Toronto gears up for Shiamak Davar’s dance show

TORONTO: The ConfiDance show will be back on October 17 at the Meadowvale Theatre in Mississauga. The show debuted early this year in May at the same theatre. It is choreographed by Shiamak Davar and gives an opportunity to the local dance teams to perform on stage in a professional setup and showcase their training and styles taught at the academy.
According to Shiamak, “Being on stage is a very important part of the performing arts experience. We introduced the ConfiDance Show to give a platform to students with potential who want to train in different dance styles, to perform in a professional show. The dance team trains for months to understand what goes into putting up a stage show. From dance rehearsals, backstage, production, costumes, sets and properties, this show is a complete team effort by these students and my instructors.”
ConfiDance has been performed in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, London, Melbourne, Sydney and Vancouver.
Shiamak’s dance team in Toronto consists of performers who are handpicked by Shiamak and receive intensive training in dance technique and performance. This team has also entertained audiences with power packed performances at the Indian International Film Academy Awards (IIFA), the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) and MOSAIC (South Asian Heritage Festival of Mississauga), CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) and other prestigious community events in Canada.

Parth Dani, manager, lead senior instructor in Toronto for Shiamak Davar Dance Academy, spoke to this correspondent about ConfiDance.
Can you tell us the various dance styles that will be performed at the ConfiDance Show in Meadowvale Theatre, Mississauga?
The ConfiDance Show is a fascinating mix of various dance styles that takes you on a journey through Shiamak’s Indo-contemporary style, Hip-hop, Bollywood, jazz, salsa and much more. With extravagant sets and properties, colorful costumes, thematic choreography and trained dancers, the ConfiDance Show has all the ingredients of a complete performing arts experience.
Tell us a bit more about the rehearsals for ConfiDance – the challenges and triumphs and also the issue of overcoming exhaustion.
ConfiDance rehearsals focus on the training of technique, performance and strength of each and every dancer. Whether it’s learning a different form of dance, trying to perfect a lift or just simply working out, the knowledge gained is immeasurable. Shiamak has ensured that all aspects of the show are imparted to the performers. The intensity of rehearsals not only help each individual grow as a dancer, but as artists. The most challenging bit for our dancers would have to be the time commitment that is required. Our dancers range from teenagers who are still in school, to adults that work full-time. It is their passion and hard work that keeps them dedicated, not to mention their love for dance. Working all day, or attending school during the day is exhausting enough. They come to dance to release their stress, explore their creative sides and just to have fun. It is the confidence that they all get through dance.
Describe a typical day for students in your academy.
A typical day at our institute starts off with a workout, which includes cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises. All these components are essential for each dancer as it helps tone and prep their bodies. After that, all the dancing starts. Learning different styles of dance, experimenting with movement and formations, connecting to the music are all aspects of putting on a show to remember. All that we impart comes to us from Shiamak.