The world's their stage

Three Mumbaibased dancers mdash Shantanu Maheshwari Macedon DrsquoMello and Nimit Kotian mdash chased their dreams to participate in the World of Dance championship in Los Angeles When they needed a couple of more talented dancers to form Indiarsquos firstever group to participate in the US competition the trio chose four more dancers through auditions mdash Rohan Vyas Viraj Pandya Subhash Naidu and Niraj Lama mdash to form Desi Hoppers The troupe not only participated but also won the title that they proudly describe as ldquoThe World Cup victory of the Indian dancersrdquoSelftaught dance group The Desi Hoppers are chasing their dreams and touring the world PicsNimesh DaveHard work pays offWhile their victory will encourage many dancers to pursue their passion the teamrsquos hard work is worth sharing ldquoWe had only 45 days to prepare for the competition Also we didnrsquot know each other then Some were good at popping and some at krumping As we practised we started helping each otherrdquo says Vyas At the same time they were also shooting for a TV dance reality show Naach which is currently on air on a youth channel Lama adds ldquoThe show encapsulates our journey of coming together and winning the show During those arduous 45 days of training we were not only rehearsing but also shooting We had to manage everything and eventually our hard work paid offrdquoLR Niraj Lama Viraj Pandya Subhash Naidu Rohan Vyas Macedon DrsquoMello Nimit Kotian and Shantanu MaheshwariNone of the members of Desi Hoppers has undergone any formal training They have watched videos and shows to pursue their passion so they kept seeking inspiration from renowned dancers and rehearsed different and difficult steps to hone their skills ldquoMichael Jackson and Sachin Tendulkar were supremely talented and they worked hard to achieve their goals People from different fields should seek inspiration from them to succeed in liferdquo says Vyas with admiration for the two legendsWith such focus and determination Desi Hoppers was on their way to stardom Pandya states ldquoThroughout the competition people were cheering us We got a standing ovation Our aim was to entertain and gain respect Not only did we manage to do it but we also came back with the trophy and were as happy as when the Indian cricket team wins the World CuprdquoReel inspirationsWhile one would believe that their story of coming together and winning a competition in the US is similar to that shown in choreographerturnedfilmmaker Remo DrsquoSouzarsquos film ABCD2 the group does not identify with it ldquoFirstly we do not copy steps Secondly through our dancing we show our culture and roots Third competitions do not happen in the way shown in ABCD2 It does not take a mere two minutes to put together an act A lot of thought goes behind a dancerdquo Maheshwari clarifiesThough they feel their journey has been different from ABCD2 therersquos a lot from their lives that can be weaved into a filmrsquos script They do not come from affluent families have had their share of struggles and have faced scores of rejections As Lama says ldquoI danced at marriages Ganpati pandals and corporate events to make money People have often defaulted on payments by just saying that my dance was not up to the mark This victory gives me confidence and I will keep dancing all my liferdquoReal timesAlmost every channel today hosts a dance reality show Although some of them have also auditioned for a few they do not call it a great platform for aspiring dancers ldquoReality shows do not encourage talent If one has any connections with the crew or judges then the person has an upper hand over the other good dancers These shows are businesses based on unfair judgments One should also have a sad story to tell to make people sympathise and hence survive on the showrdquo says Subhash Naidu adding he had endured a similar experienceBut they not only believe reality shows but dancers too should be blamed Kotian says ldquoThe problem is everyone wants to be famous and everyone wants to be a part of reality shows Also some people try to get associated with established dancers in the industry to get work But true dancers perfect their skills first and then explore career options like choreography teaching and performances at big showsrdquoThe show must go onThe Desi Hoppers are not in a hurry to achieve fame Rather they want to learn more before they start receiving offers for work They also want other aspiring dancers to endorse their idea In fact they want schools to include dance as a subjectin the curriculum ldquoIn our physical training subject dance should be included for physical endurance Educational institutes should encourage Indian classical dance It will change the way dance is perceived in India It is a beautiful expression and one should learn it properly instead of relying on online videos or random coaching centresrdquo says Maheshwari The team now wants to stick together and aspires to perform together as well ldquoAs a group we will keep in touch rehearse and also perform together We are individually also trying to grow as dancers so that we can share our inputs and help the grouprdquo says DrsquoMello