Tanishq Joshi is a name quite familiar to all dance enthusiasts and aspiring hip-hop dancers. Hailing from Indore, he started dancing as a hobby while in school from a very young age. Watching Hrithik Roshan and Ganesh Hegde on TV, he quickly took an interest in it. He performed in school functions without any formal training. Though Joshi wanted to be a soccer player while in school, life had different plans for him. 

While he was in tenth grade,a car ran over him. This accident turned things around in his life. When doctors suggested physical activity for proper recovery he did not have to think twice about joining dance classes. That was the beginning point of his dance journey. The accident broke his left tibia, but not his spirit! He advanced very quickly through different levels in the dance class within a very short span. 

Beginnings

He moved to the US at the age of 17 to pursue his studies in Finance. But he did not give up his passion for dance. The perseverance he has is worth a mention. He took a number of classes at the university while working as a barista at Starbucks.

He describes the hectic schedule he had to follow for a few years during which he had to tackle 6-7 classes, work till 10 pm and had to do all the academic work by midnight. But even with such a tight schedule, he did not forget to find time for dance. He recalls going out to the streets at night after a long day “to freestyle, to learn, to choreograph”.

His dedication to dance started finding results soon. He was picked directly from his dance class, without an audition, by the dance crew Creative Reaction. This required him to take weekend classes in New York. He had to spend the weekdays working and studying and the weekends training. As part of Creative Reaction, he was able to showcase his talent to a wide audience. It was a boost to his confidence when the team choreographed by him won second place at World of Dance, New Jersey.

Talking about his founding influences, he mentions how dancer Matt Steffanina was a game-changer as he posted class videos on YouTube for free, which inspired him to take more classes and learn choreography. Dinita Clark and Kyle Clark, he said, have helped him realize that dance is not just a career, but a lifestyle. 

Embracing His Roots

The unique element in Joshi’s choreography style is the blending of Western dance with Bollywood songs. He did not plan to do this from the beginning of his dance journey. This happened out of his desire to own the culture he belongs to.

During his time in LA, he realized that what makes one unique is his/her self. This includes one’s “culture, background, country, family”, which Joshi very frankly admits were things he wanted to hide about himself. The stereotyping experiences, like being called “a good dancer for an Indian”, made him move further away from his identity during his freshman year.

Through his experiences of auditioning for multiple agencies and failing to get into any, he learned that it was not about skill, but about “type”. He shares how he was not picked up because he didn’t fit the “6”1, muscular, black” category. That is when he decided to truly own his “type” and started dancing to Bollywood songs. It was the dance that made him embrace himself and his identity as an Indian that he tried to conceal. He began to train heavily and took part in camps, classes and workshops all over New York, LA and Philadelphia. 

Making His Mark

During the pandemic, he started blending his dance with Bollywood tracks to come up with a style completely of his own.

This new fusion of Bollywood flavour with what Joshi calls a “LA/New York/ Philadelphia/ Atlanta style” of dance garnered him a lot of appreciation. Soon, Snowglobe Perspective and TMilly TV Studio picked him to train classes. Thus, making him the first South Asian to teach at these studios.

This is an accomplishment that opens gates for others who wish to venture into this field. He noted how there is a lack of Indian industry leaders (except for Shivani Bhagwan and Chaaya Kumar, who run B-Funk, which is a huge brand in the US) and Indian hip-hop role models to look up to. He describes the hard times he had to face trying to get noticed in the industry in the initial period and wishes that he had a community backing him up in his struggles instead of having to fight his battles alone. The truly great achievement of Joshi is the path he has paved for aspiring passionate dancers. He hopes that upcoming Indian dancers get a chance to move out to places like LA where they could get better training. 

What Tanishq wishes to pass on to someone who is starting in their field of passion is to be consistent and to graph their growth. He firmly believes in the mantra that if one puts hard work into something, results would gradually, but surely, follow. To the aspiring dancers, his advice is to take at least three classes in one day and stay consistent to see the results. Consistency, he believes, is the key to success in every field. 

A Word Of Advice

Dance, for Joshi, is something that plasters to mind and body. He also urges artists to not stop learning or exploring fields outside their niche. He calls on dancers to explore and experiment with different choreography, try out cinematography, sound production, lighting or any other aspect that could enhance their skills. 

