“Dance is a feeling expressed from inside out” – Mia Miachels
With myriad events, plethora of new activities and increasing number of footfall each year, Delhi University’s festivals are the best place to witness some indelible dance performances. One such team which makes dance at DU, even more fun is Daulat Ram College’s ‘Zenith’. The team has won numerous trophies in the past few years and the person who deserves the applause for this success of theirs’, is none other than the mentor, Honey Goel.
He is the most acclaimed choreographer of Delhi University with an expertise in forms like salsa, contemporary, Bollywood and hip-hop. Not only has he ‘Zenith’ to impeccable heights but also has managed to start his event management company in a short spanned career. One World News caught up on a telephonic interview with Honey, where he shared his experiences in life.
Daulat Ram College (DRC) has been given the ‘Star College’ status by Delhi University. How does it feel to be the choreographer of such a college?
Frankly speaking, when I joined DRC two years back, its dance society stood nowhere among the other 32 teams of Delhi University. It was named ‘Cycadellacis’ and my first reaction after watching their dance performance was ‘You guys dance like Psychos!’ (laughs). Changing the society’s name to ‘Zenith’ was the first thing that I did apart from all the hard work that was needed to take it to the top.
Since, you hold a degree in engineering, how did you land up being a choreographer?
Even though I did engineering (Guru Prem Sukh Memorial, IP University), dance was always my priority. In my first year of college, I joined a dance academy called ‘DREAM’. The trainers there got so impressed with my dancing skills that not only did they allow me to attend all the batches while paying for only one but also offered me to become a trainer after some time. In the second year of college, I organized a fresher’s party and in the third year I was the cultural head. So, dance was going hand in hand with engineering.
If not a choreographer, what would you have been?
Apart from dance, events were something which always interested me. So, once I had established my career as a choreographer, I started an event management company, ’The Unicorn’. So, I already am what I would have been, if not a choreographer.
Were your parents supportive of your passion for dance?
My dad was completely against dancing. Coming from a Marwari background, I knew it would be difficult to convince them about taking up dance as a career. But my mom was very supportive. If today, I have managed to complete my masters in salsa and contemporary, it is only because of the support I had from her.
You have been the choreographer of Maitreyi college’s dance team as well. How is it different at DRC?
The only difference that I have found between ‘Zenith’ and the other teams is that ‘Zenith’ is like ‘Crazy for Dance’! They are capable of doing anything and everything, nothing is tough for them. They trust me for what I teach them and that is what makes ‘Zenith’ special to me. And it is here that I enjoy to the fullest!
You have been to both DU and non-DU competitions. What difference do you find between the two, if any?
I think the DU colleges put in much more efforts than any other college or University. In spite of exams, projects and presentations, which are still continuing, they manage to rehearse for at least five hours a day. Here, at DU, dancing is much more fun!
Which dance festival/competition do you and your team eagerly wait for?
Definitely, BITS (Pilani). Although, we have not been able participate there in the last two years but it is still something that we eagerly wait for. Hopefully, this time round, we will go there and win it.
What has been the most memorable moment of your dancing career?
When I was choreographing for Maitreyi College’s dance society ‘Zeal’, we went to the HT City Youth Nexus, which is the biggest college festival in the capital. All the competitive teams were there and everybody was saying that either Sri Venkateswara (Venky) college or Guru Govind Singh college would win. In fact, someone from the organizers even claimed that Venky had already won. It was very upsetting, for what I felt that Maitreyi deserved to win that day. Eventually, when the results were announced, our team emerged as the winner and that one moment is something I can never forget my entire life.
What is your message to all the dancers and choreographers out there?
I believe that anyone and any team can achieve what they want. You just need to put in all your heart and soul in whatever you do. Following your passion with utmost determination and dedication is the key to success.
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