Career in Dance: How dance has evolved over the years

By Shiamak Davar

Dance and people’s perception towards it has come a long way over the years. Our culture and heritage has always celebrated and appreciated dance. But in terms of its acceptance as a viable career option, the progress has been exceptional. While classical and folk dance forms represent our culture the best, even the western styles have now found a place.

Dance has come a long way. It is not just a hobby, dance is not restricted to only girls. Today from metropolitans to towns, the awareness about dance is much more. People now have the capability and access to make their passion a profession. The global dance community is a closer unit and India is an integral part of it. Dance has gone beyond the periphery of an art form to being a means to a healthy lifestyle, a positive avenue to de stress and vent out emotions. And with the progress in music, the influences of the west, dance has also adapted and progressed accordingly.

 

Over thirty years back when I started off, dance wasn’t accepted as a career. I had faced a lot of rejection. Even to find space to conduct my dance classes was a task. I wanted to make people experience the same joy that I derived from dancing and performing. My motto is ‘Have Feet. Will Dance.’ which reiterates the fact that everyone can dance. I wanted to create a platform for people to come and express themselves through movement. When people join dance classes, they work together in a group and this sense of team spirit encourages them. When you meet new people, interact with each other and share a common passion, it makes you happy. Students motivate each other which helps them push their limits and strive harder. The atmosphere is extremely positive where no one is judged. My first class had only 7 students, five of whom were family and friends.  But over time, this has changed. Today, parents encourage their children to join dance classes because they see the positive behavioral changes it brings in them. Confidence, team spirit, discipline, focus are just some aspects that help in grooming a child’s personality through dance. And once they take a keen interest, there is no stopping them.

 

My primary aim of setting up a dance academy was to inculcate the concept of Dance as Education.  This has found a place today and people truly observe and understand the power of dance. Through a well-structured syllabus, inculcating correct technique and providing wholesome training to students of all ages, whether it is in my regular, progressive, hobby dance classes or workshops in schools, students learn in a fun and friendly environment. Today, schools have incorporated my Dance Education Program in their regular curriculum. The school management has seen how children are more receptive to the process of learning, and using dance as a medium of physical activity and creative medium, the program helps channel their energy in a resourceful manner.

The number of people coming to dance classes is a lot more now. They come with different purposes to dance classes, some to follow it as a hobby, some to de stress and some to make it a career. For those who wish to make it their career, dance is now a viable career option. Over the last three decades I’ve observed a positive and impactful change in people’s attitude towards dance as a career. It is this change that initiated me to start a professional certification program to ensure that the country has trained dancers and choreographers. The scope of dance and choreography in fact goes beyond just the art on its own. That’s why I’ve included modules in event management, backstage, production, sound, light, musicality, audio & video editing, and even grooming and nutrition in my One Year Dance Certification Program (OYP).

 

For someone to make dance a career, I’ve always insisted and laid stress on the importance of training. With easy access to the internet, most people skip this training phase and become professionals just by watching videos and probably copying them. But people must understand that you can harm your students if you aren’t trained. It is essential to learn professionally before you begin to pass on the knowledge.

The talent in our country is unbelievable, the opportunities are endless - teaching dance classes to people of all age groups,  teaching in schools or corporates, performing in musicals, becoming a performer or choreographer in live shows and films, choreographing sangeets and weddings, taking personal training lessons, becoming a celebrity dance trainer or teaching at NGOs.

With so many dance based reality shows, dance enthusiasts from the interiors of the country have a platform to showcase their talent. People come from all parts of the country and all walks of life. The shows today are a great starting point in the career of many of these dancers, who in their own cities may not have been able to get such opportunities.

From the interest, avenues, participation to opportunities, I have observed dance evolve over the years. And for me, this is the beauty of this art form, it will continuously evolve and genuine dance enthusiasts will always have a hunger to learn and update their knowledge and skills constantly.

About the Author:

Singer, choreographer, performing artist Shiamak Davar is known as the “Guru of Dance” in India. He is largely responsible for modernizing India’s dance scene especially in the film and theatre industry.