The Great Indian Wedding Choreography!

When it comes to dancing, we, as a culture don’t really need a reason to kick off our heels and break into a jig. It may have seeped into our Saturday nights, into crowded dancing rituals at ‘discs’ or rapping to Honey Singh post 2 am at our house parties, but let’s not forget where it originally comes from.. The Great Indian Weddings!

There is nothing more fun than dancing with your family and friends to desi beats along with lots of desi tashan! So, it only makes sense that weddings, our biggest celebrations, be infused with choreography to have some coordinated thumkas!

1. Presenting…. The Bride and Groom!

Let’s admit it. We all saw Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming at the ball as kids and that has done irrevocable damage. From an elegant, fairy tale ballroom dance to a wacky Bollywood number with your friends and family… You could choose from Salsa, Waltz, Jive, Bollywood along with various uber-cool choreographed entries which are now becoming extremely popular.

2. The Good Ol’ Bollywood Medley

Don’t have a lot of time/energy/resources/patience etc. etc. to come up with an extravagant musical evening? Do you have over-enthu buas/friends/younger siblings/friends of younger siblings who have had plans of dancing at your wedding since you were 16? Then stick to the classic! Go for a basic Bollywood medley comprising of 6-10 songs. It’s short, it’s sweet and will put a big fat smile on your bua’s face. Besides, by the end of it, you might just put your own dancing juttis on!

3. Flashy Flash Mobbing

Flash Mobs are the biggest rage right now and when done at a wedding, leads to total craziness! It could be a Flash Mob proposal for the bride or the groom (C’mon ladies, it’s the 21^st century… Go down on your knees and surprise him!), surprise Flash Mobs for the guests or a cool Flash Mob Bride/Groom entry… they are super innovative and so much fun! Read more about it here 

4. Say Hello to Story-telling

Weddings are often an extension of our personality, where we are always looking for ways to make the invitations, the décor, the entertainment very personal and artistic. So, it only makes sense that the next step in our wedding celebrations would be to infuse storytelling, poetry, audio visuals or props with choreography. Personalized concepts, theme-based musical evening, mini-movies… there is just no stopping this wave of wedding creativity!

5. Read my Lips

The Lip-dub is a fun, colourful and entertaining wedding concept… and the best part is that it doesn’t take a lot of preparation time! All you need is a good video team and an extremely talented and spontaneous choreographer who can bring out the performer in you on the spot. These make for great wedding movies! Read more about the trend here 

6. Let’s get Professional!

If you are someone who’s looking at their Sangeet as nothing short of the IIFA awards, we suggest you hire a professional troupe of performers. They are larger than life, very filmi and will leave your padosis and rishtedaars star-struck!

  7. Unique Dance Floors!

A dance floor with colour-changing LED stars? It will probably give you a feeling of being of top of the world (pun intended) which you are supposed to on your wedding day! Add some zazz to the traditional Bollywood medley with an LED shimmering dance floor. Or one with water beneath you too! Read all about these colorful “get up and go” dance floors here!

 

top Tamil Choreographers

Dancer, choreographer, actor and director! India's Michael Jackson! Oops! We forgot there is picture of Prabhu Deva in this page. He is beyond comparison when it comes to dancing. Hip-hop, street dancing, western, classical... name it and he can dance. The man with the nimblest feet in Indian cinema, Prabhu Deva is an admired and respected figure in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movie circles. Though he first appeared on screen in Agni Natchatram as a dancer in the song 'Raja.. Rajathi Rajan', it was Shankar's 'Chikku Bukku Rayile' in Gentleman and 'Mukkala Mukkabla' in Kaadhalan which made Prabhu Deva a household name. He just took dancing to a different level in movies like Mr. Romeo, Love Birds and Minsara Kanavu. His special appearance in 'Key Sera Sera' alongside Madhuri Dikshit in the movie Pukar is indelible in fans' memory. Though he has acted in a lot of movies, he has always been an active choreographer.        

