Introduction
In India, dance has always been part of the culture for many reasons but mainly to express themselves, tell stories or celebrate. Over the course of time, there has been no shortage of dance reality shows, however very few have resonated with the audiences the way India’s Best Dancer has. The show was very well received which was launched in the year 2020, due to the stunning displays, variety of dance forms, and the dramatic history of every single participant. One of the aspects of the show that enhances its effectiveness is the incredible cast that includes the judges, the contestants as well the choreographers. This piece of writing focuses on the cast of India’s Best Dancer, their biography, professional life and their impact on the show.
The Judges of India’s Best Dancer
1. Geeta Kapur
Geeta Kapur who is infamously known as Geeta Maa is one of the figures who is held in the Indian Dance Industry as Adil F. She is such a choreographer with several talents and a judge too, having features in a majority of the shows like Dance India Dance, Super Dancer. Considering her rich repertoire of dance forms which comprise of classical and modern, Geeta Kapur is also on the judging panel of India’s Best Dancer.
Background: Geeta was born on the 5th day of July in 1972 in the city of Mumbai. Since childhood, Geeta had always wanted to be a dancer. Besides, she was already a basketball coach as she danced ballet, bharatanatyam, and Kathak, and even took jazz classes. It was the fierce determination which brought her a scholarship in the relocation center of great Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts.
Geeta’s Career: Over the decades, Geeta garnered fame choreographing songs in many Hindi films. Apart from this, Geeta has also been a mentor and judge in various dance reality Shows from which the upcoming dancers receive constructive feedback and help to improve.Letiya:
Contribution to the Show: On the other hand, Geeta is also a choreographer and a judge of India’s Best Dancer, and she is not afraid to give her opinions out whenever it is necessary. She inspires the competitors to go beyond limits and be imaginative. Her passion and encouragement truly motivates all the contestants to give their full efforts.
2. Terence Lewis
In India, every single professional dancer, choreographer or teacher has heard of the name Terence Lewis. He has made his mark in Indian dance as a choreographer, dancer and educator. His cross-culturalism and cross genre skills have seen him serve as a judge in several reality competitions with a good record, thus there are the likes of Dance India Dance and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa where he judged them.
Early Life and Education: On 10 April, 1975 in a Mumbai belonging to an Eurasian family, Terence was destined to be a dancer and love it from his childhood. Various forms of dance researched were contemporary, jazz, ballet, and others. After education, he started the Terence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company meant to advocate contemporary dance in India.
Career: Terence has worked as choreographer in many Bollywood movies and has participated in several dance reality shows. He is known for being able to pitch creative and unique steps that are able to tell a story which is why he has become a sought out choreographer in the industry.
Contribution to the Show: Being one amongst the judges of India’s Best Dancer, Terence certainly has a lot of knowledge as well as experience to offer. He is known to be an encouraging person who is ever ready to help out and provides the participants useful suggestions during their training with the help of which they delve deeper into themselves. Many times, this ability to those contestants helps them in taking their performance to the next level.
3. Malaika Arora
Along with being a blessed dancer, Malaika Arora is a woman of many hats in the Indian Entertainment Industry. Although she is popularly known for her dance as well as modelling and acting skills, she has carved a special niche for herself in Bollywood. However, her role as a judge on the show India’s Best Dancer,makes the show more elegant and stardust.
Background: Malaika was born on 23 October 1973 in also worked as a model. Being in the television sector, she became popular especially after the famous item numbers in films with songs such as ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ and ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’.
Career: Apart from her dancing tips, she has stepped into TV series and movies more often as well. Nowadays she is also working as a producer and has managed and conducted many events as well.
Contribution to the Show: Quite recently, she has also been serving in the capacity of a head judge on IBA. She herself has informed about a few things that are from personal experience, which also adds value and depth to the feedback taken from her. Malaika manages to handle them with affection, appreciation, and thrust in a manner that evicts awe in the contestants.
The Contestants of India’s Best Dancer
1. Saumya Kamble
Saumya Kamble is among the most remarkable participants in the dance competition, India’s Best Dancer. An expert in many forms including contemporary and Bollywood, she impressed the judges and the audience in no time.
Background: Saumya, a resident of Mumbai began dancing since she was very young. She practiced several dance types and took part in local competitions to refine her craft before going to the national stage.
Performance Highlights: The passion for dance is evident in Saumya’s performances that process emotions through physical movement. Praises also went towards her contemporary routines with the judges admiring their techniques and creative aspects.
2. Nishant Bhat
India’s Best Dancer, a renowned dancing competition, and Nishant Bhat is one of the contestants who turned many heads. He is well-known for being one versatile dancer and in one of the contests, wowed the judges with his technique to adept around the different forms of dancing.
Background: Hailing from Mumbai, Nishant started learning classical dance but soon advanced into modern and hip hop. This enabled him to display various dancing styles during the contest.
