Thanks to: Rajesh Mansukhani
One of the greatest things about Bollywood films is that they not only encompass great story lines with incredible actors and actresses but the bonus and what makes them special is the music and of course the fabulous dance sequences. One of the best, a name synonymous with the dance in Bollywood is Shiamak Davar. Through the movies, his choreography for concerts, stage shows and awards shows Shiamak has wowed audiences with his choreography! Not only that, through his Shiamak Dance Academies he has given a chance to over a million dance enthusiasts in over five countries to learn Bollywood dancing! He literally makes the world dance Bollywood!
With the biggest Bollywood awards aka the IIFA Awards just round the corner on the 26th, we caught up with the Guru of Dance, Shiamak Davar who tells us what it takes to make it as a dancer in Bollywood!
Be yourself!
Bollywood is an extremely free spirited dance form. It’s an amalgamation of various dance styles, so you’ve got to adapt your own personal style and make each move your own! It’s the most fun and expressive style, so just be yourself and enjoy!
Perform!
The face dances as much, if not more than the body. Bollywood is all about expressing the emotion you feel and narrating that story through dance movement. If you want a glimpse of what a difference face expressions can bring to choreography, watch a few videos of Govinda and Madhuri dancing!
Passion!
You can only do something really well if you’re passionate about it. If you want to learn Bollywood dancing, you have to learn the culture. Dance, I always say, is a form of celebration. So to be able to bring that out through your movement/performance, you have to know what the music is telling you. To be able to dance Bollywood, you need to be passionate about Bollywood!
Learn and train
Bollywood dance is not a form of aerobics of gymnastics, nor is it frivolous as many believe. It is a beautiful form of storytelling. One requires a lot of style and grace to be able to dance Bollywood. Even the smallest movement can have a huge impact. Most Bollywood dancing requires a lot of stamina! So you’ve got to learn from someone who understands real Bollywood.
Mind, Body, Soul
This correlates to the point above. Fitness is very important for any dancer. You must respect your body and stay healthy. You must keep your thoughts happy too! And most importantly, a dancer who stands out is not the one with the best technique, but the one who reveals his soul. Let your spirit fly!