Tamil cinema - Dance choreography kings - Raju Sundaram & Prabhu deva

Firstly, talking about cinema and especially Tamil Cinema(India) is not to be considered gossip. The kind of activity that's happening in this industry is worth a lot of respect for the skill involved.
I am very sure, soon people are going to talk about management skills available in the tamil film industry, like they spoke about mumbai's dabbawallas last year.

Dance choreography

First and foremost are the dancers and dance choreographers of tamil cinema. And... only, Raju Sundaram and Prabhu deva in that context.
For the past 5 years whatever these fellas have done to tamil cinema songs is unforgettable... and never repeatable.
When there's a song on screen, I only watch the dancers behind the hero and /or main actors in the film. I will tell you something. Try to watch the dancers on the screen one by one and their movements. Each one's eyes, actions will reveal to you that they are enjoying the dance and all focussed on only enjoying it with perfection other than anything that's happening around them, not even looking at how the other fellow is dancing.
They are the best examples i can find in the world for team work. The best team is that of raju sundaram & prabhu deva's group. Watch two-three or 10 popular tamil songs in the same manner. You will find something interesting. The dancers in 9 out of 10 songs will be the same set, or atleast the first row of dancers will be same. They are all working for raju sundaram. Check up if you don't believe me.
And, I believe raju sundaram, and prabhu deva are one of the best managers of india.
Dance Choreography is about managing people, and making them dance... and more so its about finding steps that suits everyone's body and brings the best moves of dancer's body. Yes, there are too many parameters they keep track of, and for each actor the parameters are different.
I am totally excited about the dance in tamil films these days... I mean, even if 60-150 people dance, the choreography is like, not even a single person is out of sync or is not giving the best of him. So much involvement will happen only if everyone accepts the manager and understand the task ahead.
 

 

Bollywood Salutes Tollywood Choreographers

Bollywood Salutes Tollywood Choreographers 

The Indian film fraternity is one but then there are a few points which differentiate the north from the south. For instance, north cine circuit has been known for heroines who are bold in their exposing and their films are rich in making and glamour. South focuses more on beauty and content with subjects.

  
But here is something else wherein the south is unbeatable and even Bollywood accepts it. This is the department of choreographers. It is not just about the likes of Prabhu Deva, Raju Sundaram, Chinni Prakash or others but also the second level of choreographers who make the north stars shiver with their choreography.

The likes of Prem Rakshit, Dileep, Vidyasagar, Vijay, Imran Sardania are known for their knee-breaking and bone stretching dance moves. Till date, some of the best actors in Bollywood find it hard to match the steps with the south choreographers. As it is, technicians from the south are regarded high in Bollywood and now the choreographers have joined the list.

Top Choreographers Of Tollywood

A perfect film should be the right blend of songs, dance, screenplay etc. In this regard, the audience likes the jhatkas of the movie to a great extent. Tollywood, since its earlier days, is known for great dance moves. Though the actors and actresses take efforts to dance well, it’s the choreographers who make them dance with great fervor. Here is a list of top choreographers of Tollywood.

Prem Rakshit

He is the favorite of many in Tollywood now. He struggled in his initial days and was on the verge of giving up when a producer asked him to replace another choreographer. And from then on there is no looking back for this talented dance master. Nachore, in which NTR shook legs, is one of his best works.
Jaani Master

Jaani Master gained recognition of late and her works with Ram Charan are considered to be lucky. Laila O Lalila from Nayak, Dillaku Dillaku from Rachcha are just a couple of hits of this talented choreographer.
Raghu Master

Raghu is indeed a stylish dance master. He has won the coveted title of Dhee. The news is that he is now testing waters as a hero. Uppnantha Ee Premaki from Arya 2 is one of his greatest hits.
Ganesh Master

Coming from a poor background, this talented choreographer is very passionate about dancing. Osey Ramulamma is the flick in which he was introduced as a dance master. He is also the coveted winner of Dhee.
Raghava Lawrence

