Going Bollywood

Yesterday afternoon, after our feast of a brunch, we were invited to lunch with our endlessly hospitable local host family, the Marikkars, parents of our good Sri Lankan friend Leah, fiance to old friend Lee. In the Marikkar's stunning central mansion we proceeded to have an overwhelming Christmas lunch/dinner, including secret santas, colourful cocktails and Stevie Wonder.

Since everyone who was there will be guests at the impending wedding between Lee and Leah, in a few days, we were given a rudimentary dance lesson in Bollywood style dance moves. The plan, apparently, is that as the bride couple start their dance, the foreign guests join in with well rehearsed Bollywood moves. In theory a very good plan.

All the girls, without exception, did well. They listened, understood and used their genetic advantage of rhythm, timing and hip movement. The boys, on the other hand, fuelled by a steady stream of strong whiskeys, looked as out of place as Eddie the Eagle did at the Calgary Olympics. Despite repeated slow motion guidance by a troop of Sri Lankan relatives, the 15 tipsy blokes could not get it together for more than three seconds. But, as Leah's patient sister pointed out, it's really just about having fun. It remains to be seen exactly how synchronised the dance will turn out. Hopefully, with the wedding crowd behind us, it will go smoothly.