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Hip hop, jazz and jive
Making a simple dream come true is not as easy as it always seems and Suresh Kumar, Artistic Director at StepnGroove Studio knows it best. Jazz, hip hop, contemporary, ballroom dancing, free styling, dance aerobics and latin styles are just some of the dance styles taught at his dance academy in Dubai.
- PUBLISHED: Sun 12 Feb 2012, 9:13 PM UPDATED: Fri 3 Apr 2015, 4:36 PM
A typical rags to riches story, the life of Suresh revolves around his passion for dancing and teaching dance to people. More than 400 dancers are enrolled in his classes as they produce musicals and stage productions. Their latest project, ‘A Dreamer’, is a three-hour musical with the life of Suresh at the centre of the story.
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“I wanted to share my story with everyone and that’s where the idea came from. It is a simple concept and that’s where I get my strength from,” said Suresh who spends more than 12 hours a day in his dance studio.
Taking up a career in sales soon after college, the routine nature of a day-job was not the thing for a dancer like Suresh. Quitting his job in less than six months, his next career choice was following his dream of being in a career as a dancer.
“I got an offer to teach dance in Bahrain and soon after I came to Dubai. Since then I have never looked back,” adds Suresh.
Starting from a small room in the heart of Bur Dubai, the StepnGroove dance studio has grown to become a known name for western dance styles with three branches in Dubai. “There is a lot of talent in students and we even have classes for adults. Becoming a good dancer is all about learning the technical aspects well and being flexible,” he adds.
College dance shows and competitions are a big market for Suresh and a lot of youngsters have joined him to make it big. Some have even graduated from the dance academy to become dance trainers. For Abha Mahajan and her husband Hitendra Mahajan, the dance classes are a great way to unwind and relax.
“It gives us a lot of confidence and I certainly feel a lot younger when I see myself in a better shape than before. I don’t have to worry about working out in a gym as I can dance and at the same time enjoy the benefits of losing weight while enjoying myself.”
For Ivan Shekhar, the dance studio is a home away from home as he has made new friends with dance partners.
“I have been coming here for more than two years now and I want to keep learning new styles and pushing myself to keep doing better. It is a good way to socialise and get to know new friends also,” said Shekhar.
The growing number of students who keep coming back to the dance studio are just the beginning, remarks Shekhar as he takes a step and jives to the music of another busy day at work.