The opportunities for a dancer are limitless if you can get creative with what you
have.
1. Tell us more about your background and journey.
Of course! I was born in UAE and have been raised here ever since. I used to
dance for 4 years of age, and quickly realized it was more than a passion for me.
However, when the time came for me to actually decide on a career path, I chose
Marketing and Communications, because at that time, the Bollywood dancing
culture was not very prevalent in the UAE.
6 months into my position at an MNC, I decided to take the plunge and pursue
dancing and content creation as a full-time career. 5 years in, and now I have
over 4 million followers across all my social media platforms, and I am the CEO
of a dance and content creation studio, NKD Studios.
I am glad that I took the risk because it worked out for me in the end, but I
wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything without working hard.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue dancing and how
did you start?
Dancing has been my first love and I always knew I wanted to do it full-
time. After resigning from the MNC I was working in, I started taking content
creation and building an audience and social media very seriously.
I would wake up at 4 AM to avoid the rush hour traffic, get to shoots on time,
and wear all the hats at once, that of a director, cameraperson, makeup artist,
stylist, and editor.
In fact, my first viral choreography of Kala Chashma was actually shot on my
camera, which was supported by books on a bar stool, because I didn’t have a
tripod back then.
The journey from then to now has been fascinating to look at, and I hope to
grow much more in the future.
3. Who is your favorite dancer and why?
I don’t have a favorite dancer, in particular. However, there are elements from
other dancers that I really admire.
Hrithik Roshan’s control of his body, Madhuri Dixit’s grace and expressions, Tiger
Shroff’s flexibility and Ranveer Singh’s energy are definitely aspects I admire.
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?
The opportunities for a dancer are limitless if you can get creative with what you
have.
A dancer is approached as an entertainer during various festivals and events, is
asked to choreograph moves for movies and music videos, and create trending
hook steps for brands.
Oftentimes, a dancer can also be asked to produce plays and musicals, design
sets, and create a vision for a performance.
The sky is truly the limit for dancers, especially in the world of social media.
5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Well, being a self-taught dancer myself, I would say that format training isn’t
always essential, as long as you have the passion and ability to learn. Of course,
it depends from person to person, and some would actually benefit from a
the structured format of learning a dance style, whereas some would watch
others do it and pick it up.
As long as you are open to learning from all the mediums accessible to you, you
can succeed in whatever you set your heart on. However, talent is nothing if you
are not willing to work towards your goals consistently.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
One piece of advice I would give to aspiring artists and content creators is to
take human connection very seriously. If you are a content creator, focus on
building a legitimate audience and create a rapport with them. Your audience is
what sets you apart as a content creator.
As a dancer, maintain eye contact with the audience because it makes the entire
performance is a lot more impactful.
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
My favorite book, without a doubt, is Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee,
because it talks about the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s view. It highlights the
difficulties a woman had to face in that era and the battles women have fought to
achieve basic rights.
The reading experience was enlightening and humbling because it made me
realize the strength a woman has if she puts her mind to something.
Brief Bio:
Nidhi Kumar is UAE's biggest Dance YouTuber, Content Creator, Actor, TV presenter, TEDx Speaker, and model who put UAE on the dancing map. Now, also the CEO of NKD Studios, the best content creation and dance studio in the UAE, Nidhi is also a full-fledged entrepreneur managing two careers efficiently.
Interviewed By - Priya
Edited By - Aarya Gode
){kind=link}
0 Comments