The night I danced on E street

03 February 2014 - 02:01 By Words by Andrea Nagel | Photos by Nikita Ramkissoon
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

On Saturday night, Bruce Springsteen asked me to dance.

I'm not sure how much of the 95 000 capacity FNB Stadium was sold out, but a lot of people were there in the rain singing to his hits. So I feel quite special that it was me he chose to pull up on stage for Dancing in the Dark.

A huge sign and someone's shoulders to sit on helps in getting chosen. My sign read: "I wanna dance on E Street."

Early in the show, Springsteen grabbed a sign from someone else in the audience and held it to the cameras, which projected it onto huge screens.

"I'm your biggest black fan," it stated. Springsteen would have been sure to notice it in a stadium full of ageing whites.

I stood in the front row, waiting for those familiar opening chords and for Springsteen to scan the audience for a dance partner, as is traditional at his live performances of Dancing in the Dark .

A woman held up a sign that read: "I want to dance with Tom". Springsteen pulled her on stage and handed her over to Tom Morello, from Rage Against the Machine, and now a lead guitarist in the E Street Band.

Then the camera focused on me - and Springsteen looked into my eyes. I knew I had him nailed.

"Do you wanna dance?" he said, offering me his hand.

We were both sopping wet from the rain. He held me close, his hand in the small of my back, my arms around his shoulders. Cheek to sweaty cheek, we slow danced .

Then he looked me in the eye again, took my hand and helped me back across the barrier.

It helps to have determination if you want to get swept off your feet by a legend.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now