Ponda-based dancer and choreographer Akshay Anvekar, who won in his category at a national dance competition in Mumbai, tells NT BUZZ how he is growing as performer and his goals for the future
CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT BUZZ
When Akshay Anil Anvekar first started competing at dance events, he went without a win for almost three years. “Those years were mainly about learning. Even when my morale was low, I continued competing because I didn’t want to give up,” he says.
His first major win came at Dance Goa Dance, an inter-collegiate event, after which he began competing at bigger events. He later won the Asia Open Championship in salsa and bachata in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and qualified for the World Latin Cup.
As a choreographer, he has also received the Best Choreographer Award from the Tiatr Academy and choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the BCIFF Film Festival.
His participation at the recent 22nd All India National Dance Competition and Festival in Mumbai happened when he came across the brochure on social media. The contest, held earlier this month, had hip-hop, Bollywood, contemporary and semi-classical, with participants competing in solo, duo, trio and group categories.
Around 250 participants took part, with no prior auditions. Anvekar chose the Solo Open Age/Senior Hip-Hop Category. “I prepared by focusing on choreography, musicality, technique, expressions and stage presence,” he says, adding that this was the first time he went for a contest alone and handled everything from music submission and backstage preparation to motivating himself before stepping on stage. Anvekar went on to win his category and was also honoured with the Best Performance of the
Session award.
The founder and director of Akshay Anvekar Dance Academy of Performing Arts (AADA), with branches in Sanquelim and Ponda, Anvekar took his first steps in dance as a child.
“My mother first noticed that I had no stage fear when I participated in a fancy-dress competition. I would also constantly dance at home,” he shares. His teachers later encouraged his mother to let him participate in annual gatherings after noticing his interest in dancing.
After Class 10, he joined X-T-R-E-M-E-R-S Dance Academy, where he received professional training in Latin styles such as salsa and bachata and began competing.
His trainers from Delhi later introduced him to hip-hop and he explored lyrical, Bollywood and other styles. He eventually developed his own fusion style, which he calls “Bolly Hop”, combining Bollywood and hip-hop.
But lyrical remains his favourite style. “I was inspired by dancers I watched on reality shows, especially Paul Marshall, Sushant Khatri and Dharmesh Yelande. Their performances made me fall in love with lyrical style,” he says.
He is currently learning contemporary, a style he hopes to pursue professionally. “I know it takes years to master, so I am learning it step by step,” he says. He believes a dancer should be like water, able to adapt to different styles. “So whatever style comes my way, I would love to learn it with complete honesty, dedication, and love.”
Anvekar started AADA to identify raw talent, train dancers, and give them opportunities to represent Goa and India on bigger platforms. The kids’ group, AADA Girl Gang and senior group, New Versions, participate in competitions and perform at festivals, including the BULBUL Children’s International Film Festival. The academy also conducts its annual concert, Nritya Arambh.
Anvekar feels Goa has considerable talent among its dancers, choreographers and performers but many still compete mainly within the local circuit. “We need to step out, compete against dancers from different parts of India and abroad and understand where we stand and what we need to improve,” he says, adding that losing at bigger competitions can show dancers where they need to improve. However, he does point out that Goa needs a stronger training culture.
His personal dream meanwhile is to become one of the finest dancers, choreographers and performers in India and eventually enter the Bollywood industry. “I especially want to choreograph Shahid Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, because watching them perform was one of the reasons I started dancing,” he says. “I genuinely believe that with hard work and consistency, I will reach there someday.”
