natyarambham?" asked Urvashi, raising an elegant eyebrow.

"Sorry teacher," said Shruthi, casting her eyes down.

Urvashi huffed, but her eyes softened. "It's alright. Everyone take a water break."

Aru went to the corner of the room where her jacket and water bottle were placed.

She took a sip of her water and glanced at her teacher.

Ever since Aru was young, she always thought Urvashi was one of the prettiest people she'd ever seen. Her dance teacher's elegance remained, even when she was under pressure, like now.

You could tell she was stressed because her eyebrows were knitted together in concern and faint eyebags were seen under her eyes.

Urvashi's long black hair was tied into a low ponytail, a few strands framing her face. Her dark skin glowed as she paced around the studio and the sun's rays coming from the glass ceiling illuminated her perfectly making her look ethereal.

Today, her teacher wore dark leggings and a dark blue salwar kameez top with a matching dupatta around her neck. Silver jhumkas adorned her ears and her nose ring glinted. A gold engagement ring winked on her ring finger, which Aru occasionally found Urvashi looking at, a smile on her face.

The chime of her teacher's anklets came to an abrupt stop as she looked at her students.

"Everyone get up. Let's run the varnam one more time."

A few students groaned as they went to their places in the room.

Urvashi picked up her nattuvangam and started singing the varnam while keeping the beat with the instrument.

She circled the class, making corrections along the way.

"Bhavika, aramandi!" Urvashi called to the girl behind Aru.

She could feel her teacher's gaze on her as she danced.

Aru heard the beat of the nattuvangam stop, and felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, lightly pressing them down.

"Relax, Aru," whispered Urvashi gently.

"That's physically and mentally impossible." muttered Aru.

A laugh rang out, making the group of dancers stop.

Urvashi's laugh was a very distinct sound because it sounded exactly like ghungroos.

"You're too much, Aru," said Urvashi, wiping a tear away from her eye.

Aru turned around to face her teacher, "Thanks?"

She didn't really get how that was funny, because it was the truth but she brushed it off anyway.

Urvashi sighed but a smile lingered on her face, "That's the end of class," she announced. "Namaskaram, everyone."

Aru did the series of steps dancers do before and after a Bharatanatyam class. It was a prayer and/or a salutation in thanks to the Gods which Urvashi was strict on doing.

The rest of the girls rushed to their stuff, slipping on their socks and grabbing their water bottles, thanking her teacher for the lesson before rushing out of the room.