From dance being a mere hobby to realizing it is his true calling, Tanishq Joshi has come a long way. At such a young age, he has been able to make his mark in the dance industry as well as be a trailblazer for young, upcoming artists. 

Gifted and skillful, these dancers have not only mastered their style of dance – movement and expression but also are brilliant performers. The aesthetics of the set, costume and videography is as glorious as their technical skills. The amalgamation of these has taken the form of these delightful dance performances.  

We have hand-picked a selection of talented dancers who will charm your socks off with their graceful movements!

Nivi and Ishnavi

Niveditha And Ishanvi Hegde make up an adorable mother-daughter dancing duo under the channel name Laasya. Their Bollywood fusion choreography is set to the ‘Shershaah’ film song, Raatan Lambiyan. The transitions between the contrasting sets, along with their smooth movements and expressions, makes the dance performance an absolute delight to watch. And let’s not forget the cuteness overload with the matching outfits and big smiles!

Burritu

Ritu Hariyani choreographed this beautiful routine for the song, Ranjhaa from the film ‘Shershaah’, which is now uploaded on her YouTube Channel, Burritu. With her stunning expressions and elegant moves, she truly delivers a flawless performance. 

Nrityam

This channel showcases the immense talent of Mohana Meem and Eshapriya Das. This particular choreography is a Kathak-Contemporary fusion on Ed Dil Ek Jaan from the film Padmavaat. Mohana Meem’s dance performance here is bound to leave you awestruck! It’s the lush greenery surrounding her, the gorgeous outfit and her skilful yet effortless movements that, when put together, are truly dazzling.  

Kashika Sisodia

Dance truly is a medium of storytelling, isn’t it? In her flawless dance performance of the song ‘Ranjha’ from the film, ‘Shershaah’, Kashika does justice to this soulful piece of music. With an incredible outfit change, her graceful movements and apt expressions, she translates every word into a visual emotion and it is absolutely beautiful to watch. 

When dancing feet move, they are possessed by the character they portray when onstage. To be able to express and make a flawless delivery of the borne emotions, a dancer is said to have mastered the art of dancing. When the performance speaks to the audience, the performance becomes art. We bring you 4 such dance pieces that not only speak to the viewer, but also are a clear reflection of the talent of the performer, and the flawless execution that you’d not want to miss out!

Starting off with Naina Batra; the talented performer self-choreographed and performed this dance piece on the song ‘Mehboob Mere’. For a song that is bold in terms of expression, it required equally bold performance to match. Naina not only choreographed awe-inspiring dance moves but also performed them with equal boldness which is reflected through her expressions in the cover. The trio dance to the beats of the song with dripping confidence that serves as a highlight to the performance. The combination of the flawless execution of the choreography by the Lehanga donned trio, the aesthetically pleasing set and the perfect camerawork makes the cover a must-watch!

Up next we have another self-choreographed performance by Kartik Raja, featuring Akash Thapa. The dance cover of ‘Abhi Kuch Dino se’ is fun to watch with the clean and swift execution of the moves and the great editing of the video. The dancers not only have synced moves but also wear on-point facial expressions that serve as an expression element besides the dance moves. The overall cover is short yet wouldn’t fail to bring a smile to your face. Check it out here:

‘Chura ke dil mera’ is a classic, upon listening to which, no feet can resist movement. Neerav Bavlecha and the team have choreographed the song and it’s a sight to behold. With an aesthetically pleasing set and great coordination between the dancer duo, the cover came out smoothly. The cover features Srishty Rode in a gorgeous lehenga, dancing beside her partner. Overall, the cover is a beautiful watch and deserves more hype. Check it out here!

At the end, Arpit, in collaboration with Vijetha has choreographed and covered the Akshay Kumar classic and we absolutely love it! The cool funky vibe that the entire cover gives off makes you want to replay it over and over. The perfect synchronization between the two dancers makes the video a worthy sight. The white aesthetics gives the video a fresh, cool feeling to it which you definitely don’t want to miss out. Check it out here:

Scholars and practitioners of the great dance Odissi would tell you about how it’s one of the oldest dances birthed from this great land. And it has evolved immensely as time has gone by. They will also tell you that while some things have changed, the intense bhakti bhava (the feeling of devotion and surrender) which ripples through each movement has been present throughout. Just as the art has grown, so has the artist.

