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My name is Pradeep K I am a dancer, performer, and a Choreographer, born and brought up in Bangalore. My father is a car driver, my mother is a cook and used to do house cleaning works.
As being a lower-middle-class guy, I don’t really come from any specific place as we will keep shifting houses every 4 to 5years, I have stayed for quite some time in EG-Pura, Neelasandra, Austin town and currently staying in Lingarajpuram, Kammanahalli.
Though I was from a low financial background, my parents with debt made me study in some of the best schools and colleges. My schooling was at Stacey’s memorial high school, pre-university from cathedral, and finished my degree from Jain University. I started working at a company when I was in my 2puc to support my education, I spent my complete college life working in a company and simultaneously studying.
I worked in companies like Sky, At & T, and currently working in IBM. I am now a dancer (representing Intruders and FTFW crew), performer, Choreographer (for 3 colleges). I am also a photographer, I am an artist who is experienced in (graffiti, wall arts, street art, graphite sketching, designing and much more) and I am also a successful IT professional Working in IBM.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue dancing and how did you start?
Dancing was something I chose and not something which I had naturally. My elder brother was the 1st person who started dancing in my family. My brother was a contemporary dancer and I was just a nerd in school, I used to study and get merit-certificates home and my brother used to get trophies - even though I had many certificates, there was something special about those trophies and medals which was in my showcase.
I was inspired by my brother when I was in 2nd standard, I used to jump before that which is still considered dancing. but I started watching television just to see dance moves as I wanted to do something different from my brother and not end up with contemporary.
As I was a filmy stage performer who used to take inspirational steps from all film songs and I used to put all of them for a specific song, my father was my choreographer who used to guide me on how I can put it on beat as I used to 1st perform in front of him before the stage. If my father was happy - I had that confidence to win.
Years past and I was in high school , where all are talking about how they want their careers to be, few told doctors, engineering, pilots etc. I ended with just thinking. I did not know why I was studying, according to me if I am a class topper - my dad used to support me to take part in any competition (art, dance, sport etc).
As I was a filmy stage performer who used to take inspirational steps from all film songs and I used to put all of them for a specific song, my father was my choreographer who used to guide me on how I can put it on beat as I used to 1st perform in front of him before the stage. If my father was happy - I had that confidence to win.
Years past and I was in high school , where all are talking about how they want their careers to be, few told doctors, engineering, pilots etc. I ended with just thinking. I did not know why I was studying, according to me if I am a class topper - my dad used to support me to take part in any competition (art, dance, sport etc).
My mind set was just to participate in competition so I used to study anything I got. I also started representing my school in bigger competitions held in different colleges, I got many other opportunities to participate in competitions like dance India dance(Mumbai), 7 up lemon pattalam ( Chennai) but due to financial circumstances I was never able to travel and perform even if I was selected to the final round.
I was in 10th standard , I used to play football regularly every day at NGV , Koramangala. I used to see a guy who used to practice dance every day, I used to wonder what he was actually doing because I have never seen them on television or anywhere yet. In a few days, I started going to NGV just to see him dance and get back home and try to practice but I never got the technique.
One day I walked up to him and asked him to teach me, from that day I understood that he was a street dancer and was performing a style called breaking. I was mind blown with the culture and art form, I decided to train myself on knowledge of all the styles. Practiced them for years and was also performing them on stages.
While everyone was pursuing how to become a doctor or an engineer which was based on studies, I was pursuing knowledge about art forms which was very challenging for me because it comes with great effort and ample amount of practice.
I was in 10th standard , I used to play football regularly every day at NGV , Koramangala. I used to see a guy who used to practice dance every day, I used to wonder what he was actually doing because I have never seen them on television or anywhere yet. In a few days, I started going to NGV just to see him dance and get back home and try to practice but I never got the technique.
One day I walked up to him and asked him to teach me, from that day I understood that he was a street dancer and was performing a style called breaking. I was mind blown with the culture and art form, I decided to train myself on knowledge of all the styles. Practiced them for years and was also performing them on stages.
While everyone was pursuing how to become a doctor or an engineer which was based on studies, I was pursuing knowledge about art forms which was very challenging for me because it comes with great effort and ample amount of practice.
That is when I was ready to pursue dance as a part of my life and not just as people call it ‘talent’, I believed in practice and learning myself more than achieving as a dancer.
3. Who is your favourite dancer and why?
“My favourite dancers are everyone who dance in front of me”, you might wonder why I made this statement. As a dancer or as an artist, what I enjoy the most is how truly an individual can express himself through his art, i.e.., for example if you see an uncle at a pub, an old man at a Ganesh festival, Anglo Indian family during Christmas - they don’t really know how to dance but they will still dance with complete joy and happiness based on how they feel at the moment.
