Michelle Obama: A complete natural / The Obamas charm with their fisherfolk dance

Michelle Obama: A complete natural



Mumbai: A dancing Michelle Obama has become the defining image of the Obamas' maiden visit to India. The US First Lady hit the dance floor not just once, but twice.
The whole country watched Michelle Obama shaking a leg to hit Bollywood number Rang De Basanti during her interaction with school kids in Mumbai on Saturday. Then again on Sunday, while celebrating Diwali with children from a school in south Mumbai, she broke into a jig to join kids performing a Konkani folk dance, even inspiring the US President to join her on the dance floor.
On both occasions, Michelle Obama joined in the dance spontaneously and got right into the spirit of things. The result was an immediate connect with the children.

"Barack and Michelle Obama were both so friendly," said one of the school kid. "We were pinching ourselves as we weren't sure if we were dreaming," said another.
It was a "mind-blowing" experience for the children.
Michelle even shared her experience while growing up with college students.

"Even though my parents couldn't give us material things, they gave me and my brother strong values. They taught us to treat others with dignity and respect, to push for excellence in every single thing we did," Michelle Obama said.

"She is very cool - the fact that she wanted to interact with school kids. We would not have expected it of any other politicians in our country, or any other country," said one of the students.
On just her first visit to India, the Michelle Obama impact was strongly felt in Mumbai. Not only did she connect with Young India, but she also once again emerged as a person with a strong, independent and vibrant personality.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/michelle-obama-a-complete-natural-64873?cp

The Obamas charm with their fisherfolk dance



Mumbai: US first couple Barack and Michelle Obama hit the dance floor to a foot-tapping Marathi folk number, joining a group of students at the Holy Name school to participate in symbolic Diwali festivities.
The US President and the First Lady's engagement for the day started at the Holy Name High School in upmarket Colaba locality in south Mumbai where a group of students entertained them with a cultural extravaganza.

The Obamas, who lit a lamp to mark the celebrations, were greeted by the students in traditional Indian attire as they interacted with the children, shaking hands and posing for pictures. The students were seen gleefully clicking the couple's photos using cellphone cameras.
The cheering and clapping Obamas seemed so charmed by the tune and the performance of the children during the 'Koli' dance -- which gives expression to the culture and identity of Maharashtrian fisherfolk -- that they joined the students and danced with them.

At first, it was Michelle who showed her dancing skills by matching the steps with the children. Later, the children took Obama to the floor to shake a leg. The couple posed for a number of a photographs with the children and gave autographs.

Salman Khurshid, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Minister-in-Waiting for Obama was seen explaining the significance of performances to the US President.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/the-obamas-charm-with-their-fisherfolk-dance-64800