CHENNAI: Doing the waltz on wheels sounds more fun, than scary. But before Aswin Abraham and his pair dance partner IK Pranamya Rao won their bronze at the Asian Roller Skating Championship recently — the challenge was a lot ‘taller’ than turns and lifts.
“We were competing against people who were in their 30s,” recalls Pranamya, a teenager who depends on her mother to drive her to practice — given that she isn’t even old enough to apply for a licence yet. Fortunately, the duo, who know their way around the circuit in Haining, China (having won two silvers as part of last year’s Asia championship) already knew this was an open category. “We trained for it all year,” says 16-year-old Aswin. What this youngster never expected though, was that he would be skating their entire routine, with half the oxygen.
“Four hours before the competition I fell and hit my rib cage really hard with my elbow,” Aswin remembers painfully. Not only did he have difficulty breathing, but his lungs went into a spasm, he tells us.
“Fortunately, the second time was during the prize distribution ceremony, so I was in an ambulance by then,” he finishes with a grin. “And the organisers were really nice about it, and postponed our medal distribution,” he adds. While the memory isn’t a pleasant one, the story has made him something of a rockstar at school. And seriously, injury aside, how many 16-year-olds get to dance with a girl (on wheels) with parental approval?
After close to a decade of training, and close to 200 medals won between them though, Aswin admits, “I’m still pretty shy.” In fact, he adds with a laugh,” I don’t think I’d even have the guts to practise the choreography in front of the mirror.” But when it’s time to perform, there’s no hesitation, just steely resolve. He puts to us simply, “I get out there and just, do it.”
New moves, next championship
Between exams and regular 5 am mornings, the duo has had little time to relax and rest on their laurels. “We have our domestic season fast approaching in the next two months,” says coach Aaron Saldanha. And after that, work will begin on new choreography for the next internationals. “I may be using some steps inspired from Black Swan or Dirty Dancing,” he drops us a teaser of what is to come.