International Dance Day: With no formal training, Rithvik Dhanjani on cultivating a passion for dance | Exclusive

Rithvik Dhanjani

Rithvik Dhanjani is one of the most popular actors on television. Apart from acting, the 'Pavitra Rishta' star also has a keen interest in the field of dancing. Whether it is a dance reality show or a reel, Rithvik is known to put his best foot forward when it comes to acing the toughest of dance moves. "I think every time someone watches me dance they say my eyes light up and they see my heart dancing which is actually true because every time I am dancing, I think I am in some sort of rhythmic synchronicity with my body and with the space around me," says Rithvik talking to mid-day.com on International Dance Day.

While Rithvik is a fine dancer who has honed his skills over the years, the actor never received formal training. Recalling his first brush with the art of dancing, he shared, "I was in the seventh grade and remember being fascinated by dancing on stage. I had a friend whose name is Sidharth Jawa. He was with me in the seventh standard when I was in Dubai and he was a fantastic dancer. One day in class, he came and swiftly did the handwave. I was so mesmerised and asked him to teach me. That was the day he not only started teaching me dance, but I saw him, got inspired, joined the crew and I started dancing on stage in school."

Rithvik Dhanjani was the winner of reality shows ‘Nach Baliye 6' and 'I Can Do That'. Talking about how reality shows has helped him better his dancing skills, he said, "I think dance reality shows help in so many ways because they put you in an environment of competition. For me, it is a great booster and motivator because you are in an environment where you have to constantly prove yourself. The guidance around you on a dance reality show is amazing because all the great choreographers are around and they are constantly there to teach you and make you do your best. I think it only hones your skills and makes you a better dancer, better performer, and teaches healthy competition."

"I also did win 'I Can Do That' as a show which was also one of the most difficult dance shows that I have ever done in my life that has ever existed," he added.

While Rithvik has done countless dance acts on television, he has a few favourites at the top of his mind. "'I Can Do That' is one of the most difficult shows I did. There are three acts that are my top favourite, one was the act I did on a trapeze, a Manipuri martial arts act, and the grand finale stage act. It was magic. These acts are very close to my heart but there are so many more. The entire season of Nach Baliye. I remember the semi-finale performance which was prepared in the span of 3 hours before the main competition. The act we were trying to prepare didn't go in time and we had to do the entire song and we re-did the entire choreography in the span of 3-5 hours. We performed that and got a score of 33/33."

Also Read: International Dance Day 2023: Remo D'souza, Bosco Martis and Shabina Khan share precious memories

Further, when asked about the choreographers he would like to dance with he shares, "Saroj ji was one of my favourites. I had the chance to perform in front of her but not with her. I wish I had the chance to be guided by her. Ganesh Hegde is one of the finest dance choreographers that we have had in our generation. I wish I get a chance to perform with him," Rithwik said adding that he would also like to perform with Remo D'Souza and Prabhu Deva.

For Rithvik, dancing is like meditation, and talks about it in a poetic manner. "Dancing for me is a way of living and expressing. It is passion, and it's something that is very close to my heart. I dance every day, every hour, every minute. I can dance now while I am talking to you because it is the most rhythmic synchronicity and it's the flow of my body with the space and the time and the music that happens when I am dancing. It's divine. It is something that cannot be expressed in words, so I think it is just another form of living, another form of meditation."