Cindy fits where she ‘didn’t belong’

Attractive Cindy Ollivierre-Coutou had the audience at the Centre of Excellence spellbound as she danced with the Clico Shiv Shakti Dance Company. Ten years ago Cindy would have never thought she would end up as a professional dancer but now she is very comfortable with her role.

“My first introduction to dance was on the toes of my grandfather who listened to the songs of Ray Charles, jazz, and the blues. I held on for my life as he moved me across the floor,” she explained.

Her parents represent the ‘‘callalloo’’ that is so typical of this country. Her mother Therese Ollivierre is of Spanish, French, Carib and European descent. Her father Leroy Mac Farlane is a mixture of East Indian and African. One would say her ethnicity is totally confusing, but it represents a very big part of who she is ‘‘a true Trini.’’

Cindy settled down to relate her story saying that her home was always filled with the sounds of music. At a very early age, her father exposed her to every type of music that existed. Her mother loved country and western, her uncles enjoyed the soothing rhythms of reggae, and her grandparents, always tuned into the oldies and jazz. Somewhere in between the sounds of Hindi music would fill the atmosphere.

This activity proved to be the turning point for young Cindy as every Sunday evening, her family would gather to view Mastana Bahar. Her grandmother always got excited for the ‘‘pick-a-pan.’’ At the end of the programme everyone else looked forward to her entertaining routines as she mimicked the dancers as they appeared on stage. Who knew that it was her careless try at Indian dance that would lead her to such a fulfilling activity in her life.

She spoke about her adolescent years saying that she spent them like a true tomboy. “I competed in the shot-put and javelin events as well as marathons. My father trained me on the sand tracks during the week and on the tennis courts on the weekends.”

At age 16, her mother thought it was time for her to start behaving like a young woman and she enrolled her for Modern Dance at the Caribbean School of Dance. Later she joined another studio for Latin and another for Arabic dance.

She then met Khatak expert Rachael Baptiste-Lee. “My love affair began with the sounds of Hindi, to movements of khatak, classical, folk and more, all fused into a contemporary style,” she confessed.

Barefooted she connected with the floor, her hands depicting stories of love and devotion. It was then she found her true passion. Wanting to learn more she decided to explore different styles. She learnt that there are over a 1,000 styles of Hindi Dance and her journey had just begun.

She celebrated her first anniversary with the Shiv Shakti Dance Group training under Susan Badree. She was later invited to join their advance class. “The trek was far, the hours long, the opportunity, I would say is priceless,” she said. Under the rigid training of Michael Salickram she allowed herself to be moulded.

“My feet would be sore from the long gruelling hours, my wrists distraught. I often wondered if I had another breath left in me, as we commenced yet another routine. I have had to work twice as hard, as many of my classmates, because I did not start at the tender ages that most of them did,” she admitted.

Many times on entering the classroom, she would ask herself, what she was doing here? Is she sure this is where she belongs? Her motivation would then be drawn from her innate, competitive nature, her ambition to succeed and the thrill of the challenge.

“I would then proceed to adorn my ankles with my gunghuroos (dancing bells), perform/do namashkar (invocation) whilst the harmonies of Hindi sounds filled my lungs. It is at that moment I am reassured by those familiar melodies, it was all worth it, every sacrifice made, the challenges and obstacles that were overcome on the way to get here, to reach my one moment of freedom and unguarded self-expression,” she said.

To her teachers Rachael, Susan and Michael, her movements will always belong to them. She will always be grateful. “Find your passion it makes life worthwhile,” she advised.