Yash Pandya - Anything Can Be Achieved With Sheer Hard Work and Discipline

You can specialise in one form of dancing and master that but according to me, if you have to call yourself a dancer, you must train in all the styles. Even if your preference is one style only.

1. Tell us about ur journey and background.

So basically I started dancing way back in 1994 I was in Shiamak's special batch back then. I used to dance just for fun and as a hobby. I stopped in 1998 to focus on my education and resumed dancing again in 2005-2006 with Terence lewis contemporary dance company.

I trained myself for 3 years in that company and then branched out as an individual Choreographer/dancer. So the last 15 years has been an amazing journey with lots of ups and downs.

I have been part of various shows like Nach Baliye, Jhalak Dikhlaja, Dance India Dance Lil champions, Footloose, Dance Champions as a performer, as an assistant Choreographer or as a main Choreographer.

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

As I mentioned in my earlier answer, I always used to love dancing so back in school days I use to dance for fun. Once I entered Xaviers for my college education. I saw the street dance culture in college and was very intrigued with the whole concept, so I started training again and around that time Terence sir was coming to Xavier's for a counselling session for dance as a career option.

My friends actually dragged me for that session, and after listening to him, I thought this could also become a career if I work hard towards it. So that was the beginning point of my career, and after that day, I never looked back.

3. Who is your favourite dancer, and why?

It has to be Bertwin D'Souza. (ex Terence lewis company member). I believe in every industry we will find people who are extremely natural in what they do, and some of them have to work really hard to get that ease, same goes in dancing. I have seen so many great dancers, and most of them have been natural.

But when I saw Berty dancing, it was mesmerizing the way he would move, and I always thought haan god gifted but after hearing stories as in how he had to work so hard to achieve that, was an inspiration to all the dancers and me. That we can achieve anything and everything with our sheer hard work and discipline.

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

Well, our field is an extremely challenging one, so firstly you have to wait for your moment to come. But once you get it, you have to make sure you are ready to grab it, and for that, you have to constantly keep training and be patient and never lose hope.

And thanks to all the reality shows nowadays, there will be ample opportunities for you as a dancer to showcase what you have If you are good, you will surely get an opportunity somewhere, maybe today, tomorrow or after sometime Bcz I believe talent never dies and when its due it will shine.

5. Is format training required, or can one train themselves purely based on talent?

Let's start with the example of driving a car. If I say I know how to drive it doesn't mean I can drive all kinds of cars because somewhere its left hand driving somewhere its right-hand drive. Some are automatic cars, some are manual.

But if I practice these different scenarios, I will still be able to drive all kinds even though your preference might say automatic cars. Same goes for dancing when you have to be a versatile dancer for that you need to train yourself in all the styles.

Surely you can specialise in one form of dancing and master that but according to me if you have to call yourself a dancer you must train in all the styles. Even if your preference is one style only.

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

Well, remember one thing, always have faith in your own talent. Because if you doubt your own abilities and talent, don't expect others to have faith in you. Never compare yourself and your journey with others.

Everyone chooses their own path and there is no substitute for hard work. You will be shocked as in how much one can achieve with sheer hard work and dedication. One last thing, always enjoy what you do, the fact we are choosing dance as a career is because it makes us happy so never let that feeling go away.