Salsa, Bachata, Jive, Zouk, Kizomba, Cha-cha-cha, hip-hop, belly dance and ballet… the city has turned into a stage for dance forms from all over the world. Gone are the days when Bharatnatyam and Kathak dominated the world of amateur dance. Those who want to learn to shake a leg are exploring the option of matching steps with their counterparts from the Caribbean to Latin America.
“Bengaluru is the capital for global dance forms as it boasts of institutions training people in 15 international dances, with global dance fests and competitions,” says John Anthony, who started Latino Rhythms Dance Academy in 2006 so that people could learn dances from Salsa, Bachata, Cha-cha-cha, Zouk and Kizomba to Jive and hip-hop.
“Salsa is the most popular with nearly 5,000 people in all age groups learning at 150 institutions,” he adds.
Anthony, who has just returned from the three-day Singapore International Latin Dance Fest, says Bengaluru offers more variety with nearly 200 dance centres offering training in hip-hop, Bollywood, ballet, Indian and Western Contemporary, ballroom dances and belly dance.
Hordes of wannabe dancers are seen at dance guru Shiamak Davar’s centres, which offer Bollywood and freestyle classes, Yana Lewis Dance Academy for Ballet, and the umpteen belly dance institutions.
At the six centres of Tarantismo, run by Deepti Shetty and Arati Sunawala, there are 300 students for belly dance. “We travel to several countries, including the U.S and Egypt, to explore the latest trends and bring them back home,” says Ms. Shetty. “Dance is a lucrative profession these days and Bengaluru is open on both the artistic and commercial front, offering platforms for expression and earning,” she adds.
Daniel Clifford, who runs the 15-year-old Daniel Clifford’s School of Latin American Dances in Indiranagar, is familiar with more than 10 different forms of dances from across the world – Rumba, Samba, Cha-cha-cha, Jive, Paso Doble, Tango, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz and Foxtrot.
“Our classes are full most of the time with 15- to 60-year-olds brimming with energy and excited to shake a leg. This steady demand and passion for Western dances is what makes Bengaluru have an advantage over any other city in India,” says Clifford.