Raghavendra Lawrence has a heart-rending background;he was diagnosed with brain tumor during his childhood and he got cured through the blessings of Lord Raghavendra. Initially, he started as a car cleaner and it was superstar Rajinikanth who was instrumental in making Raghava a dance master. His film with Chiranjeevi, Hitler, was a landmark in his career.
Sundaram Master

Sundaram Master has the commendable recognition of working in around 1000 flicks in 6 Indian languages. Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and NT Rama Rao have shook their legs with much gusto under the choreography of Sundaram Master.
Raju Sundaram

It seems dancing is in the genes. Just like his brother Prabhu Deva, and father Sundaram, Raju Sundaram also tested waters as a choreographer. His dance sequences are crafted well and highly entertaining. Yahoon Yahoon is indeed a good choreography of Raju Sundaram.
Prabhu Deva

And here is Indian Michael Jackson. Prabhu Dev a has a soft corner of Tollywood and has choreographed quite a number of films there. Mukkabala song from the Tamil flick Kaadalan is his best assignment.
They say dance like no one watches. Hope you feel like dancing now!

 

Hip Hop Dance Choreographers

Hip hop dance choreographers have revolutionized the world of movement with their unique spin on classic steps and styles. Read on for more info on hip hop dance choreographers who have changed the face of dance history, as well as tips if you plan on becoming the next big name in the industry.

 

 

Influential Hip Hop Dance Choreographers

Since hip hop is only a few decades old, the choreographers in the industry today are still considered to be pioneers of the craft in certain circles. Michael Jackson can be credited as one early hip hop dancer and choreographer, however today's stylings and demands are much different than they were at the height of Jackson's fame in the 1980s. Hip hop dance choreographers are finding fame and recognition as creators of impressive music video sequences, as well as judges on popular dance television shows. No matter what road they take, the choreographers listed below are worthy of recognition for all they've contributed to the hip hop industry.

Shane Sparks

Born in Ohio, Sparks began dancing when he was 11 years old. He eventually moved to Los Angeles where he joined a dance troupe called Cold Krush. This team performed in talent competitions, which eventually led to his next gig as the crew transformed into a singing group called the Cold Premiere. Eventually, they broke up and Sparks went on to dance in music videos for prominent artists of the day such as Brandy Norwood.
His turn as a choreographer came when he was accidentally mistaken for a dance teacher, and asked to teach a class he was attending. He faked his way through the first portion of the class, and was then recruited by the actual teacher to be a dance assistant. He stretched the studio's capacities, bringing the hip hop class up from three students to over 175. This evolved into opportunities to choreograph for big events such as the American Music Awards, and also to work with big artists in the music industry.

The Secret To Success

If you are looking to become one of the best hip hop dance choreographers yourself, then you need to have a fair bit of drive and tenacity woven into your personality. People in this industry don't deal with niceties, instead seeking out the next great talent rather than handing out citizenship awards. If you are tough and believe you've got what it takes to make it in the hip hop world, make sure your work gets seen. Enter as many festivals and competitions as you can, and don't be afraid to get bold. The more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to see your name in lights just like Robson, Sparks, and so many others who have come before and after them.

Choreography & Creative Movement For Kids

Choreography & Creative Movement For Kids

    

wholeheartedly believe in creative movement for young children. It’s about educating the whole child, giving them the power of choice, boosting confidence–I could go on and on. I teach children 6 and under and this is what I love to do. Do they need to know the positions, sure! Do they need to know how to build a dance, yes! Give them variety, and you will produce well rounded little people!

A few years ago, I wanted to challenge myself to put on a performance for my young students–but not in the traditional way. I was confused in my beliefs that teaching 3 year olds to stand in a line and follow my movement was not what I wanted to do in my class. But after a while, I could see the value in learning a song, and repeating choreography week after week and then performing it on stage for everyone to see.

