Begining with dance at the age of four then to continue to make her mark at an impressionable age of 16, she has single handedly put Bollywood Dance on the UK map.
Changing the outlook of how people saw Bollywood dance she is now a well-established choreographer, dancer and an Entrepreneur with 13 dance schools in and around the UK.
Who is she? Honey Kalaria.
More often than not she has been addressed as the Bollywood Ambassador to the UK. Her work has been seen in mainstream Bollywood films, including 'Mohabbatein', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', 'Bride and Prejudice' and her latest film project 'It’s a Wonderful Afterlife'.
Now, Honey is all set to launch her latest project a new TV dance contest, The Bollywood Dance Championships, to find the best Bollywood dancer or dancers in the UK. Supriya Davda catches up with the choreographer.
Q. Tell us about your newest project Bollywood Dance Championships?
A. Bollywood Dance Championships is a contest that aims to provide a platform and open up opportunities for the abundance of talent we have here in the UK. Bollywood is an amalgamation of so many dance forms, it includes belly dancing to hip-hop to Indian traditional classical dance to bhangra, this particular competition is open to people from different dance forms and different dance genres. It's even for the person who dances in front of the mirror in their room and thinks they are absolutely amazing. (Laughs) This will be their platform too, as at the end of the day they're never going to get discovered if they keep dancing in thier room! It will also be a process that people can enjoy. The real idea, of course, is to develop more intercultural relations, develop that side, get people to appreciate each other's cultures, appreciate each other's dance forms along the way.
Q. So how will the competition work?
A. Well it is a 3-tiered approach - 3 phases. The 1st phase is that people will come in for an audition and they will get kind of "weaned out" - some people will go through and some people won't. The final entries will then compete for the overall championship title. We have 8 categories (4-7, 8-12 13-17 18+) with both a solo entry and a group entry, and there will be winners in both categories in each age group. The competition is also being filmed as a programme for TV. Desitara.com, our online talent portal partners, will also be promoting every single entry online, so the world can see this array of talent that is available here in the UK. They will also allow the public to vote for their favourite dancers and performers. Although the judging process is a panel of celebrity judges that will select the winners, there will be also a winner for the public category online. My aim has always been to promote this heap of talent we have out there, and open up opportunities and making dreams come true.
Q. Are there any success stories that you have experienced through your academy?
A. Oh gosh yes so many. I have several students wanting to make a mark in the entertainment industry, and opportunities are always arising. Previously we had 'Mohobettein' and 'K3G' shot here in the UK, so that allowed many of my students to be apart of Indian cinema. I have had students who have gone off to India, and having the contacts there helps immensely. Recently many auditioned to dance in Gurinder Chaddha’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Afterlife’.
Q. You have played a role in a Bollywood film called 'Indian Babu', how comes we haven't seen you in any other movie thereafter?
A. Yes that’s right, see the film was shot predominately in the UK, it was great fun, and I did receive accolades for it. But I had so many other things happening in terms of launching more academies, and various other projects that it was difficult trying to manage everything.
Q. With 13 dance academies, tell us about the school?
A. Honey's Dance Academy is a Bollywood training institution. We have such a variety of talent at the academy. Since Bollywood is an amalgamation of so many dance forms it tends to attract dance students from many different dance disciplines. We've had jazz performers, contemporary dancers, hip-hop performers as well as people from Indian classical trained background who perhaps want to modernise their skills. We've had people who want to find out what is all this fuss about Bollywood dance. We have people from all sorts of different backgrounds, but then having said that, we also have people who just want to come and keep fit, who may just enjoy the music and come along for a nice little evening out with their friends for a dance lessons.
Q. You have recently attempted to legitimise Bollywood dance in the UK through accreditation and professional qualifications. Why is that so?
A. See, I feel that what has happened is that Bollywood dancers are not being given the kind of respect that is due to them. People who are very good Bollywood performers and choreographers have to learn many different dance forms, not just one style, and that is just not recognized. I did choreography for the BBC's So You Think You Can Dance and I had to train the dancers. They all came from Western dance backgrounds and they all felt - "Oh Bollywood is all in the hip shaking". Then they all performed the choreography and realized it is intricate and demanding. Many of their perception of Bollywood dance is dancers dancing around trees.
I wanted to change this preconceived notion of Bollywood dance. There is a technique involved, there is clarity and a particular way to express the dance movements.
I have been working on accreditating Bollywood dance for about seven years with a team. The first hurdle being was to persuade people to appreciate the fact that Bollywood is a dance form. Of course, putting together a syllabus including how a step-by-step grading would take place. We have done that and then came the to-ing and fro-ing with the Dance council. It will, of course, continually be developed, but at least we have got a starting point to get people to start taking the credited exams. The syllabus has now been accepted officially by the British Dance council and the World Dance Council. It is causing a lot of excitement in the industry. And I am truly exciting about this new step.
Q. What to you makes a good dancer?
A. You know it’s very important to feel the music inside, and express through your heart and soul, not just through the physical body, because when you perform you give out energy to the audience. That energy can’t be mechanical; it has to be full of expression and feeling, so that people can connect with you. I feel that dance is about expression through the face and body, especially with Bollywood dancing. I think dance is also about passion, it is about creativity, and it is about expression and it such a great way to communicate through dance each movement has a meaning and dance or any creative talent gives you an opportunity to express.
Q. Who do you think is going to make a Bollywood Dance Champion?
A. First of all, I say to people when you want to become a Bollywood Dance Champion it is a journey that you have to start enjoying, it is about the dedication you are going to show all the way through. It’s about being a sport, a team and embracing a positive attitude and all this should come about in your dance.
Most important is that the judges will be looking out for versatility in your choreography. They will be looking out for the way you present yourself: so you’re costumes, your look, all your individuality and anything that will add value to the look of that performance. From the use of props, to the use of space on stage, rhythm will all be assessed. It’s also about bringing your individuality onto the platform, your personality on stage. And all those judges, VIP guests will be looking for these things; they will want to see originality.
Q. Lastly, whom are your favourite dancers in Bollywood?
A. Amongst the actresses I love to watch Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai.
To seal a place to become Bollywood's next top British star you must register by calling +44 20 8590 8050 or by visiting www.desitara.com.
XEHERONLINE.COM will be bringing you full coverage of the competition, so watch this space for more.