3. Who is your favourite dancer and why?
“My favourite dancers are everyone who dance in front of me”, you might wonder why I made this statement. As a dancer or as an artist, what I enjoy the most is how truly an individual can express himself through his art, i.e.., for example if you see an uncle at a pub, an old man at a Ganesh festival, Anglo Indian family during Christmas - they don’t really know how to dance but they will still dance with complete joy and happiness based on how they feel at the moment.
There are no good or bad dancers, it’s just real or fake dancers. So, if there are any dancers who give me that feeling will be my favourite dancers at that specific time.
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?
As everyone knows that a dancer or an artist will get enough opportunities in dancing fields like competition, reality shows, film industry, corporate industry, event management, workshops, Choreographies etc.
Most of them don’t realise what kind of opportunities dancing or being created in a Person’s life. I was an introvert who was under confident about anything I do, dancing gave me the courage to stand out from the crowd and be who I actually want to be, now I believe I can have a conversation with anyone and make myself and them comfortable.
Dance has given me opportunities to exhale in anything I do for example, the job I got in every corporate - I used to introduce myself as a dancer who has come seeking a job incorporate. This is what I used to tell the interviewer.
Dance has given me opportunities to exhale in anything I do for example, the job I got in every corporate - I used to introduce myself as a dancer who has come seeking a job incorporate. This is what I used to tell the interviewer.
Dance has given me opportunities in learning and understanding other art forms and opportunities which has made me a successful artist who gets paid for paintings and wall arts.
Dance made me understand and learn people’s feelings which have made me a
successful street photographer who is getting paid for his work. I click pictures with emotions. Lastly dance has given opportunities to be a better human and I chose to be one.
More than speaking about my achievements , I wanted to mention the opportunities a human gets to learn and live better as an artist.
5. Is formal training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Yes, training is definitely an important part of an artist. Training and practicing art is as important as how we eat food every day, as we eat food regularly - we remain to be healthy. Similarly practicing every day is important for being
better than what you were yesterday.
It’s not just to be better than yesterday, training will always help you in many unfortunate situations that can also surprise you, I would like to mention an incident which happened to me.
I was a successful breaker who used to do a lot of power moves while I was performing which was like my strength win. When I was in second Pre-University college where I was a successful dancer winning almost in all the top is known colleges from Bangalore.
Dance made me understand and learn people’s feelings which have made me a
successful street photographer who is getting paid for his work. I click pictures with emotions. Lastly dance has given opportunities to be a better human and I chose to be one.
More than speaking about my achievements , I wanted to mention the opportunities a human gets to learn and live better as an artist.
5. Is formal training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Yes, training is definitely an important part of an artist. Training and practicing art is as important as how we eat food every day, as we eat food regularly - we remain to be healthy. Similarly practicing every day is important for being
better than what you were yesterday.
It’s not just to be better than yesterday, training will always help you in many unfortunate situations that can also surprise you, I would like to mention an incident which happened to me.
I was a successful breaker who used to do a lot of power moves while I was performing which was like my strength win. When I was in second Pre-University college where I was a successful dancer winning almost in all the top is known colleges from Bangalore.
I met with an accident and broke my left wrist, I had to undergo major surgery, I have a plate in my left wrist which is supporting the bones in my left hand, it took me close to one and a half year to move my left fingers, for a breaker or any dancer who performs a lot of power moves (handstands, head stands, flips etc).
His hands play a major role in giving him the required strength, the doctors told me that I have to deal with my left hand throughout my life and I will not be able to perform major power moves, I was literally away from dancing for close to 2years, I thought I cannot be like before - I thought this was the end of my dancing career.
There was a function at my college in 2nd Pre-University college, they auditioned students to be a part of a contemporary team which will be performing for college annual and price distribution day.
- Many asked me not to go for the audition, but I just went to see how it goes and saw few people struggling to do some contemporary way of dancing. Since I practiced contemporary a little before being a breaker, I just auditioned and did that with a broken hand, though I was the best out there - they couldn’t take me as I had POP in my left hand.
But the next day - I was called by that Choreographer and the teachers stating that I can perform in the Choreography for a specific role since it’s a contemporary Choreography, the story was based on “save women” and I played a handicapped role who was the hero of the story.
There was a function at my college in 2nd Pre-University college, they auditioned students to be a part of a contemporary team which will be performing for college annual and price distribution day.
- Many asked me not to go for the audition, but I just went to see how it goes and saw few people struggling to do some contemporary way of dancing. Since I practiced contemporary a little before being a breaker, I just auditioned and did that with a broken hand, though I was the best out there - they couldn’t take me as I had POP in my left hand.