Space + Formations
This year I have tried to mix up the formations. For my 3 and under class I put a long line on the floor with 3 colors. I give them a spot on the line, and the color they are standing on is the one they remember. It’s a sneaky way to make sure they all have enough room on the line, and if they leave the line, they know exactly where to go when it’s time to go back to the line.
If you have more than one class of 3 year olds in the same show, this line works for all of them. It really works!
For 4-6 year olds I do a little line of white tape for their spot. They can remember where they are in space much easier and then I can give them a different formation. Like 2 lines with windows, or a V formation.

Choosing Music
I think choosing the music is the hardest for me. I choose the music, marinate on it and then change my mind. I look at the show as a whole too. I notice though that I choose music that is happy and joyful for this young age group. I also choose music that Dad’s and Brothers will enjoy. Engaging the audience is the most important to think about. Also think of your sanity, if you have to listen to it for the next 14 weeks, you better like it too!
Structure of The Dance
Once you have picked your song, write down the words. Teach the words and the movement together. I write down the words in verses and then see where I can repeat. Theme and variation! In this case less is more.
If the song has an instrumental section, I tell them they get to make up their own dance there. Or, even if it doesn’t, pick a section to allow them to leave the line and share their own dancing on the stage. They leave the line, and do chasse’s, leaps, turns, plies, and passes. After the instrumental part, I cue them to go back to the line to finish the dance.

National Film Award for Best Choreography

The National Film Award for Best Choreography is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus).
The award was instituted in 1991 at 39th National Film Awards but awarded first time at 40th National Film Awards and then awarded annually for films produced in the year across the country, in all Indian languages.

Winners

Award includes 'Rajat Kamal' (Silver Lotus) and cash prize. Following are the award winners over the years

Filmfare Award for Best Choreography

The Filmfare Best Choreography Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.
Although the awards started in 1954, the best choreography category did not start until 1989.^[1]

Superlatives

Saroj Khan hold the record for maximum wins (8).

Saroj Khan, with eight wins, holds the record for most awards in this category. She is also the earliest recipient and has the most consecutive awards between 1989 to 1991. Farah Khan stands second with six wins. Chinni Prakash and Bosco-Caesar have won three times each. Ahmed Khan has won the award twice.
Madhuri Dixit is featured in 5 winning songs. Hrithik Roshan has been featured in 4 whereas Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone are featured in 3 songs each. Raveena Tandon featured in 2 winning songs

Awards

Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.

 

Dance Choreographers

f you've ever watched a ballet or other dance performance, you have witnessed the work of a dance choreographer. Dance choreographers create original dances and develop new interpretations of existing dances. The works of choreographers highlight the extent of their love of and devotion to their particular styles of dance. Though not complete, the following list highlights some of the best dance choreographers of the past and present.

1.  George Balanchine

    

Early Life of George Balanchine

George Balanchine was born in St. Petersburg on Jan 22, 1904. His father was a noted Georgian composer. At the age of nine, Balanchine enrolled in the Imperial Ballet School. He graduated with honors, then enrolled in the Petrograd Conservatory. At the age of 18, he married Tamara Geva, a young dancer. Balanchine then became a principal dancer and choreographer of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.

Paul Taylor

  
An American choreographer of the 20th century, Paul Taylor is considered by many to be the greatest living choreographer. After 60 years as Artistic Director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, he blazed he established an institutional home for the art form in 2014: Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance. He continues to present modern dances of the past and present alongside his own works at Lincoln Center and other preeminent venues throughout the world. He also commissions a new generation of choreographers to make dances on his own company to ensure that modern dance flourishes long into the future.

Bob Fosse

 

One of the most influential men in jazz dance history, Bob Fosse created a unique dance style that is practiced in dance studios throughout the world. His amazing choreography continues to live on through several great Broadway musicals such as "Cabaret", "Damn Yankees" and "Chicago."

Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey was born in Texas in 1931. His mother, then only 17 years old, was forced to care for him alone after his father abandoned the family early on. A single mom during the Great Depression, Ailey's mother struggled to find work. Like many African Americans, she migrated with her son to California. Ailey developed an interest in dance when a friend introduced him to the Hollywood studio of Lester Horton. Horton, who's school was the first multi-racial dance school in the United States, became a major influence to Ailey, providing him with both artistic technique and a solid dance foundation. read more...

 

Top 10 Most Famous Dance Choreographers of All Time

Those who have a deep affection for dance and singing know that choreographers act like the backbone of every dance. You must have witnessed a lot of dance forms which are extremely beautiful. But to make these dances look so stylish, the role of the choreographers cannot be ignored. Here are the top 10 most famous dance choreographers of all time.

1. Alvin Ailey:

Alvin Ailey was born in 1931. He is a well versed African-American dancer and choreographer. For a long, Alvin served the Hollywood as a revolutionary and distinctive dancer. His dance forms used to be full of entertainment and enlightenment.

2. Shane Sparks:

Shane Sparks was a hip-hop dance expert. He is known best for his amazing performance in the dance competitions like “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Best Dance Crew.” He was born in 1974.

3. George Balanchine:

George Balanchine was born in 1904 and is one of the famous contemporary choreographers of America. He offered his services to New York City Ballet for a long not only as a choreographer but also as a director.

4. Agnes de Mille:

Agnes de Mille was born I 1905. She was a beautiful lady who started her career as a dancer and choreographer in America. She has contributed her services in 20^th-century ballet and Broadway musical theater.

5. Katherine Dunham:

Katherine Dunham was born in 1909 and lost her life during 2006. After completing her education, she persuaded choreography as her life’s career. She is also known as “matriarch of black dance”. She remained a dominating art dancer and choreographer of America for a long. read more..

 

13 Young Choreographers

Kyle Hanagami

“I feel like the one thing I was brought into this world to do is choreograph,” Kyle Hanagami says. His millions of YouTube fans couldn’t agree more. The 28-year-old phenom has crafted a style that ranges from hard hip hop to slow, sensual street jazz. He’s got a flair for telling stories through movement on camera—whether it’s a tale of lifelong friendship (his incredibly sweet video set to “Boom Clap”) or heartbreak and forgiveness (his poignant take on “Say Something”). During the past year, Hanagami has also produced a new series, “Making Moves,” for his YouTube channel, which gives viewers a peek at the choreographic process behind each of his videos and the lives of the dancers he’s closest to.  

  

Ellenore Scott
Before she started choreographing, Ellenore Scott had quite the performance resumé: A Top 4 dancer on “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 6, she’d also danced alongside Janet Jackson and on TV shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “Smash.” But she felt something was missing. “Choreographer Josh Bergasse asked me to help with pre-production for an episode of ‘Smash,’ ” says Scott, now 24. “When I realized I was more excited about that process than being on TV, I knew it was time to shift my focus to choreography.” In 2012, Scott started her own company, ELSCO Dance, which performed in L.A., NYC and at the Boston Contemporary Dance Festival this year.

  

Andrew Bartee
Technically speaking, Andrew Bartee has been a choreographer since he was a little kid. “I’ve always been interested in making things—and I’ve always been really bossy,” says the former Pacific Northwest Ballet corps member. “I used to create dances for my little brothers and force them to perform for my parents in the backyard.” These days, Bartee’s dances are a little more high-profile: He made arms that work for PNB in 2012, has choreographed several pieces for Seattle-based contemporary company Whim W’Him and has experimented with site-specific works, using beaches and mountaintops as his stages.

  

Megan Batoon

Twenty-three-year-old hip-hop choreographer Megan Batoon is taking the internet by storm. Her YouTube channel boasts over 200,000 sub-scribers and 10.5 million views, thanks to the impeccable musicality and flair for humor that make her videos so addictive. The Florida native first started making waves in 2011, when her choreography for the former Collaboration Kids Dance crew took home first place at Prelude South Urban Dance Competition—sending the all-female crew to Hip Hop International in Las Vegas. In 2012, hip-hop company/competition World of Dance hired Batoon to host its online news show, #WODWeekly, read more...

