"Dance Is About What You Feel"

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1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

I started learning dance in 2009 and got so much interested in this art just after I finished my first class. And form that point, I have always tried to grow as a dancer. I really enjoy the learning process and I think that matters the most, enjoying the process has been the most important thing because incremental learning always helped me to become better and achieve fast results.

Currently, I am pursuing electronics and instrumentation in BITS Goa and also a member of bits goa dance club(Unify crew) and BITS Goa basketball team.

2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue dancing and how did you start?

The circumstances that led me to attend my first dance class was really funny. My mom wanted me and my elder sister to at least pick one hobby that will take care of our physical fitness. I was already playing basketball at that time. So for my sister, mom went to a local dance academy and finished the registration for my sister's dance classes and paid the advance one month fee.

But here comes the interesting part, my sister was not that interested in attending the classes. So my mom and di decided to send me just for the compensation of the fees. And to everyone's surprise, I enjoyed the class so much that I continued in that academy for more than 2 years which made my basic foundations strong, and then after that its just self learning from multiple resources.

3. Who is your favourite dancer and why?

Les Twins and Kevin Paradox are my favorite dancers.

Les twins- Because I started following them and got really inspired by them in my early stage of dancing. And till now, I go cray after watching their videos. It shows that they are always pushing themselves to be better than ever, even after achieving so much success in the dance field (WOD NBC S1 Winners).

Kevin paradox- I started following Paradox much later compared to Les twins, but Paradox really inspired me in so many ways, his perception towards dance really gave me the real meaning and joy of dancing. And the way he interconnects different art forms and tells all of it in relation to the art of dancing.

Every art is a form of expression, so you are a true dancer only when you dance to express yourself whether its good or bad, rather than for others validations and acceptance.

4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?

There are several opportunities but I really don't know how feasible is one compared to others. Choreographer in Bollywood, having own dance studio and teaching, participating in dance reality shows and therefore becoming an influencer kind of, conducting regular workshops and earning consistently, and the biggest opportunity and blessing is having an art to express yourselves and be grateful for it.

5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?

Dance is not about what you know, it's about what you feel. Having said that, according to me for the initial stage you can find a teacher who'll show you the correct path and then you go along and experiment stuff. I personally try to learn as many styles as possible and try to mold it in my own way, thus creating a unique style in itself. Concluding that format training is not a compulsion according to my perspective.

6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?

Two major suggestions-

1. Don't dance for validation. Dance for yourself, express what you are feeling through your movements. Compliments and appreciation are the byproducts, not the reason for your dance. Dance is not only about the physical body movements, it's more than that, it's your mindset, personality, and character.

2. Learn as many styles as possible and then try to mold all of it in your own way. You'll be able to make unique moves by this and become more original.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I'll tell my 3 favorite books as choosing one is hard.

1.The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho- Really beautiful non-fiction book with lots of inspiring and motivational phrases/quotes. This book gives hope and faith.

2. The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris- This book Changed my perspective in a lot of ways towards approaching life after Rich Dad Poor Dad and also this book gives a lot of methods for optimizing and increasing your productivity.

3. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie - Helped me a lot in understanding better ways to communicate and influence and also it really helped me to become a better leader and motivate people truly and effectively.

Interview by - Suhani Mangleek