International Dance Day: TV actors tell us why they love to dance

Sudha Chandran and Sahil Anand

Sudha Chandran

"I started dancing from the age of 3 and I have been dancing since then. I am a Bharatanatyam dancer and I have been dancing for the last 45 years. Since I am a trained classical dancer, dance is very easy for me. I do manage myself really well. My favourite Bollywood dancer is the late Sridevi ma'am. Dance is a stress buster because I feel when you dance it relieves you of everything because you connect yourself to another world. You are at a different level altogether."

Delnaz Irani

"Dance has always been my passion. I love dancing. For a very brief time in school, I had taken dance classes from Shiamak Davar, so my technical dance training has been under Shiamak's classes in jazz and ballet. Apart from that, I love Bollywood dancing. My favourite Bollywood dancer is by far Govinda, and obviously, me being a huge Rishi Kapoor fan, I used to love Rishi Kapoor dancing in all his films. Karz is my favourite film. The way he has danced in Om Shanti Om, Ek Haseena Thi. After him, I like Govinda and all his dance numbers with Karisma or Raveena. I love Bollywood dancing and I have been a part of Nach Balliye season 1, Zara Nachke Dikha season 1. Actually, people did not know that I am such a good dancer. I am a very good dancer despite my weight; I dance really well. I do a lot of Zumba which is sort of a dance exercise and my life actually revolves around it. Dance is a passion that I cannot ever leave."

Sahil Anand

"I have taken dance classes, but I am not that great at dancing. The first ever dance class I took was for Student of the Year. I can do any type of dance but one dance which I think I can do and perform very well is Salsa. Whenever there is a dance sequence in my show I manage easily because I learn everything quickly. My favourite Bollywood dance number would be Kala Chashma and the other one is Saturday Saturday."

Bhanujeet Singh Sudan

"I have learned dance for events or award functions, where I need to perform. I don't know any specific dance form but I can dance. I practise regularly as dance needs a lot of practice. My favourite Bollywood dancer is obviously Hrithik Roshan. I like to dance regularly because it is a great form of workout too. Whenever I miss going to the gym, I put on music and dance without thinking."

Gaurav Sharma

"Well, I am not much of a dancer but yes I have taken a few classes in salsa and Bollywood dance. When it comes to dancing, I just follow my choreographer with some improvisations to make it look like the character is dancing not me. I love the 'Hukka Bar' song of Akshay from 'Khiladi 786'. Dance is indeed the best stress buster and its good for your mental and physical being too."

Shubhaavi Choksey

"Dancing is my passion. I was known as a dancer throughout school and college... In fact, acting came in much later. I am a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. In recent years, I have also enjoyed jazz funk and tried my hands in contemporary too. Unfortunately, I have never had a dance sequence on my show but I would love to dance on screen. While growing up, Madhuri Dixit, Govinda, and Prabhudeva have been my idols and whenever I watch Hrithik Roshan dance, I cannot take my eyes off him. My favourite Bollywood dance numbers are Ek do teen from Tezaab, Kay Sera from Pukar, Kahe Chhed from Devdas and many many more... I think all of Madhuriji's songs are my favourite. I love to dance on Beedi, Zoobi dooby and Aankh maare way too much. Dance is like meditation for me. If I'm happy I want to dance, if I'm sad I want to dance, if I'm angry I want to dance. Dance is that part of my life that gives me utmost satisfaction and happiness."

Piyush Sahdev

"Dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself. I love Michael Jackson and his iconic Moonwalk. I used to take dance classes to groom myself more but due to a heavy shooting routine, I couldn't do it for long. Whenever we get to dance in our daily soaps, or at events across the world, that's the time I live my passion again. The scientific reason for why dance has the ability to act as a stress reliever stems from the idea that when the body feels good, the mind does too. Any type of physical activity releases the neurotransmitter, endorphins, which serve to alleviate stress."

Ramman Handa

"I have been trained under Terrance Lewis for a few months when I appeared in Gladrags Mr India in 2010. He has taught me contemporary dance and I always remember the sequence taught by him on the song Dil To Baccha Hai Ji. I'm a non-dancer but whenever it comes to performing somewhere, I manage to learn the steps as I'm a quick learner and I pick up steps fast. My favourite dance number nowadays is Aankh Maare. Dance is certainly a stress buster and it fills you with positivity from within and makes you forget all the issues you are going through."

Rohitashv Gour

"I have never learned dance. In fact, I will say that if I am really weak at something, it is dance. Whatever dance I have learned be it Chaunrutya, Kathakali, I have done it at National School of Drama. While training I had learned a few of its elements but I have never undergone a full-fledged dance training. Wherever there is any dance sequence, my co-actors Shubhangi or Soumya choreograph it well. Ek do teen is my favourite Bollywood dance number in which Madhuri Dixit has danced. Dance is a stress buster for sure. By dancing, you exercise, your blood circulation remains good. I feel really upset thinking that I cannot dance like Hrithik Roshan."

Yesha Rughani

"Dance is a therapy for me. I am a trained Kathak dancer and have learned the dance form since childhood. It's my most favourite form of emoting. However, dancing for the camera and dancing for yourself or on stage is very different. When it comes to dancing sequences in the show where a lot of technicalities and camera angles matter, I find it a little difficult to cope. All the Madhuri Dixit numbers are my favourites and are legendary. Dance is a stress buster for me. It always releases happy hormones for me and I can't stop smiling after it."

Also read: Madhuri Dixit Nene's special plans for International Dance Day

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