All dancers make their own way through the walk of life, they find different parts of the art they love and end up revolutionising it. But at the core of it, no matter what the challenges, the love persists and this makes the pursuit of art so noble. Odissi is an old classical dance form, the centre of which is largely considered to be the towns of Puri, Bhubhaneshwar, Cuttack and Konark. Laavanya Ghosh is an Empanelled artiste at Doordarshan Kendra Kolkata. She is also the recipient of many national-level awards such as the Gopikrishna Award and the Bal Kala Award. And her story shows perhaps just as much evolution as the dance itself.

Early Life and Challenges

Born in Kolkata, she moved to Bhubaneshwar where her path in Odissi commenced. Her mother whom she calls her only positive critic was her initial source of inspiration that pushed her to start learning Odissi. Due to personal reasons, her mother couldn’t pursue the dance herself, so she made sure her daughter got classically trained. And naturally, she went to a class near her house and wrote the first chapter of her career. She looks up to Guru Smt Sujata Mahapatra and also to Madhuri Dixit.

Almost instantly, Laavanya fell in love with the beauty of the movement and as the days went on she admired the wonderful depth of the history of Odissi. Dance in the mainstream is thought of very subjectively—some may like the way one person expresses dance and some may not. There is no objective truth here but the criticism can often get extremely hurtful. For Ghosh, she fell into a period of depression and hurt because of society’s perception of a ‘pretty dancer’. Clearly, her beautiful performances have shut all the critics down. It is important to understand that physical traits really don’t have any correlation with one’s dancing ability. So this is a call to you dear reader, get dancing!

Lessons and Message

Laavanya’s character is amongst her strongest characteristics. Constantly looking to improve and challenge herself, she has learnt how to prioritise the right things in life. She recalled how once she had to decline to participate in social gatherings as it interfered with her practice and rehearsals. When it comes to finding the right balance in life, she has done that from the very beginning. Even as a young kid, she danced her best before an important exam and aced the exam too! As an introvert, she has taken huge steps to improve her interpretation and expression. Always improving, always shining.

Dance taught Laavanya the importance of the 3Ds: Dedication, Determination and Discipline. The discipline itself is a major component of the lifestyle of a classical dancer. Laavanya tells us that dancers must remember that classical dance is a form of worship. One must conquer the basic techniques while also following a proper diet (yes and that means you need to advise junk food)

Laavanya’s parting message is one filled with strength and grace, just like the glorious tradition of Odissi. Every person has the potential for doing something great. Be true to your inner artistic self. Her life’s motto is simple

Be your own saviour. Be your own hero. 

They are here to mesmerise you with their movements and leave you gaping at how beautifully they execute them. These women piece together semi-classical dance performances that are flawless in all aspects possible. From expressions to aesthetics, professional skills, and artistry, they give their all to the choreographies and own them. So, get ready to be charmed by these awe-inspiring performances! 

Mahima Khanum’s performance of Odissi dance is actually her practice routine, but in no way would one find that believable. Because her skills, steps, and execution are so on point that it leaves you captivated and wanting for more. While the video shot in Venice offers a beautiful background, Mahima’s amazing moves of the classical dance and attire are the worthy highlight of the whole video.

Shreewarna Rawat, a trained Kathak artist, renders a performance to the title track of Mahabharta. The choreography is set to the words of the song, while her movements and expression let the story come alive. With her body language and the routine being powerful and spot-on, Shreewarna delivers the piece with perfection. 

Saandra Salim’s Bharatanatyam choreography is set to Amit Trivedi’s song, ‘Namo Namo Ji Shankara’. More striking than her smooth execution of the dance routine are the expressions that she accompanies them with. The whole performance, even with the technicalities of the steps, is done with an air of effortlessness. It is magnificent to watch Saandra perform, from the start till the end. 

Shades of Kathak presents a performance by Vaidehi Lachheta, Nandini Goyal, and Uditi Singhal on Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘O Re Piya’. It is a very pretty, creative, and awe-striking deliverance. The trio moves to the song beautifully, with their synchronization, costumes, location, and overall graceful movements making it a delight to watch!