The dance of the Dominican Republic is the bachata, with fluid, rhythmic movements timed to the guitar that strums out music by the same name. The Angolans dance kizomba: slow, easy and intimate, to any music the dancing couple might choose. Argentineans dance the tango: proud, deliberate and powerful, to a solo guitar or an entire orchestra of tunes equal parts ominous and melodious. Cubans dance the salsa — but then, so does everybody these days.
Puducherry dances all of these, and more. In bright studios and open, lamp-lit courtyards, youngsters gather regularly to try their hand — or feet at various forms of Latin American dance. Showing them the way is Kash, aka Kelsang Dolma, who has been running the La Casita project in the quiet little town for the last three years.
Tall, confident and tan, with a physique and posture that suggests years of dancing, Kash cuts an imposing first impression. The second she begins to speak, however, she is all warm and chirpy. The sweetness in her voice may surprise you, but her eagerness to get on the dance floor certainly won’t.
Born amid the hills of Himachal Pradesh, this Tibetan began her salsa training under a Venezuelan called Pedro in New Delhi. Today, she lives and breathes Latin American dance. She is aware that this multiculturalism raises eyebrows, but Kash wears it on her sleeve. She says, in her online bio, “I simply love how anyone from anywhere can be anything they want.”
What Kash wants — and has wanted for years — is to spread her passion for dance. In New Delhi, she began assisting her instructor Pedro with classes soon after completing her training. She eventually opened her maiden dance school, Salsa4fun, in the city. But passion, no matter how strong, isn’t everything.
“I was seeking a simpler and more meaningful life,” says Kash, “And so I came and settled in Puducherry seven years ago.” This is where her dancing shoes took real flight. La Casita today holds classes and workshops on everything from tango and Bollywood dance to aqua zumba and acrobatics. Lending Kash a hand with these is her trusty team of friends and fellow dancers from France, the US and Germany, as well as from various locations within India.
Her biggest support system is her husband, Romain Timmers, with whom she had ideated the entire thing. “Our annual flash mob — Salsa Casino Rueda — is quite talked about. We host workshops and regular classes of Salsa, Kizomba, Bachata, Capoeira and the Spanish language,” she lists away, adding, “We also have social dance evenings — called Afro-Latin parties — at Dis Dis and Co on the first and third Tuesdays of every month.”
At Dis Dis and Co, the dancing takes place under the stars. The small, lamp-lit space is flanked by low couches, tables and a bar on one side, and glass wall containing the A/C restaurant on the other side. Everyone’s free to watch.
The music begins by 7 pm, and is captivating enough to put the oppressive, pre-monsoon humidity out of mind. “The songs are mostly salsa, meringue, bachata, kizomba and kuduro,” says Kash. The scene is dominated by three women who clearly know their salsa. As their partners stumble or pause, they patiently retrace their steps, instructing, guiding and chatting. It’s all light and jovial. No prizes for guessing who laughs the longest.
By 8.30, most of the couches — and the bar — is occupied. The courtyard is a mix of students and friends; black dresses, pencil heels and casual sneakers. Stretches of focused dancing give way to smattered, easy breaks where everyone lapses into conversation. There isn’t really anyone calling strict shots. It’s a party, after all.
“Salsa is a social dance,” Kash points out, “Which is why we organise these evenings twice a month, just for people to come together and enjoy dancing.”
The idea is to take the dance out of the classroom and make it a part of social life, the way it’s meant to be. Things usually wrap up by 10.30 pm, when there are about 25 dancers on the floor. That’s not too bad for a weeknight and more than enough for the space, but Kash is hopeful of the numbers growing, so that making it a weekly event becomes feasible.
“We are asking for help from Latin American associations, to bring more valuable events to town, says Kash, “There is so much that I can say about future plans for La Casita, but for now, I am fine with what we have. Even if things remain at this scale, as long as I have more and more locals coming to participate, I’m happy.”