 

 

 

Successful Female Choreographers of B-Town

Successful Female Choreographers of B-Town

The Bollywood industry has seen many dancers, actors, directors, singers and who not involved in song and music sequences. However, does anyone ever pay attention to the creativity of the person behind the screen? In this month's special 'women special' edition, BollyCurry brings you some of the best female choreographers of recent times.

 Saroj Khan

 

When the word choreographer is mentioned, one of the many name on the tip of the tongue has to be the legendary Saroj Khan, who in fact is the first ever female choreographer in Bollywood. There is no doubt she has created some master pieces and set the level for others to follow. Her life is dedicated to dance. She has worked in more than 200 films for Bollywood and choreographed for some of the most enchanting actresses of all time, including Madhuri Dixit Nene, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kajol Devgn, Priyanka Chopra, and many more. 

Vaibhavi Merchant
Vaibhavi Merchant has dedicated her life to choreographing as well. She started as an actor but as destiny has its way, she returned to her passion for dance and started choreographing. Her first solo work was for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Winning a National Film Award for her work, she took a short break only to return again with a bang. Her next dance choreographed was for the famous revolutionary film, Lagaan, on the song O Re Chhori, which was nominated for Oscar. Continuing on with her journey, she gained utmost respect and appreciation for her work in films such as Devdas, Baghban, Dhoom, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Veer Zaara, Aaja Nachle, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and many more, while working with countless famous names from the industry; 

Farah Khan

 

Another name at the tip of the tongue when speaking of choreography is Farah Khan. Not only has she worked for Bollywood, but she's spread her wings out to China and Hollywood in films such as Perhaps Love and Marigold. Khan has won the Filmfare Best Choreography Award six times, that itself speaks for her success in the field. She has also won other awards for her work in various songs, including the films,
Geeta Kapoor
Geeta Kapoor, lovingly known as Geeta Maa for her motherly nature, is also one of the best choreographers out there in the Bollywood Industry. She worked as an assistant for Farah Khan at the age of 15, who once complimented her work genuinely that at a point, she outshone Saroj's choreography. She's lent her hand in movies such as Saathiya, Main Hoon Na and the musical, Bombay Dreams. Kapoor continues to live her dream by mentoring contestants in Dance India Dance under the group name, Geeta Ki Gang, as she judges the various seasons as well 

Rujuta Vaidya

 
 

Who says only those in India work for Bollywood? A prime example is Rujuta Vaidya, choreographer who successfully bridged the gap between the east and the west. Vaidya studied classical forms such as Kathak and Bharatnatyam and trained under Saroj Khan. However, she is not to be taken as a classical lover only.

 

Famous Choreographers from India

Hema Malini

Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director and producer, Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer, and a politician, well known for her roles in Hindi cinema. She made her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar. She went on to appear in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband ...more 

Marc Robinson 

Marc Robinson (born February 3, 1964) is an Indian actor and model. He is also a beauty pageant director and a grooming expert.
Marc Robinson initiated his career in the fashion, entertainment and media industry as a leading super model^[1] and later moved on as a television presenter for channel V, a leading entertainment and music channel for the Star Group in Asia. He played the male lead in Bada Din (1998), opposite Shabana Azmi and Tara Deshpande

  

 Pawan Kalyan
 
Pawan Kalyan is an Indian film actor, director, screenwriter, stunt coordinator, writer, and politician. His film works are predominantly in Telugu cinema. He is the younger brother of actor turned politician Chiranjeevi. Kalyan made his acting debut in 1996 Telugu film Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi. In ...more 

Pony Verma 

  

The only time Pony Verma can relax and talk is while travelling. On her way to Panchgani where the shooting of her film is on, the happening choreographer reminisces her mother telling her that she began dancing very early, she rolled when she was in her womb.

