Did you always want to dance? No, I never wanted to dance in my life. I only wanted to be an actor who could sing his own songs. I never thought I would be a dancer till the age of 20-25. I was always involved in singing. I would enact scenes from movies when I was young. As a child I would sing and play the piano. My focus was never dancing but singing and dancing at the same time. Acting was the most important thing for me. I desperately wanted to be an actor.
So you came to India and started Shiamak Davar Academy for Performing Arts right away? No. I came here and started with seven students out of which five were my family and two were my friends. I went from strength to strength. Today I have classes for 4 to 64-year olds.
You come from a family of educationists - the Davar's College of Commerce is 101 years old. How did your parents take to your dancing? My parents were very supportive. Not once did they grumble. I have been a very tough child - horrible at studies and famous for playing pranks. It was not because I was dumb but because I was just not interested. I'd rather go and play the piano or play athletic games or do gymnastics.
How difficult was it to introduce people in India to jazz dancing? Dance was never recognised in India, especially Jazz dance. People thought I was crazy to do something like this in India. They laughed at me. Said I would never make it. Moreover everyone thought Jazz dance was very feminine and why would a boy do it? They thought I should be doing Indian dance. And that used to really put me off. It's not that I don't want to do Indian dance. In fact I love Indian dance and I have incorporated all the movements in le gayee le gayee. It is just that sometimes it's fun doing other things. My Parsi upbringing makes learning and adapting to western dancing very easy.
It took 15 years to bring up SDIPA (Shiamak Davar's Institute of Performing Arts). Today every where I go - airport, mall or even to the garage people come up to me and tell me that their son or daughter had been in my class. It feels wonderful. But I have gone through a lot of struggle to reach where I am today. I worked really very hard on my feet, with my faith in God and my patience.
Does it bother you when you see your style being copied by other choreographers? I am only happy as it compliments my work. What is wrong however, is that people who are barely six months in training call themselves choreographers. They use my name and start their own classes. They are imparting half-baked knowledge, which can be dangerous. Things like stretching your back, putting your back down or stretching your neck is done very technically and correctly by our instructors.
Do you have any idols as dancers? I am crazy about Govinda. I also like Madhuri Dixit, Menakshi Sheshadri, Kamal Hasan and Helen. I even like the Indian classical dancers like Chandralekha.
What are the qualities of a good dancer? Desire, dedication, hunger and absolute pure love. Dance is a combination of Mind, Body and Spirit. I believe that we are spiritual bodies with a physical existence.
Can dance be a full time career option? Dancing is now becoming a profession because I am giving jobs to people. But it is not that easy. You should never give up your studies for the sake of dance. You'll be stupid to do that. If you make it in the field of dance then you can give up studying. But till that time you should pursue your career, which will hold you in good stead till you become a dancer. You must have another option.
You are a name to reckon with in the field of Jazz dance. Where do you plan to go from here? I will win a Grammy or an Oscar one day. I want to something for the dance scene in India. I want to be known internationally.
How was it working with Madhuri and Karishma? Oh, they were very very receptive. Yes, they did find the timing and the movements different. They were not used to something like this.
What is your message to someone who wants to be another Shiamak? If you want to become another Shiamak, you first have to become yourself. Even I wanted to be other people when I was growing up. And that's not a very wise thing to grow up on. You have to believe in yourself. Of course you can learn from others. Remember, if you don't go within yourself you will go without it.
- Nivedita Jayaram Pawar