BHARATI PAWASKAR
Heather D’Souza is passionate about dancing and enjoys it to the core. Similar is the case with Manoj Gupta who was drawn towards this form of expressive art when he was a kid but could learn and master it only after he began earning. Having mastered their skills in dancing the duo have chosen this art as their profession and are confident of building a great career in it. Emerging as winners at the recent All Asia Salsa Solo Championship 2019 held at Bengaluru earlier this month, Heather secured first place while Manoj bagged the third prize.
Students at Abhishek Soman’s dance class, their performances were judged by eminent dance personalities as the competition is a widely acclaimed platform for dance lovers to showcase their talent. The head judge for the competition was Alien Ramirez (Cuba), a 24 times world champion and the other judges were Ezgi Zaman (Turkey), Wilmer (Cuba) and Maria (Cuba).
“I won first prize in the semi-pro category in Salsa where I had to compete with 13 contestants from across India. We had the competition on the first day and rest of the time was spent to gain learning experiences “ celebrating the festival, attending training sessions and workshops. There was friendly interaction with all the competitors who enjoyed taking lessons from senior dance instructors from across the globe,” informs Heather D’Souza.
For 26-year-old Heather, it was the second visit at International Dance Congress, as she had participated in it in 2017 too, performing solo. “I have been learning Salsa for the past three years. This time, I had more confidence and could perform better.The more one practices, the better he or she performs,” shares Heather who concentrates on three things “ performing, competing as well as teaching others. Associated with a Bollywood dance group in Goa for eight years, she believes in practicing hard and enhancing one’s skills.
On the other hand, Indian classical dancer Manoj Gupta graduated in Kathak in 2017 from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Prior to that he took a diploma in Kathak in 2014. This 28-year-old who secured the third place in solo Salsa at the competition in Amateur category, enrolled for Salsa training in 2018 in Goa. His entry on the dance floor was through Bollywood and Hip Hop. YouTube introduced him to Salsa, and falling in love with this dance form, Manoj joined Abhishek’s classes to get trained. Today he has mastered Rumba, Walls and Bachata.
“I also teach others there. It feels so good to be in the vocation you like the most. Expressing through dance is just divine,” maintains Manoj whose tryst with dance won him first place in two categories, Salsa and Rumba at the All India Dance Sport Latin and Ballroom in Mumbai in January 2018.
His instructor Abhishek opines, “Avenues such as an entry in a reality show or opening one’s own dance classes or becoming a personal dance trainer open up after getting exposure on an international platform. Participating in competitions improves dancing and allows one to learn.” Abhishek, who has been teaching Salsa at his classes in Panaji and Porvorim for the past 10 years, nurtures a competitor’s spirit. He recalls winning the first place at the same competition that Heather and Manoj won now, way back in 2010. “It was a couple Salsa,” he adds. Introduced to Salsa when he was just 21, Abhishek gradually mastered this musically flavoured form of dance that originated in Cuba. Believing that Salsa is a socially interactive dance form, Abhishek informs, “Latin American dance forms have almost a dozen styles “ Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Cha-cha, Jive, Samba, Rumba, Argentine Tango etc. What is common among all of these is the instrument. The music is similar but every dance form has its own rhythm.”
Abhishek has been conducting bigger Salsa socials on every Sunday for the past three years at ‘Soro’ in North Goa. Beginning from 8.30 onwards, around 70-80 people gather here to dance on the tune of authentic music. Providing a platform for people to learn with him and practice what they have learnt, interact and socialise, Abhishek is happy with the response he is getting at his classes at Panaji and Porvorim.
