Choreographer Shaimak Davar is moving a step ahead offering year long certificate programmes in dance. Ankita Jain reports
His group gets better with each passing year. It began with 200 and today has spread across border with maximum participation. Acclaimed choreographer Shiamak Davar, who transformed dance into a respectful profession altogether, believes people now see dance as a viable career option. “Not only dance, but any form of art or the performing arts have found longevity in terms of not only staying hobbies but being taken up as full time professions. There were no dance classes when I started thirty years back. It was a struggle but the journey has been fulfilling when I see dance as such popular art now. What people need to understand is starting classes is easy, but teaching correctly and being trained is the most important task. YouTube makes it easy to copy, but you need to find your originality. There are plenty of dance classes mushrooming across the country but the teachers are not trained and are passing on half-baked knowledge. What they don’t understand is these steps can even harm people’s bodies.”
Shiamak is moving a step ahead with dance and introducing full-time, one-year certificate programme in dance. He’s been called the Guru of dance, and through this programme, he could be your own guru in styles such as Shiamak Style, ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, ballroom, and folk. Additionally, you will get training in yoga, malkhamb, gymnastics, acting, audio and video editing. All modules are taught from the basics. “The One Year Dance Certification Programme (OYP) will provide a platform to dance enthusiasts to learn from the best in the industry and get a holistic perspective on dance before taking it up professionally. The focus of the programme is my style of contemporary dance and I personally teach this programme every day for three to four hours.” Interested dance enthusiasts between the ages of 15 and 28 can audition, and classes will be held starting mid-April, at Shiamak’s dance studio.
The health benefits of dance and physical fitness are well-documented. But beyond that, dance could be a true healer. Shiamak explains, “Dance improves confidence, discipline, team spirit and self-worth.”
He adds, “My motto was ‘Have Feet. Will Dance’, but over time I decided to take it one step further to ‘Have Spirit. Will Triumph.’ A lot of people find their true passion through dance. So, during the OYP, many of my students realise their love for video editing, remixing music, and taking up managerial responsibilities, designing costumes or handling public relations.”
During the programme, students will have several opportunities for “on-the-job learning” — to perform in shows and films with the Shiamak Davar Dance Company. After the programme, several options are open to the dancers. Besides teaching, performing in musicals, branching out independently, students may be selected to be a permanent part of the dance company.
What makes this certification unique is the theoretical component — “For example, a course called ‘Science of Dance’ incorporates the understanding of the body which is essential for a dancer,” explains Shiamak.
Known to bring a racy appeal to any dance choreography, Shiamak Dhavar believes choreography in Bollywood have become more structured and stylised.
“Dil Toh Pagal Hai had created a revolution in terms of introducing fit dancers doing synchronised movements. From there on, a trend started and it has moved in a positive direction,” says Shiamak.
On one hand where he praises about the technological development, on the other, he misses the old world charm of the dancers then. “The advantage of technology is that it makes things easier for stars to do, one movement at a time with multiple cuts that are seamlessly joined later. Honestly, I find this very boring, I miss seeing pure dancing. When you look back, Helen used to dance an entire sequence effortlessly. That is dance; that was natural talent.”
One may notice a complete revamp of dance films in the industry. “Dance has always been at the core of Indian cinema. From the beginning, song and dance sequences have represented different emotions and situations in our films.
They’ve always been musicals of sorts. With the acceptance towards dance, today the storyline itself is based on the art. This shows how far we’ve come. Not only have the classical danced styles that are true pillars of our rich culture, but even the western forms. They reach out to the masses and open the market towards bringing more talent to the fore,” he quips.
The choreographer, who is busy throughout the year, will be seen choreographing for Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif starrer film JaggaJasoos, along with that, his first ever Marathi film project and various award shows.