Raghava Lawrence

 
 Raghavan Murugaiyan is an Indian choreographer who has also appeared in films as an actor, director, composer and playback singer. After making his debut as a choreographer in 1993, he began looking for acting opportunities. He began his career as an actor in 1998, in a Telugu film, aged 22. He adopted ...more

 

 

Top 10 Choreographers In India | 2015

1. Prabhu Deva

Known for his works predominantly in Tamil, Telugu, Bollywood, Malayalam and Kannada films. In a career spanning twenty-five years, he has performed and designed a wide range of dancing styles. He has garnered two National Film Awards for Best Choreography; widely referred in the media as Indian Michael Jackson.
Beginning with a series of acting roles in the 1990s and early 2000s including Kadhalan (1994), Love Birds (1996), Minsara Kanavu (1997), Kaathala Kaathala (1998) and Vanathai Pola (2000), Deva then ventured into direction with the 2005 Telugu film Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana. He then went on to direct films in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil languages such as Shankardada Zindabad (2007), Pokkiri (2007), Wanted (2009), Rowdy Rathore (2012) and R… Rajkumar (2013), he appeared in ABCD and ABCD2.

2. Shiamak Davar

He’s one of the first to bring contemporary jazz and western forms of dances to India. He is known as the Guru of Contemporary dance in India. He is responsible for modernizing India’s dance scene especially in the film and theatre industry, and is respected for his ever evolving and very popular “Shiamak Style” of dance. He was also the Director of Choreography for the Commonwealth Games, Melbourne, and Commonwealth Games, Delhi. He recently choreographed the dance sequences for the movie Mission Impossible 4.

3. Saroj Khan

Nirmala Kishanchand Sadhu Singh Nagpal popularly known as Saroj Khan (born 22 November 1948) is one of the most prominent Indian dance choreographers in Hindi cinema. She choreographed more than 2000 films. Saroj Khan was born to Kishanchand Sadhu Singh and Noni Sadhu Singh. She is married to a Muslim, Sardar Roshan Khan and that is where her last name Khan comes from.

4. Remo D’Souza

Although he is mainly involved in choreography, he has also contributed to other Indian film industries. He made India’s first 3D dance movie, ABCD – AnyBody Can Dance, with contestants from series 1 and 2 of Dance India Dance (Dharmesh Yelande, Salman Khan, Bhavna and Prince) and Prabhu Deva and Lauren Gottlieb from So You Think You Can Dance. His next directorial venture ABCD 2 was released in June 2015. It has grossed Rs. 100 crore within 1 week, having a budget of Rs. 65 crore.

5. Terence Lewis

He’s specialized in contemporary dance. He is known as a choreographer and judge in reality dance series. Dance India Dance Season 1, 2, 3, He runs his ‘Terence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company’ in Mumbai, holds dance workshops both in India and abroad. He has choreographed Bollywood films like, Lagaan (2001), Jhankaar Beats (2003) and Naach (2004), apart from musicals, stage shows, ads, music videos and national and international dance competitions. He won the 2002 American Choreography Award for his choreography for songs of the movie Lagaan along with Saroj Khan, Raju Khan, Ganesh Hegde and Vaibhavi Merchant.

6. Ganesh Hegde

Hegde is best known for his work in the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan and for his musical numbers in Company. Ganesh has choreographed many stage shows, namely Temptations 2004, the Bollywood rock concert.

7. Vaibhavi Merchant

She began her career by assisting her uncle Chinni Prakash. Her first solo work was the choreography for the song “Dhol Baaje” for the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. She won a National Film Award for her work. She took a short break from the industry and then returned with the song “‘O Ri Chhori'” in the 2001 film Lagaan. The then performed “Kajra re….” from Bunty Aur Babli (2005) that fetched her several awards. She has been a judge on the television dance show Nach Baliye 3, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 3), Zara Nach Ke Dikha 2, and Just Dance.

