- Born
- Nickname
- Guru of Dance
- Shiamak Davar was born on October 19, 1961. He is an actor, known for Dhoom 2 (2006), Jagga Jasoos (2017) and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011).
- He is credited with introducing Western forms of dance to India; he himself created Shiamak's Indo-Jazz, a fusion dance style combining Western Jazz technique and Indian movement.
- Davar's choreography and entertainment design have represented India at several global events, like the World Economic Forum Davos 2006, the launch of the Indo-Japan Friendship Year Tokyo 2007, the India-Canada Business Partnership Summit Toronto 2008, and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
- He runs Shiamak Davar's Institute for the Performing Arts (S.D.I.P.A.), a renowned dancing school in his name. Established in 1991, all types of dances are taught at the Institute. Reasons for joining S.D.I.P.A. are not limited to dancing aspirations; one can join up for fun, to make friends and/or to lose weight. Originally S.D.I.P.A. had two centres, both situated in Bombay - there are now branches in Bangalore, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Madras and Pune.
- Shiamak is a gifted singer and has performed with musician Sting.
- In 2000 he established the Victory Arts Foundation (V.A.F), a non-profit organization committed to making dance a meaningful experience (through classes) for those who are underprivileged, physically/mentally challenged or HIV positive. The V.A.F. endeavours to use the power of the performing arts to bring joy to special students.
- About Yash Chopra : "I'm really touched that he thought about me. Everybody says, "You're good," but no one ever offered me anything."
- The SDIPA motto: "Have feet, will dance!"
- [observation, 2013] When I started off twenty years ago, Bollywood dance did not have a structure. The first movie I choreographed went on to win a national award and introduced jazz technique to Bollywood. It was a first for Indian cinema to have properly choreographed pieces with dancers who were trained and had fit bodies. This movie - 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai' - is considered a turning point for dance in Bollywood movies.
- Dance is a celebration of life, it is such an integral part of our culture. And what better than doing something that gives you joy and also gets you fit!
- Dance and fitness found a new meaning when people saw the first Bollywood film that I choreographed. Since then, one thing that has been a constant is extremely fit dancers. What people considered as a revolution of sorts thirty years back, has now become a norm.
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