Performance Highlights: Nishant’s performance includes superb energy as well as presence and charm. He attracted a lot of fans to himself for his skills in audience engagement and the depiction of feelings through dance artistry.
3. Rupesh Bane
Rupesh Bane is known most notably for his unorthodox dance style that incorporates both the traditional and the modern. He further proved his artistry and inventive skills in choreography while competing on India’s Best Dancer.
Biography: Rupesh hails from a small town in Maharashtra and, ever since he was a child, was fascinated by dance. He, however, managed to learn all the forms such as classical as well as folk dances, before stepping into the reality show trying to make her own identity.
Main Achievements: Rupesh was able to weave storylines within dance routines and this worked perfectly well with both the panel of judges and the viewers. His spectacles also, most of the time, made the most impact hence winning him some recognition votes during the course of the season.
4. Aastha Gill
Aastha Gill is a well-known actress with a multidimensional personality specifically an extraordinary dancer who can perform hip hop as well as street dance exceptionally well. She made her presence felt in India’s Best Dancer with the power packed acts and innovative choreography she has.
Background: Aastha is a Delhi girl and took her first dance step when she was a teenager. She applied in and attended several dance competitions and workshops to develop her abilities.
Performance Highlights: The most infectious and the most engaging performer in all the episodes of Aastha’s performance on the show was always full of energy and enthusiasm. This was the time when she perfected her hip hop moves which were greatly appreciated and noticeable.
5. Sonali Kar
The graceful movements and the flawless techniques of Sonali Kar in classical dance are widely acclaimed. Her performances in India’s Best Dancer proved her proficiency in various classical forms and brought her fame among the jury and the audience.
Background: Sonali is a Kolkata born girl who has been learning traditional dance since her early days. Her work ethics and love for narrative helped her excel in the competition.
Performance Highlights: Sonali’s execution of the classical dance steps was always done with a lot of studies. Her elegance and fluidity in performing a dance as if embodying the emotions that needed to be expressed captivated both aspects of the judges and the audience.
Choreographers on India’s Best Dancer
1. Remo D’Souza
A well-known name in the film and dance reality shows of Bollywood is Remo D’Souza, who is a choreographer and filmmaker. His proficiency in choreography lesson and principle of various dance forms makes him a person of great importance in India’s Best Dancer.
Background: April 2nd 1974 was the day Remo D’souza was born in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Before changing into choreography, he was also a dancer. He was noted for his fresh choreographic approaches and actively participated in commercially successful films.
Contribution to the Show: Contestants in the show, India’s Best Dancer have benefitted from the help and guidance of Remo, which has been very important for their performances. Many contestants have been able to fine-tune their performances with the assistance of Remo and his constructive interventions.
2. Terence Lewis (as a Mentor)
Besides being a judge, Terence Lewis has also taken on the responsibility of a mentor for some contestants in the show. His experience or knowledge in other forms of dance adds existing value to the upcoming dancers.
Show Contribution: Terrence’s role does not stop at just being a judge; he offers guidance to the participants addressing their skill set and creativity. He uses a supportive approach encouraging the dancers to do their best without fear of failure.
3. Other Notable Choreographers
During the course of the show, many guest choreographers and mentors were invited to help the contestants. This forms a diversity in India’s Best Dancer as these choreographers have their special style and experience.
The Impact of India’s Best Dancer
1. Promoting Dance Culture
To note, the television reality show India’s Best Dancer has been instrumental in popularizing dancing as an art form in India. The show has increased respect for dancing as a form of entertainment by highlighting various forms of dance and giving space to the dancing ambitions of young people.
2. Encouraging Talent
The show has turned out to be a spring board for a lot of upcoming dancers by giving them a chance to exhibit their talent on a national stage and contestants have achieved fame such that they are able to make it in the dancing and choreography industry.
3. Fostering Creativity
On the other hand, India’s Best Dancer challenges the contestants to look beyond the obvious and get their creative juices flowing. It’s the stress on unique choreography and narration of the dance that has motivated a lot of dancers to try new styles and come out with their own version of art.
4. Emotional Connections
Among the important factors to consider while producing the show is the consideration of the background stories relating to each participant. Contestants, in turn, engage the audience more meaningfully by sharing their stories, which enhances the likelihood of appreciating the performance.
Conclusion
India’s Best Dancer is a dance reality show that has captured the hearts of many in India largely because there is such a great pool of judges’ contestants and choreographers. The judges have the knowledge and the love for dance while the contestants bring the dance and their unique stories. All of them contributes to an exciting experience which cuts across the borders of the country.
Through the course of the series over the past many seasons, one has seen all the drama and richness that India has to offer in terms of dance and the immense talent that is available there too. No matter if one is a dance lover or no one can deny the artistic performance, “India’s Best Dancer” is a tribute to dance and encouraging everyone to dance and express their feelings.