But the next day - I was called by that Choreographer and the teachers stating that I can perform in the Choreography for a specific role since it’s a contemporary Choreography, the story was based on “save women” and I played a handicapped role who was the hero of the story.
That is when I realised practicing is important , practicing other forms will also help, from a breaker I transferred all the knowledge I have to learning hip hop , I incorporated all the other styles to create my own style.
If I had not trained , it wouldn’t have been that easy for me to get back to being a better dancer than before. Training can help you in many other situations without even your own knowledge. It’s a disciplined way of cultivating art. Training shows how you respect and value your art.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
“Do what you feel is right to learn what is RIGHT”
“When you feel you have come the end , try a little more again to begin”
7. Which is your best performance to date and why?
I would like to mention 3 incidents which relate with why it best and how they are related, first - I was a kid studying in 3rd std, I did not know anything about dancing, there was a small competition held in my area during Ganesh festival.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
- BELIEVE
- Believe in what you do is correct
- Believe in your training and betterment.
- Believe that you can do it one day and give time to process this.
- Most importantly, make sure you genuinely have fun when you do all the above.
“Do what you feel is right to learn what is RIGHT”
“When you feel you have come the end , try a little more again to begin”
7. Which is your best performance to date and why?
I would like to mention 3 incidents which relate with why it best and how they are related, first - I was a kid studying in 3rd std, I did not know anything about dancing, there was a small competition held in my area during Ganesh festival.
My elder brother was also participating, so even though I decided to participate with the support from my brother and father, I and my brother competed, and I won 1st place and my brother got 2nd place. We performed the same song.
Secondly, I was new to college, it was 1st Pre-University college where there was an intra-class solo dance competition, there was already a famous guy in 2nd Pre-University college who was known as a an amazing dancer because of which no one from 1st Pre-University college takes part in the competition as everyone knew he will already win, but I ended up taking part in the competition, I was bullied by all the seniors that I will lose , but I ended up winning the competition, I got 1st place and he got 2nd place.
Third, this was after my accident when I was completely under confident and was scared to participate in dance competitions . I was in my 1st-year degree.
There was a street battle called Freeze which is one of the best in India, while I was all scared - my Choreographer and my crew (INTRUDERS) gave me the courage to take part , so I decided to take part in 2vs2 all style battle along with a crew member, we had to do a showcase battle against one of the best dancer in the scene and after all the showcase rounds, top 16 will be chosen, I did not get selected in top 16.
Secondly, I was new to college, it was 1st Pre-University college where there was an intra-class solo dance competition, there was already a famous guy in 2nd Pre-University college who was known as a an amazing dancer because of which no one from 1st Pre-University college takes part in the competition as everyone knew he will already win, but I ended up taking part in the competition, I was bullied by all the seniors that I will lose , but I ended up winning the competition, I got 1st place and he got 2nd place.
Third, this was after my accident when I was completely under confident and was scared to participate in dance competitions . I was in my 1st-year degree.
There was a street battle called Freeze which is one of the best in India, while I was all scared - my Choreographer and my crew (INTRUDERS) gave me the courage to take part , so I decided to take part in 2vs2 all style battle along with a crew member, we had to do a showcase battle against one of the best dancer in the scene and after all the showcase rounds, top 16 will be chosen, I did not get selected in top 16.
The reason I see these 3 as the best performance were:
The first scenario thought me that even I can dance - that confidence is what pushed me to dance more.
The scenario though that if an individual works hard towards what he wants to achieve, no criticism or bully can stop him for winning,
The third scenario is when I realised it’s not the trophy which decides who is the best dancer, it's your potential what you perform decides who the winner is even if you lose from a judges perspective - because in that showcase battle - I smoked(performed better) one of the best dancers in India, but I still did get into top 16. But when I walked out of the floor - I saw people cheering up for an unknown person who me.
The third scenario is when I realised it’s not the trophy which decides who is the best dancer, it's your potential what you perform decides who the winner is even if you lose from a judges perspective - because in that showcase battle - I smoked(performed better) one of the best dancers in India, but I still did get into top 16. But when I walked out of the floor - I saw people cheering up for an unknown person who me.
I saw people walking up to me and telling you were really good, but what I genuinely felt that moment is that - you as an individual have the potential to be anything you want, it’s about the choices which you make and how much you value it. Winning a trophy can make anyone happy, winning yourself, again and again, every single day to be better than yesterday is more beautiful than anything else.
From that day I forgot what winning is, I started having fun while I am dancing because dancing is not about winning or proving people that you’re a better dancer , it’s just about showing your true feelings for music - the end of your dance will show who you actually are.
- Pradeep K, Dancer, Intruders Crew, FTFW crew
- Interviewed by Khushi Badarinath
- Pradeep K, Dancer, Intruders Crew, FTFW crew
- Interviewed by Khushi Badarinath
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