Obama and his wife, Michelle, initially sat on the sidelines at the Holy Name School in the south of the city, clapping to the beat as youngsters in colorful costumes performed a traditional dance for the annual festival.
The first lady, in a checked dress with pink cardigan, then joined in enthusiastically and eventually persuaded her more reluctant-looking husband to accompany her on the dance floor.
The president, with his suit jacket off and the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up, was then shown how to perform the distinctive hand and arm gestures that are an integral part of Indian dancing. Children then clamored for photographs of the couple and autographs.
It is the second time that Michelle has danced with children on the trip and her eager embrace of the local routines appears to be winning over the hearts of her hosts.
On Saturday, she danced barefoot to Bollywood tunes on a visit to a charity that helps orphans and runaways in India’s financial and entertainment hub, with the footage shown extensively on local news channels.
Michelle played hopscotch, danced and sang with 33 disadvantaged children from the charity Make a Difference (MAD) at the University of Mumbai.
Almost immediately after arriving at the university’s library Saturday, she kicked off her flats and joined in a game of vocabulary-building hopscotch with the 8- to 13-year-old orphans and runaways who receive English-language instruction from Make a Difference volunteers.
“I love dancing. Oh that was fun!” Michelle said after they danced to theme song from the Bollywood movie, “Rang de Basanti.” The girls wore their salwar kameez — traditional long shirts and baggy trousers — and glittering dupatta scarves.
Michelle, dressed in an olive blouse and delicate flowered skirt, also joined a drum and tambourine circle with the children. She banged on a tambourine while the kids pounded on drums. After dancing, she spoke to the children about the importance of an education.
“I didn’t grow up with a lot of money,” she said. “I never even imagined being the first lady of the United States. But because I had an education, when the time came to do this, I was ready.” When the first lady invited questions or comments from her young audience, the result was an amusing exchange.
“I feel like my dream come true,” one little girl told Michelle.
“You feel like your dream has come true?” the first lady asked.
“Yes,” the girl said.
“Why, because of me?” asked Michelle.
“Yes!” the girl said.
“No!” Michelle disputed.
“Yes!” the girl exclaimed again.Replied the first lady: “No, you are my dream come true.” After some laughter the kids fell silent, so Michelle urged another round of dancing.
“Let’s dance some more! One more dance!” she said. She was quickly surrounded by a bouncing circle of girls throwing their arms in the air. The boys nearby jumped up and down. Before leaving, the first lady sent each child home with a tote bag stuffed with educational materials — notebooks, pencils and pen — and White House M&Ms.
Jithin Nedumala, 23, who forsook an MBA to help found MAD in 2006, said he hoped Michelle visit would inspire the children he works with.
“We are here to tell the children to dream big,” he said. “They’re in orphanages and street shelters where they don’t have their parents to push them. Not many people believe in these kids.”
