Smart Moves

Dancer-choreographer Tanushree Rakshat,who learnt dance at Cambridge,is holding a workshop at Carmel Convent School,Sector 9,Chandigarh. Dance,according to her,doesn’t necessarily mean the Bollywood variety,acrobatics or stunts. “I want kids to first grasp the basics of different dance forms. Parents must understand that it takes at least one whole year to learn,followed by a lifetime of practice,” she says. Originally from Pune,Rakshat has danced opposite Mika in the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhlaja and has been an assistant to choreographers in movies like The Myth and Holiday. She would like to coach kids in the tri-city area for reality shows but throws in a word of caution as well. “Reality shows like Dance India Dance,India’s Got Talent provide a valuable platform to kids but they should not serve to maximise pressure on children. Dance should act as a stress buster,” she adds.

Meanwhile,Fatima Khanam who is holding a dance workshop at the British School,Sector 8,Panchkula,has been an assistant to Farah Khan in movies like My Name Is Khan and Main Hoon Na and has worked with Shiamak Davar for eleven years. “Dance is not just jazz,hip-hop,contemporary or kathak. I feel these dance forms have further divisions. People have heard about salsa but there are other forms like waltz,Mexican salsa and tango as well,” she says. “Stunts should be a part of dance and not otherwise. Performances in reality shows seem to concentrate more on stunts and acrobatics,” she adds.

Julia Klesse,a 25-year-old German national teaching dance at Dikshant Global School,Sector 12,Panchkula,is excited to add a western flavour to Indian culture. “Indian kids are very curious to learn about different dance forms. They are perceptive enough to do something new,” she says,adding that she is inspired by the late Michael Jackson,as well as jive,kathak,chhau,ballet and belly dancing.