Dance is like the air I breathe” says Shree Shravan. The Std. VI student spends his after-school hours practising Hip-Hop and B-Boying. At just 12 years, Shree is well-versed in several genres and styles of western and Indian classical dance, and has a collection of accolades to boot.
It was at a dance event at a mall that Shree’s talent was discovered. His parents took the cue to find him a tutor and nurture his interest. Then began the intensive training. His teacher, Lourd Vijay, took Shree under his wings and saw the shy boy transform into a confident artiste.
Winning the Silver Medal for Hip-Hop and Bronze for National Folk amongst 28 countries at the Dance World Cup held at London last year came as no surprise. Now, after months of rigorous practice and having honed his skills at professional competitions, Shree is confident about taking part in the next edition of the Dance World Cup due to be held in Portugal in June 2014.
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With an immaculate record in academics and deep interest in science, Shree also claims to enjoy cooking and sketching. “My parents gave many options to choose from… but dancing happened naturally.”
Energised
His vacations, he says, are spent learning new forms, working out and practising for hours. “But, I have no complaints, I feel relaxed and energised.” If ballet adds grace to his posture, other forms of training give him flexibility and technique, he says.
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Michael Jackson is his role model, says Shree who reveres him for his originality and skill that made him a global icon. “I want to be known as the second Michael Jackson.”
Shree hopes also to start a dance school to train children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and those have no resources to pursue their passion. “Dancing can be an expensive passion to pursue and train in, it requires lot of dedication and time,” says his mother.
But Shree’s efforts have paid off, she adds. “He was down with high fever last year and had to perform at the International Salsa festival. But neither the cold weather nor the irksome flu deterred him from performing and he bagged the first place.”