Pakuranga dancer, choreographer and Bollywood dance teacher, Viraf Todywalla knows how to shake his booty and he’d love to see more people doing the same.
Viraf has just this week released a new DVD, V4U Dhoom3 Nite, a 90-minute overview of the Dhoom3 concert held earlier this year. The July concert followed hugely successful earlier concerts in 2005 and 2006, which helped raise the profile of Bollywood dancing in Auckland.
“Bollywood dancing attracts a wide range of students who love its verve and funky attitude,” Viraf says. “You don’t have to be a dancer to learn and for many people it’s a chance to try something quite new. However, it also appeals to young people with Indian heritage who want to retain their cultural ties but prefer this modern twist on tradition.”
Viraf teaches Bollywood dancing at his Pakuranga studio every Saturday and Sunday and also operates a classical Indian dance class at Elm Park Primary School on Wednesdays.
A dancer since his teens, he came to New Zealand five years ago and before long had set up his local studio and dance group V4U. In 2004 he and selected youth from ZANZ (Zarthustrian Association of New Zealand) competed at the Diwali Festival celebrations in Auckland city. The V4U dance group won first prize in its section and Viraj took first place in the individual section.
“I then decided to stage a competitive concert for which I held auditions. Once the dancers were chosen they went through a training period then competed against each other at the concert which was held at the Dorothy Winstone Theatre at Auckland Girls’ Grammar school.”
The theatre, which seats 800, was sold out. In 2006 Dhoom2 repeated the success of the previous year then this year Viraf took Dhoom3 to the Beaumont Centre which seats more than 2000 people. Not quite a sell-out, nevertheless the packed concert, which also featured models from Catwalk Studio and the Vodafone Warriors cheerleaders, was proof of increasing interest in this style of dance and performing.
“We also planned the making of the DVD and now that it is complete it is available in most major video outlets including local United Video, Video Ezy Rhythm House and Sonam Video stores,” Viraj says.
Source by times.co.nz
Viraf has just this week released a new DVD, V4U Dhoom3 Nite, a 90-minute overview of the Dhoom3 concert held earlier this year. The July concert followed hugely successful earlier concerts in 2005 and 2006, which helped raise the profile of Bollywood dancing in Auckland.
“Bollywood dancing attracts a wide range of students who love its verve and funky attitude,” Viraf says. “You don’t have to be a dancer to learn and for many people it’s a chance to try something quite new. However, it also appeals to young people with Indian heritage who want to retain their cultural ties but prefer this modern twist on tradition.”
Viraf teaches Bollywood dancing at his Pakuranga studio every Saturday and Sunday and also operates a classical Indian dance class at Elm Park Primary School on Wednesdays.
A dancer since his teens, he came to New Zealand five years ago and before long had set up his local studio and dance group V4U. In 2004 he and selected youth from ZANZ (Zarthustrian Association of New Zealand) competed at the Diwali Festival celebrations in Auckland city. The V4U dance group won first prize in its section and Viraj took first place in the individual section.
“I then decided to stage a competitive concert for which I held auditions. Once the dancers were chosen they went through a training period then competed against each other at the concert which was held at the Dorothy Winstone Theatre at Auckland Girls’ Grammar school.”
The theatre, which seats 800, was sold out. In 2006 Dhoom2 repeated the success of the previous year then this year Viraf took Dhoom3 to the Beaumont Centre which seats more than 2000 people. Not quite a sell-out, nevertheless the packed concert, which also featured models from Catwalk Studio and the Vodafone Warriors cheerleaders, was proof of increasing interest in this style of dance and performing.
“We also planned the making of the DVD and now that it is complete it is available in most major video outlets including local United Video, Video Ezy Rhythm House and Sonam Video stores,” Viraj says.
Source by times.co.nz
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