WHY I DANCE!!!

TREBLE JOY

Tuti looked wow! My Cinderella was the best of them all. The lime green gown complimented with the gold ribbons on her hair and the girly gold shoes made her look divine.

“Mummy I want to wear the dress” she had begged the previous Sunday
“Tuti you have to wait until the wedding day”
“I want I want” she almost wailed but a lollypop came in time.

Tuti my baby girl was not the one getting married, it was her first time as flower girl and she looked forward to the wedding as much as I did.

‘Liha weds Pirri’ a lovely band was hanging on the garden trees. Having dated for 6 years, on and off, through a couple of breakups and make ups they were finally here to our admiration.

“Are you going to be my entertainment coordinator”? Liha had asked me casually six months before. What nobler way to honor Liha than that, as I watch my Tuti, alongside enjoy the special day that Liha would walk down the aisle? Rare treble joy! “And you Msoo, you better handle security”.

I stood by the DJ desk, admiring how the lime and gold did wonders to Exotica gardens designed and dressed with state of the art décor. The yummy lime and gold cake coupled with the ruffled chiffon was enough to water my strong appetite.

“I am Tony, and you are pretty lady?”
“They call me Mercita”
“I can tell- not yet a missus”
“True that”
“What a waste-your beauty I behold”
“You can say that again but not to my aunties”
Tony the band’s point man kept me entertained; I enjoyed his pick up lines and laughed not just to that but his smiley face.

The match was on; Tuti and the other little angels were all smiles, looking gorgeous and spilling petals that depicted a natural love. The lights flashed; everyone caught the action; the guests’ fashion galore was splendid.

…I swear, by the moon and the stars in the sky… the beats of that love song made me grasp the tears of joy nearly streaming. One two one two three, the bridal party matched elegantly.

“Mummy mummy, Check me out” Tuti seemed to be saying to me. She beamed instead as she walked as carefully as to not miss a step.

At exactly noon, “I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Pirri”. The pastor was met with ululations and “you may kiss the bride” proceeded for sixty seconds.

The bridal party would proceed to a photo shoot at Intimate inn and the rest would be left at the mercy of my entertainment team. It was all systems go; had to out do myself.

The music was on, song and dance. With a passion, the band did what they love most. The crowd was hooked up; I was impressed. Pilau, mukimo, beef, chicken, steamed cabbage, soft drinks were in plenty and a dessert of choice!

Ssshhhh, the couple had arrived from the photo session, the MC announced. My best friend Msoo and i obeyed his command to all the ladies to follow the nyakinyua in the welcome gig. In their local dialect, the nyakinyua were up to it.

Then wawili kwa wawili, chini kwa chini led by the band followed. I had organized for two more musicians as well as a local popular band.

Sweat dripped down our faces at intensive dancing. “How dare we drain the make up of the day!” Msoo exclaimed. For the day’s worth, we released our spirit. The bridal party was at it too, right in the heart of the wedding marquee, dancing to the band’s music with vigor.

At the centre of it all stood a magnificent, tower-like work of an architect. Six pieces done perfectly, the couple sentimentally danced to make to the epicenter. I closed my eyes as they cut the beautiful masterpiece.

As the band did their final act, the duo continued to be congratulated. I did not realize that I had joined the band in the song and dance. Weddings, just as life are meant to be lively, so i danced and danced.

“Mummy please let’s go home, are we spending the night here?” Tuti tugged my magnificent dress. I once again wished the duo the best, thanked the band for the entertainment-filled day, picked my Tuti and drove home with Msoo who wondered whether I had lost my mind to music.

They, of my circle still ask me why I danced that much. Undoubtedly, music is food to the soul just as what the heart loves is medicine to it.

QUOTE:

"Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness and gaiety to life and to everything” ( Plato)