A wealth of dance

They were presenting the happy hues of India. In a vibrant 11-minute capsule at the closing ceremony of the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia on March 26, 2006, the famed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was awash with an extravagantly embroidered Indian tapestry of riotous color, high decibel music and the flow of fabric. The 700 dancers and stars from the Indian music and movie world synchronized movement and melody, ending with formations which spelt out the words "See you, Delhi 2010,” inviting and enticing the 80,000 Johns and Janes at the MCG and a watching worldwide TV audience to make their way to New Delhi four years hence for the 19th Commonwealth Games.

"Of the 700 dancers 400 were my own, brought from SDIPA (Shiamak Davar’s Institute for the Performing Arts) centers all over India — Bombay, Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Poona, Bangalore… We had hired 300 others locally. I did the choreography, costumes, direction, putting it all together,” narrates show man Shiamak Davar. Taking center stage among the dancers were the reigning belles of Bollywood, actors Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukherjee – and the beau, Saif Ali Khan in resplendent green, shaking a leg to the bhangra beat. "Delhi wanted me to do a bhangra (the well-known dance of the Punjab) as the next Games are to be in north India,” Davar explains.

Shiamak Davar at Davos summit

Fusing traditional Indian dance forms with contemporary Western techniques, Davar showcased his own brand of Indo jazz and Bollywood jazz. The swirling, twirling, high energy dancers were gorgeously attired, fitted bodices bringing out body lines, flowers in hair, beads, bangles and baubles highlighting the Indian look. "We had been biting nails and heads off,” Davar laughs, "but everything went off very well. Even the BBC commentator said the India capsule did more in 11 minutes than the closing ceremony did in three hours!”

Reported the website www. melbourne2006.com.au "The host of the 2010 Games, Delhi, staged a stunning showcase of Indian culture… India’s fantastic contribution to the evening started with the sounds of chimes filling the MCG, as giant video screens displayed images of India… golden rays unfurling all around the stage to represent the sun in all its glory, as monuments of India and Delhi were projected on to the main stage… As a grand finale, the theme song for Delhi 2010 (Chalo Delhi) was performed by some of India’s finest singers, including Sonu Nigam, Shiamak Davar, Sun­i­dhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal, before the MCG erupted in a dramatic pyrotechnic display, featuring the three colors of the Indian flag – saffron (orange), white and green.” The Australian Government featured the troupe on two of its commemorative stamps on the Games.

"I can’t explain what I felt. It was a lovely experience. There were 80,000 people in the audience and we had been going through grueling rehearsals for the last 22 days. We were never given the actual stage before practice, so I was tense about positioning,” Davar had told the Times News Network after the show (Bombay Times, March 29, 2006). "I was wondering if all my dancers were in their correct positions… the center stage was moving as we were performing and I was thinking ‘Oh my God, what’s happening!’” And after it was over, "it was hugging, hugging all around. We were so hyper right after the performance… Then I had to rush and eat dinner and since I had not eaten anything before the performance, I just ate and ate and ate… I think everyone, from the 700 dancers on stage to the stars – Saif, Rani, Isha (Sharwani) and Ash, all outdid themselves. They all practiced so hard, so hard.”

Was this your most difficult assignment so far? we ask Davar. "No, not difficult. If you love doing something, it’s not difficult. In fact, I think my Yes show (Yes! The spirit of triumph, a two-hour musical extravaganza performed in Bombay in April 2001) was more difficult as it set standards in musical theater,” Davar asserts. "What is important is that my work which blends Indian classical and Western dance is being recognized by even the government. They are beginning to appreciate my kind of work. For me, the most beautiful memory of the Melbourne Games is that my 400 dancers and I were together, like family. We ate together, prayed together, rehearsed and chatted – it was such a high!”

Barely two months earlier, Davar and his troupe had been the glamorous face of India at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit at the famous Alpine ski resort of Davos, Switzerland. With the Government of India going all out to promote Brand India, the high profile Indian delegation consisted of political and economic heavyweights like finance minister P. C. Chidambaram, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, business leaders Mukesh Ambani (Reliance), Nandan Nilekani (Infosys), S. Ramadorai (Tata Consultancy Services), Anand Mahindra (Mahindra and Mahindra), etc. Describing the India Soiree where his troupe performed pulsating Bollywood numbers, Davar relates: "They (the audience of foreigners and Indians) looked a bit snobby when we started, but I made them move!” (dance with them to his instructions).

Movement and melody with junior and senior dancers

Davar’s day out at Davos saw him and his troupe take a bow on the cover of India Today (February 13, 2006). "Glamor and glitz: India showcased its vibrant, modern face at the WEF summit…” stated the caption of the inside full page color picture of his dancers in action. "After our performance, Michael Douglas (well-known Hollywood actor who was in Davos to receive an award) came backstage. After complimenting me, he rang up his wife Catherine Zeta Jones and told her I was such a beautiful performer! He handed me the phone and there I was laughing and talking with her! I told her how inspired I was by her performance in Chicago,” relates the passionate performer who had faced stiff opposition and even ridicule when he ventured into professional jazz dance in India in the 1980s (see "Show man Shiamak,” Parsiana, August 2001).

"Be the dance, not the dancer… become one with the music. Dancing is extremely demanding. Dancers are balanced and strong people — physically, mentally and spiritually. That’s what I aim to teach through SDIPA. Working out, meeting people, gaining confidence, dancing does all this and more. Give it a chance. It will change your life,” says the man whose motto is "Have feet, will dance.”

Besides centers in 13 cities in India, Davar also runs classes in three cities in Canada — Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. SDIPA’s principal dancers/senior instructors have been invited to the US, through the culture program run by the US Government, for interactive workshops with the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, The Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Howard University, etc, moving forward towards exploring new avenues for dance in the US and India.

Most important to him, Davar says, are SDIPA’s annual summer workshops and Summer Funk shows, which put on stage all his students – old, young, bodies flattering or fat, talented or not-so-talented. Davar also spreads the joy of dance to street children, the HIV affected, mentally challenged, visually impaired, deaf and mute children.

"My grandfather founded the Davar’s College of Commerce (in Bombay). So in a way teaching is in my blood… The one thing I’ll never give up is singing. Because I’m a singer at heart. The passion to perform is a blessing that heaven bestowed on me,” believes the man who struck the right chords at a very early age with his piano playing and singing. Moving on to acting, dancing, choreography, direction, teaching and songwriting, Davar has won several awards and accolades, including a National Award at the hands of the President of India in 1998 for his choreography for the Hindi feature film Dil To Pagal Hai.

Lithe and energetic, unmarried and in his mid-40s, Davar is a strong believer in God, angels, the power of prayer, UFOs (unidentified flying objects), karma and communication with the spirit world. On an earthy note, Davar says he is an expert at making akoori (Parsi style eggs), and, in addition to health foods like salads, loves achaars (pickles), chocolates and popcorn!

Among the cherished moments of his professional career are singing with legendary pop artiste Sting, and more recently, performing for ex-US President Bill Clinton in Lucknow in September 2005 and sharing the stage with Hollywood actor Will Smith at the Filmfare Awards in Bombay this year. "There was much to learn from the way the Commonwealth Games were organized in Melbourne – the professionalism, discipline, dedication and departmentalization,” he opines. At the Delhi Commonwealth Games four years hence "we (India) will cope well. The country has so much potential. We’ll do a phenomenal job,” Davar predicts.