8. Ganesh Acharya

He has choreographed for Bodyguard and Singham amongst others. He has also appeared in numerous music videos for films. He opened out as a film actor with the 2013 dance film ABCD: Any Body Can Dance. He won the National Film Award for Best Choreography at 61st National Film Awards for his work for song “Masthon Ka Jhund” from 2014 movie “Bhaag Milka Bhaag”.

9. Farah Khan

She has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 Hindi films. She has since become a film director as well. In addition, she has worked on international projects such as Marigold: An Adventure in India, Monsoon Wedding and the Chinese film Perhaps Love.

10. Ahmed Khan

Khan began as a child actor playing small roles in films like Raakh. He played an orphan boy in his debut film, Mr. India and worked as choreographer’s assistant in Anjaam. He choreographed for films such as Rangeela, Taal, Ghajini and Kick.

 

Top 5 Dance Choreographers of Bollywood

Bollywood rarely gets far without music and dance. In the eyes of the masses, dance numbers are essential for a good masti-filled movie. We look at the talented choreographers responsible for some of the best B-town dances.

  

There are very few people in this world who can make the most popular men and women dance to their beat.
Choreographers are one such breed who can make the most diva-like heroines bend down to their wishes and the most egotistical heroes shake a leg as they see fit.
In India, the plot of a movie may or may not be a flop when it hits the cinema screen. But if it has even one hip or popular item number, then the entire film can turn into a super hit.
In the world of Bollywood where the importance of dance and music in a film surpasses a good storyline, the value of choreographers is much greater than any film technician or employee.
DESIblitz dives into this world of Indian movers and shakers and uncovers some of the most successful choreographers of Bollywood.

Saroj Khan

Fondly known as ‘Master Ji’, Saroj Khan is the reigning queen of all choreographers in the Indian film industry. Born in 1948, she started her career as a backing dancer at only three years old.
While working as a dancer she also used to learn dance under B.Sohanlal ji and used to assist him too. Climbing the ladder of hierarchy, Saroj ji got her first opportunity as an independent choreographer for the film Geeta Mera Naam in the year 1974. For most of her youth she was a dancer but once she became a choreographer her popularity knew no bounds.
Having choreographed ‘Ek Do Teen’ (Tezaab, 1988), ‘Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai’ (Khalnayak, 1993), and ‘Dhak Dhak Karne Laga’ (Beta, 1992), Saroj ji started a long and fruitful partnership with her muse, Madhuri Dixit. Her style exhumes traditional Indian moves blended with authentic Bollywood steps.

Prabhu Deva

Known as the ‘Michael Jackson of India’, Prabhu Deva’s dancing and choreographing style needs no introduction. Having been trained in classical Indian dance of Bharatanatyam and western styles like ballet, Prabhu’s style is heavily influenced by that of Michael Jackson.
His song ‘Hamma Hamma’ (Bombay, 1995) remains top of the charts and is a baton of his unusual style.

Vaibhavi Merchant

Talking about the flavour of the season, Vaibhavi Merchant proves herself to be a perennial taste which continues to enhance our sense of dance. She has choreographed for recent films like Bhag Milkha Bhag (2013) for which she has recieved rave reviews.
Although Vaibhavi was born as a granddaughter to the legendary Indian film industry choreographer, B.Hiralal ji, she proved her mettle in her first song, ‘Dholi Taro Dhol Baaje’ (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999), for which she won the National Film award for Best Choreography.

Ganesh Acharya

If one is a Bollywood dance enthusiast then one must have come across the viral item song, ‘Chikni Chameli’ (Agneepath, 2012) where Katrina Kaif moves her slender waist in the most aesthetic manner. To teach her those moves Ganesh took just one day.

Shiamak Davar

One choreographer who has changed the way dance itself is perceived in India is Shiamak Davar. Being the first to introduce styles like jazz and contemporary western forms, Shiamak rapidly went on to become the most sought after choreographer of Bollywood. He proved his mettle in his first film, Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), for which he won the President’s National award in choreography.