Shiamak Davar, also known as the “Guru of Dance” is largely and solely responsible for modernizing dance in India. Shiamak Davar has proved a link between people’s sole and their soul. We all have tried and copied his choreography from Dil toh Pagal hai, Tal, and Dhoom. Shiamak Davar is a person who has been an inspiration for many since he entered Bollywood at the end of the 1990s.
Shiamak Davar’s dancing style carried us to another planet. He didn’t move around and have people in not-so-elegant clothes. The whole thing looked like a movie production. It was as if the stage, costumes, and dancers all worked together to make the performance look better.
Shiamak Davar, Where it Started:
Shiamak Davar’s uncles were the Wadia brothers, renowned producers and directors in Bollywood. As a child, Davar dreamt of being an actor and would regularly perform and sing for his friends and family members. He used to open his act by making an entry from behind the curtains with a Coke bottle in his hand used as a mic. Shiamak Davar, during his teen years, participated in different shows and competitions. He was being noticed by famous theatre personalities.
What’s interesting is that earlier on in his childhood, young Shiamak Davar wanted to be an actor, not a dancer!
Road to Shiamak Davar's Dancing Style:
Shiamak pursued dancing at the age of 20. Today he is famous and shares his stage with Bryan Adams, Sting, and Eddy Grant. He also works with Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, and Will Smith.
Shiamak Davar started a dance class in 1985. He had seven students in his first class, and five of them were his friends and relatives. He faced a lot of humiliation when he started teaching his students about dance forms unknown to Indians. Shiamak Davar stayed positive and fought the ridicule with a strong mindset. Some Indian parents want their children to learn about jazz and western dance from Shiamak Davar’s institute. They want them to learn Shiamak Style, which is a mix of Indo-Contemporary and modern dance.
At the time, Shiamak Davar did not think about being a dancer and that he wanted to do it for his career. There were many other careers to choose from like doctors, architects, and lawyers. He did it for the love of dance and the delight it brought to individuals’ lives.
Road to Shiamak Davar's Success:
Shiamak has not only done well at Bollywood, but he also did well at the Commonwealth Games. He performed and directed there in 2006.
Shiamak Davar was given an honorary degree by Middlesex University in London. In 2014 at the IIFA Awards, Shiamak choreographed for Kevin Spacey and John Travolta.
Shiamak Davar is a dancer who wants to introduce different types of dance to the people in India. He faced a lot of criticism for this but did not give up. Davar has a good feeling about himself. He gave that same good feeling to all his students. So he leaves them a gift from him.
