"Hard Work Beats Talent"- Mohd Hafiz

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1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

My name is Mohammed Hafiz and I am 18, representing western dance team of Jain University School of Commerce and Sciences, Bangalore. My family is from a middle-class background having basic amenities.

An average but a decent lifestyle which includes me, my mother, my father and my brother. I am a freestyle dancer. I was raised in Qatar and came to India for Higher education.


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

I pursued dancing since I was 5 years old through the tutelage from my mother. I started dancing when my mom had asked me to try put for school competitions. 

I wasn't interested but she assured me she would teach me and well that became a habit now and dancing is a major part of my life now.


3. Who is your favourite dancer and why?

My favourite dancer is Dushaunt "Fik-Shun" Stegall. He's my favourite dancer because he was completely self-taught in the field of dancing and has mind-blowing skills, techniques, musicality and Flair which I haven't found in any other dancer.


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

A dancer can get opportunities in the field of Bollywood or Hollywood or in any Cinema field around the world, or representing their country in Hip Hop International, Dance World Cup and World Jams and also Get Fame and Performances at events such as the Olympics through shows such as World of Dance and Got Talent Series.


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

Formal training is not necessary but highly advised for a dancer since the saying " Hard work beats Talent" is very much true. If a dancer has talent but doesn't have formal training of the basics and the foundation, he/she is bound to miss opportunities, since formal training can make a dancer with pure talent, almost perfect.


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

My advice would be to keep dancing about how you love dancing. Do not change your style. Just be you but at the same time learn from other dancers around you and keep training. But most importantly do not lose your originality because that is what makes each dancer stand out from the rest.


7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I am not a fan of reading but I do like the Harry Potter series and Percy Jackson series as well.


- Mohd Hafiz, Dancer

- Interviewed by Khushi Badarinath

- Edited by Shilpy Sharan