Bollywood movies, including the recent Anybody Can Dance (ABCD) and SRK-starrer, Happy New Year, have featured themes where Indian dancers bring home the cup from International dance competitions. Making these reel-life glories real, Indian dancers Diago Pereira and Reesha Dhulap, the lone Indian couple to be invited to compete at the second World Dance Open (WDC) Jinxiu Cup 2016, held in China, won four gold medals. The duo competed against 800 dancers across categories, from 34 participating countries. “We have been dancing for 10 years now. This was the first time we were invited to a competition that was fully sponsored. In fact, in 2010 when we were to represent India at the Asian games in China, Amitabh Bachchan had offered to sponsor us. At that point the Indian Olympic Association was not too keen to send us. They didn’t think dance was a medal winning prospect. We missed that opportunity,” shares Pereira, who started learning Jazz and Contemporary dance before taking to Ballroom. The couple’s partnership has a long medal trail beginning with the Indian leg of Dancesport. In 2012 they won their first Asian gold in the 4 Dance Category (Latin) at the 2nd Rhythmworld Dancesport Championship held in Sri Lanka, and then went on to win silver and gold at the Miri International Dance Championships in successive years.

Diago Pereira and Reesha Dhulap