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US President Barack Obama (L) and First Lady Michelle Obama (R) dance during a cultural event at The Holy Name High School in Mumbai on November 7, 2010. Barack Obama's Asia trip has turned into an early test of whether the US president's global goals and prestige will survive his weakened grip on domestic power, following a painful rebuke from voters. In India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, Obama is trying to pull off the trick of advancing a still ambitious foreign policy, while reducing high unemployment left barely touched by the sluggish economic recovery. (AFP)
US President Barack Obama joined in the celebrations for the Hindu festival of light, Diwali, on Sunday by dancing with children at a school in Mumbai during his visit to India.
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 colourful 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 dancefloor.
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 clamoured for photographs of the couple and autographs.
It is the second time that Michelle Obama 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.
Diwali, which fell on Friday, is marked by several days of noisy celebrations in Hindu-majority India, although police banned the setting off of powerful firecrackers around the Obamas' hotel for security reasons.
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