The pleasure I receive from dancing is hard to express in words but results from a mixture of dedication, exploration of the body’s physical movement, communicating with others, and working towards a common goal to produce something beautiful yet intangible. This enjoyment is equalled by my desire to pass on this joy to others through teaching; guiding and encouraging them to succeed and express themselves, and watching as each milestone is reached and the learner grows in confidence. Throughout my own career as a dancer, I hope to continue learning as dance is an art form that reflects the culture from which it comes but also continually evolves.

Professional Training

• Classical training from NrityaBharti Institute, India, by Smt.Elakshiben Thakore, in Bharat Natayam – Introduction level.
• Western Contemporary Dance training from Chichester College, West Sussex, UK (BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts) covering Western styles incl. Tap, Ballet and Jazz Dance.
• Dance Education degree course, one year completed, at the Royal Academy of Dance, Surrey University UK.

I have extensive experience in the field of Indian dance, especially Indian modern contemporary and folk dances, as a performer, choreographer and teacher. I have got trained in various western dance styles including contemporary and street dance. I am currently working as a freelance dancer and I have completed and passed the Teacher training course: City & Guilds Certificate in Delivering Learning. This course has given me knowledge and understanding of teaching techniques, planning lessons/schemes of work and how to meet the needs of learners of varying ages, abilities and learning styles. I have given workshops in numerous schools around the UK.

Living here in the UK I came to the realisation that there was a definite and growing market for Indian dance in all its forms but especially Bollywood. The general popularity and interest in Indian cinema, music and dance is very much on the increase as shown by successes such as the stage musical, Bombay Dreams, Bollywood/”Indian” themed films entering the mainstream (Lagaan, Hollywood Bollywood/ East is East, Bend it like Beckham, Slumdog millionaire) Also Indian culture plays a very important part in the National Curriculum at both primary and secondary level and there is a huge demand for trained professionals to go into schools giving dance, music and cultural workshops. It is in this capacity that I have found myself employed by various organisations. I have been asked to give dance workshops all around the country in various schools where my skills have been warmly welcomed and visits have resulted in many invitations to work on large-scale projects in the future. This is owing to the number of reasons;

• Having been trained in Indian dance from within the culture I am able to offer much more than someone who has merely come to learn such things from an outsider’s perspective.
• My training has been of a very high standard.
• I have a wide experience of performance and teaching.
• I posses a very high standard of professionalism and this is recognized by those with whom I work.
• Being male and a dancer I offer a very positive role model for boys in a field that always seeks to involve more of my gender.