Shakti Mohan Talks About Being A Global Danseuse | Verve Magazine
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Verve People
June 30, 2016

Shakti Mohan Talks About Being A Global Danseuse

Text by Simone Louis

From winning Dance India Dance to her upcoming world tour…

First steps
“I don’t remember when I first got fascinated by dance…it was always a part of me and I just kept exploring it. At the age of seven, I started learning Bharatanatyam. I always thought that dance was the coolest of all the activities in school.”

If not a dancer
“I might have been an IAS officer! If I passed the UPSC examination.”

Professional peak
“Winning Dance India Dance. It kick-started all my success.”

Facing challenges
“When I was on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, I put myself under a lot of pressure… the mental stress was horrible for my health. I was fighting a constant inner battle because I wanted to outdo all that I had done in the past, whereas I should have just focussed on enjoying every moment of the experience.”

Staying grounded
“I am my biggest critic and that’s one of the reasons I don’t take success too seriously. It’s all a phase; success or failure, you must stay humble. I try to do my best.”

Greatest influences
“Terence Lewis and my sisters.”

Luxury indulgence
“I’ve recently developed this obsession for buying shoes whenever I travel. I really hope that I manage to stop soon!”

Top genres
“I love Indian contemporary; it allows me to use my training in Indian classical styles. I can say that that’s my forte. My other favourites are ballet and waacking.”

I keep my skin happy by…
“Not wearing make-up unless it’s for work. I do yoga every day and eat a lot of salads. Also, sunscreen is essential for skin protection.”

Style mantra
“I have only one source of style inspiration — my younger sister, Mukti Mohan. Thankfully, she has launched her own fashion brand called MeMukti which I flaunt at all appearances, shows, interviews, events and performances.”

Every dance lover must watch…
“Black Swan.”

Looking ahead
“This year will be an exciting one. Right now I’m prepping for the Nritya Shakti Tour 2016 during which I will be travelling the world to teach workshops. I will also be judging a show on MTV called Nescafe Labs and Dance Plus on Star Plus, starting in June.”

On making progress
“The growth in this industry has been tremendous and I feel honoured to be a tiny part of it. More and more people now are accepting this profession and now, with the help of the Internet, you can be inspired by teachers from around the world. Indian female dancers are going to get bigger in the next few years. I’d love to see an Indian female dance crew or soloist perform and win competitions at the international level.”

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