Pitched against established choreographers in the film industry, dancer-choreographer, Geeta Kapur has a carved a niche for herself. Fondly called as Geeta Maa she has become the first choice of the directors. She was recently in the city to promote “Super Dancer”, her upcoming television dance show for children, which she will be judging along with Shilpa Shetty and Anurag Basu.
In an interaction she talked about the show, her love for dance and choreographing Madhuri Dixit.
Excerpts:
How difficult it is to judge a kids talent show?
Kids are always fun to work with, although it is really hard to say no to them. They are really fragile and it is tough to deal with their mood swings and make them understand the nitty-gritty of the show. But the best aspect is that they perform irrespective of acceptance or rejectionJudging is comparatively an easy task perhaps. The show “Super Dancer” follows quite a different format that will unfold as the show will progress.
You recently choreographed Madhuri Dixit and Terrance Lewis. How was the experience?
Yes I choreographed an act that will be performed by Madhuri Dixit and Terrance in the finale episode of a television show. When you choreograph such a graceful dancer, you don't want them to look flawed. This acted as a pressure but at the ground level I enjoyed it thoroughly. I have worked with Madhuri in a couple of shows before. She is the most easy going artist I have choreographed who puts life into your choreography. I appreciate the immense respect she gives to dance. She shows complete faith in the choreographer and never asked me to change any of the dance moves. On the other hand, choreographing a choreographer is tough. Although Terrance is a really good friend of mine yet I was nervous thinking of his reactions. He has a completely different style in dancing. His body of work as well as his entire being is different from mine. He was amenable and adaptable beyond my expectations.
How would you describe you journey and where do you see yourself five years from now?
It has been a very long journey. Before assisting Farah Khan, I danced for her. It was wonderful to learn from her. The way she used to teach was awe-inspiring. She freely shared her knowledge about the art with me and I feel proud that now I can give what I had received.Five yeas from now I will be perhaps married and having kids (laughs). Work kept me so busy that I didn't get the time to think over this aspect of life. Moreover, I feel that relationships need time and dedication to be nurtured. Like-mindedness is the prime requirement.
What enthrals you, watching a performance or dancing on your beat.
Dancing on your own beat can be done at any point of time while having a chance to experience someone else’s talent is more exciting. This is the reason I am more involved in reality shows. It gives you a chance to meet new people and learn from them. Sometimes it’s the kids that teach you.
How did you take to dancing?
I started dancing as a hobby and learnt classical and folk dance but never thought of adopting it as a career option. In fact I was studying management. I had responsibilities on my shoulder and I needed to run my family. There was no option but to join the industry. Today I am extremely happy with what I am doing. I always wanted to travel. My career is giving me every opportunity to live my dream.
