I believe in being versatile and thus have trained myself in Jazz Funk, HipHop, Heels, Jazz, Ballet, Waacking, Dancehall, Contemporary, Bollywood, House and other Social dance forms.
1. Tell us more about your background and journey. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue dancing and how did you start?
I am a dance lover and I realized it at a very young age. The one after one event and achievements added to my life and made me pursue dancing as my career.
I was enrolled in classical vocal/harmonium classes by my mother when I was 9. But my curiosity knew no bounds and I asked my mom to get me to learn kathak too, something that the same music studio hosted.
My mom didn't want me to indulge in so many activities, and that was when I displayed my stubbornness and got what I wanted. I have also learned various other Indian classical, semi-classical, and folk dance forms.
After 7 years of training in classical vocal and instrumental, and a PG Diploma in Kathak, I started training with Danceworx, where I got into the probation team and trained every day for long hours. Being in Delhi University, I joined my college's Western Dance society and was lucky enough to receive many opportunities to participate and perform in many college Fests.
In my 2nd year, I was chosen as the Cultural Vice President of the college and as Cultural President in my 3rd. These years were full of so much growth, not just as a dancer, but also as a leader, manager, choreographer, orator, drummer, singer, etc,.
I also started getting hired and performing for professional musicals during this time. After receiving a lot of recognition, awards, and respect because of my performance and my work ethic throughout the college dance community, I became a very well-known face on social media. I took more training in dance techniques under Ryan Martyr and Hip Hop dance in Brooklyn Academy of Dance & Arts after passing out from college.
I was already posting my performance videos on my YouTube channel, but in 2016, I started pursuing my Youtube channel professionally. And that is when I created the world-famous dance video on Cheap Thrills, and today it has 49 Million views on YouTube. This video was also shared by the Global artists Sean Paul, Ashton Kutcher, Karmin, etc on their social media.
In 2018, I decided to go to Los Angeles, California to pursue international training in dancing. I trained under various famous International Choreographers and teachers like Jojo Gomez, Brooklyn Jai, Dana Alexa, Matt Steffanina, Nika Kljun, WildaBeast Adams, Janelle Ginestra, etc. I have also performed at Choreographer's Carnival, Avalon Hollywood along with Brooklyn Jai and some of the amazing dancers from LA and around the globe!
I believe in being versatile and thus have trained myself in Jazz Funk, HipHop, Heels, Jazz, Ballet, Waacking, Dancehall, Contemporary, Bollywood, House, and other Social dance forms.
2. Who is your favorite dancer and why?
Jojo Gomez is my favorite dancer and choreographer, the one that I have always looked up to. I started following her dance videos when she had just moved to Los Angeles. And her dance style was so empowering that I was absolutely starstruck and spellbound!
I became a fan and was intrigued to learn from her. In 2018 when I went for my dance training, I was so lucky to have the opportunity to attend her classes. Her classes were so motivating and helped me grow not only as a dancer but also as a confident and better human being. This lady also inspired me to be humble and down to earth, just as she was.
I remember being the happiest and on cloud nine when I was noticed and complimented by her in her classes, and followed by her on Instagram. Even while recalling and writing this moment, I am going through an adrenaline rush! It was a fangirl moment indeed, and I can never forget that. Even to date, I do not miss watching any of her videos as she keeps creating one after one masterpiece!
3. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?
Being an artist means a continuous battle and frequent ups & downs. But passion drives an artist. The various opportunities as a dancer can be divided into three segments: Choreography, Teaching & Performing.
Choreography: You can choose to be a choreographer for weddings, school annual productions, colleges, events, corporate shows, musicals, festivals, music videos, award shows, movies, television shows, etc. The major skills required for the same are interpreting music in terms of dancing and creating a visually effective dance piece.
Teaching: A dance teacher should have a thorough knowledge of practical and theoretical aspects of dance. Teaching jobs can be found in schools, colleges and universities, and dance institutes. To be a dance teacher the skills required are initiative and patience.
Performing: To be a performer, you need to have an attractive personality, need to know how to perform facial expressions, skill to interpret roles, and most importantly, STAGE/CAMERA PRESENCE. You need to know how to dance as a group and as an individual. Training is very important to be a performer. Hard work, passion, and dedication are very important in any field, and so is dancing.
4. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
As a professionally trained dancer who values this art form, formal training is a must if you want to pursue dancing professionally. I suggest everyone train themselves. Even if you are a talented and god gifted dancer, please increase your knowledge and value the art form.
To master in any field, training is a must. But I encourage everyone to dance irrespective. Dancing is not just a career but also a hobby that not only keeps you physically fit but also mentally strong. I believe it is the purest form of meditation. It is a way to be an enlightened soul and connect with oneself on a deeper level, knowing oneself inside-out.
5. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
As an artist, one needs to know that road to success is long! But you should always follow your heart. You need to have a strong will and dedication towards your passion. Do not let that fire within you extinguish, keep it burning, for more, more and more.
Yes, there are ups and downs, but if there are no low phases in your life, how would you enjoy the beautiful ups? So let your passion drive you. Be wise enough to stir a lemonade if life throws you lemons because every career requires patience and hard work! So don't give up! Remember, if you really want it, you will get it!
6. Which is your favorite book and why?
If I am being honest, I am not much of a book person, but I have read a couple of books. The genre that I enjoy the most is Fantasy. I love adventure and the thrill, and the magical factor in such books. It encourages me to think out of the box and imagine creatively. Some of my favorite novels are the Harry Potter series, Percy Jackson, Twilight, etc.
I started reading the 6th novel after watching five harry potter movies. And the books had so much more to offer than the movie. I felt the scripting of the novel, the way all the situations, emotions, and events were represented were far more detailed than visual movies. And thus, I decided to read the novel series from the beginning. Thus I ended up reading more books of my favorite fictional movies.
I also love reading inspirational and motivational books once in a while. One of my current favorites is Eat that Frog. This book is an absolute motivation to stop procrastinating and kickstart your work. We all have long to-do lists. Successful people don't try to do everything.
They prioritize. They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure those get done first. They eat their frogs. And especially in this lockdown that we've become lazy, this book is an amazing reminder of how to plan and prioritize your life.
Tanya Chamoli - Choreographer/Performer/YouTuber
Interviewed By: Navya Garg
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