Hardik Mehta, a stock broker by profession and founder of Ras Leela Dance workshop, says that everyone can dance the Garba when the music starts by catching up with others only by watching them.
Navratri fever is already setting in and youths want to hit the dance floor only after learning a few stylish steps of Garba – the traditional Gujarati dance form – rather than stepping out unarmed. The nine-day Navratri festival is starting from Tuesday.
Thirty-year-old Sudha Kamte (name changed), despite being a non-Gujarati has joined a Ras Leela Garba workshop at Malad ahead of the festive season. "I will surprise my friends with my dancing," said Kamte.
Another reveller, 21-year-old Roshni, said, "Until last year I used to stand and watch my friends playing. But this year I will join them proudly after learning the steps.".
Hardik Mehta, a stock broker by profession and founder of Ras Leela Dance workshop, says that everyone can dance the Garba when the music starts by catching up with others only by watching them.
"We at Ras Leela want to ensure that students not only learn Garba but they master the dance form so that they are ready to win the competitions happening all over the city during Navratri," said Hardik, 32, who won the first prize at least five times at Falguni Pathak's Navratri, apart from winning several titles at different places since the age of 12.
Mehta feels it's high time he propagates the dance form. "I want to share my talent. I have a solid team of volunteers, who helped me train 650 students in just two months," said Mehta.
Vidhi Mavani, a professional choreographer and Garba trainer at the workshop, said, "One may not know the correct steps as this is a folk dance and it works on strict discipline of counted steps. You make one wrong move and the group is disturbed. So, we ensure that the basics are corrected before taking students to the next level".
Organisers of big Navaratri gatherings like Falguni Pathak in Ghatkopar and Naidu Club at Kora Kendra, Borivali, give out big prizes, wooing dancers.
"The jury has a tough task as young and old dance together. Youngsters these days come to the ground prepared. They have costumes, accessories and most importantly dance gracefully," said Ganesh Naidu of Naidu club, who organises Navratri in Kora Kendra, Borivali.
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