From the four walls of their houses to the glittering stage of Scotland, a bunch of all-girls dance group is ready to rock their first international debut. It’s a dream come true for the performers and their mentor who achieved all this in just a few years’ span.
Created and choreographed by Aparna Nagesh, ‘High Kicks’ is Chennai’s one and only, all-girls dance ensemble, which is selected for ‘Commonwealth Youth Dance’ festival to be held in Scotland in July 2014. In reference to this, Avalokita Pandey from ‘One World News’ caught up with the choreographer, who talked about her latest achievement.
Q1. How did the offer to perform in Scotland Dance Festival come to you?
We were asked to send in an application form as well as an audition video which was then viewed by the festival committee. We got to know of our selection a month later. We were asked to apply after a workshop that we had with dancers from Scottish Dance Theatre (Scotland’s national contemporary dance company).
Q2. How was ‘High Kicks’ formed?
After a long stint with a professional dance company in Chennai, I went to Broadway Dance Centre, New York to get an advanced dance certification. When I returned, the idea of starting an all girls dance ensemble occurred to me. I wanted to create a platform for young female dancers to train consistently as well as be involved in creating intelligent and entertaining dance performances. High Kicks is a part of Showstoppers INC also founded by me. Showstoppers INC is a unique dance arts venture. It works towards promoting the performing arts and movement concepts as well as creating unique intelligent dance performances in the social sector, schools, colleges and corporates. The company was founded by Aparna Nagesh in 2011. We specialize in choreography services, dance performances, dance arts festivals, dance and movement workshops, and dance education syllabus for schools and children’s institutions, dance outreach programs.
High Kicks started off with 3 dancers in March 2011 and today we stand proud with 15 dancers.
Q3. Tell us of any special moment you had with your team.
I think there are three special moments which we had together. One was the day we got news of our selection for the ‘Commonwealth Youth Dance’ Fest. Second, was the day we performed our first production ‘Leap into Life’ and third was the day we performed our second production Leap into Love.
Q4. What has been your biggest achievement, so far?
Our biggest achievement has been rising from a three-member group to fifteen-member strong company, and then getting selected for the ‘Commonwealth Youth Dance’ Fest.
Q5. Ten years from now, where do you imagine your team to be?
I imagine our team to be strong, independent, and performing what we believe in; including stories that we want to tell the world through our dancing. Not just in Chennai but around the world.
Q6. Did you always aspire to be dancer or it came to you as a matter of chance?
I have always loved dancing but once I started I knew there was no going back from it.
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