When I danced with a Camel!
There are moments in life that you just can’t make up. As someone deeply entrenched in the world of arts, I’ve had my fair share of unique experiences. But one that stands out is the time I found myself dancing next to a camel at an expo.
Yes, you read that right—a camel. The organizers, in their quest to showcase the multicultural richness of the event, decided that a camel would be the perfect addition to make it “exotic”. While I appreciate the effort to celebrate diversity, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the slightly bizarre situation.
But here’s the thing about being an entrepreneur and a performer: you learn to make the most of every situation, no matter how unexpected.
So, with a big smile and all the enthusiasm I could muster, I danced my heart out next to my new, very tall, and slightly confused co-star.
The performance was recorded for TV, and I knew I had to turn this into an opportunity.
Once the clip aired, I went into full marketing mode. I shared it across all my social media channels. The response was incredible! People loved the quirky, unexpected twist, and it gave me a chance to highlight my adaptability and sense of humor.
The PR from this unusual performance more than made up for waking up at 5 am and dancing next to a camel with a tiny boombox 🙂
So, if you ever find yourself in a bizarre situation, remember to embrace it with enthusiasm. You never know when dancing next to a camel might become your next big marketing success!
5 Reasons why Kids should learn Mythology
1. Engaging Stories
Myths are typically filled with compelling stories that capture the imagination.
These narratives often feature heroes, gods, and magical creatures that intrigue children and hold their attention.
This makes learning about the culture that produced these myths more enjoyable and memorable.
For example, the delightful story of Krishna sneaking butter makes every child smile!
2. Cultural Values and Norms
Myths often reflect the values, morals, and societal norms of the cultures they come from.
Through these stories, children can learn about what various cultures might value in terms of bravery, wisdom, honesty, and other virtues.
This helps children understand and respect cultural differences.
For example, Hindu mythology has numerous stories about bravery, about taking a risk for the benefit of the masses, and so on. The story of Krishna facing the fearsome Kaliya demonstrates exactly that!
3. Historical Context
Many myths are steeped in the historical and environmental context of a culture.
They can provide insights into how people in those cultures lived, what they feared, what they celebrated, and how they explained natural phenomena or the universe around them.
For example, wit and intelligence has long been celebrated around the world over brute strength. Ganesha, known for his wit and wisdom, is believed to have won a contest with his brother of racing around the world by simply circling around his parents and calling them his “world”!
4. Critical Thinking
Myths often present complex narratives with moral dilemmas and philosophical questions.
This can help children develop critical thinking skills as they analyze the characters’ decisions and the consequences of those decisions.
For example, Ganesha’s mother asked her to guard the door as she took a bath. Shiva, Ganesha’s father and who Ganesha had never met before, tried to enter. Ganesha fearlessly takes on the mighty Shiva and even gets injured in the process. It sure provides something to think about to the kids!
5. Universal Themes
While myths are culturally specific, they often deal with universal themes like love, conflict, adventure, and transformation.
This can help children see the commonalities between their own culture and others, promoting empathy and global awareness.
For example, the story of Krishna’s father carrying him in a basket on his head and crossing a river to take Krishna to safety, sounds a bit familiar to Moses in the basket.
Similarly, Krishna facing his evil uncle, Kamsa, in a battle is similar to the stories of Horus and Set!
Get our Krishna and Ganesha books
Embark on a delightful journey through Indian mythology with our children’s books, “Let’s Celebrate Krishna’s Birthday” and “Let’s Celebrate Ganesha’s Birthday”.
Perfectly tailored for a global audience, these books bring the enchanting stories of Krishna and Ganesha to life in a way that’s fun, educational, and suitable for young readers aged 3-8.
Each book is filled with vibrant illustrations and age-appropriate narratives that capture the essence of India’s rich cultural heritage.
Whether uncovering Krishna’s mischievous escapades or marveling at Ganesha’s wisdom, these stories are designed to entertain, enlighten, and inspire curiosity in children, making them a fantastic addition to any family’s bookshelf.
Our “Accidental Author” journey :)
Vivek and I call ourselves “accidental authors”!
The journey started with Bollywood and Culture Groove, a company I co-founded in 2010 to spread the joy of Indian dance and culture in Chicagoland. But right from the get-go, our kids’ classes were unique. Instead of only teaching dances, our curriculum included learning about the people from different regions of India that the dances came from. This concept was a fantastic hit with parents, educators, and kids alike!
It was in 2016 when Vivek suggested that we make the cultural learning aspect accessible to everyone in the world irrespective of their physical location. And that’s when the concept of writing books came about.
This was before big publishers were publishing many books on Indian culture. So we decided to publish ourselves. We knew absolutely nothing about publishing except that our content was extremely engaging. After all, we had been teaching this content in our classes for kids ages 3 and up for years!
We published our first book – Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali – in the Fall of 2016 and watched in wonder as it became hugely popular. The next year, this book reached a rank of #387 out of all 8 million books on Amazon at that time. Encouraged by this amazing phenomenon, we published 12 more titles covering Indian festivals, cities, activity books, and even one on Indian weddings.
Today, our books are available in 54 countries with almost 80,000 books sold worldwide. But the biggest joy is receiving messages and letters from little readers from all around the world.
What started as a small dream to share the joy of Indian culture has now spread to a proportion that we couldn’t have ever imagined. And we owe it all to the amazing support we have received from parents, educators, library systems, and more.
Navy Pier Performance Try-outs!
Welcome to BollyGroove Event Performance Try-outs!
You should try out if:
1. You have prior Bollywood dance performance experience
2. Can bring out technique, smile, and energy on stage
3. Are a responsible and committed person in general
Featured 5 Fun Kids Books to start the New Year!
Start off the new year with these five kids’ books about New Beginnings!
Let’s Celebrate Ganesha’s Birthday!
People often associate Ganesha with new beginnings.
Check out this festival book with adorable stories!
A Growth Mindset Book that Teaches Children that it’s OK to Make Mistakes and start fresh!
A little girl unsure of her talent discovers her passion for dance!
Perfect book about trying new things!
