Synchronised Steps

The latest addition to her repertoire is a Lawani-Rap fusion,and she felt that the occasion of International Dance Day would be a good time to expose the city to her brand of dance. “This style combines the popular Maharashtrian traditional dance with the rhythmic,upbeat American street dance style to create a fun choreographed dance form that is easy to follow,” she says,adding that the fusion came about while experimenting with different dance forms. The dancers will be clad in traditional Maharashtrian attire and jewelry,but the sensuous facet of the Lawani dance will be accompanied by the vigorous enthusiasm of Rap music.

Lahoti has been performing since she was just three-years-old,and is trained in the Indian classical dance-form Kathak. However when she began choreographing her dances she started incorporating steps from different dance forms,and found her true calling in fusion dance.

“I was performing Kathak,but when I first attempted choreography,what came about was a combination of different dance styles. It wasn’t intentional at all,it just sort of happened,” she smiles as she speaks about her tryst with choreography.

Lahoti started an academy for fusion dance in 1995,and aptly named it -Kalaaharmony. At the academy,along with her team of 20 instructors,she is constantly experimenting with different Indian

and global dance forms to create various types of fusion dances.

“We try to merge two different dance styles into a balanced mixture while still preserving the authenticity and the individuality of each,” she says adding more about her unique fusion dance art forms.

Through Kalaaharmony,the danseuse has started the Indi-Glo fusion dance movement,which comprises of a series of workshops familiarising the general public with various forms of fusion dance.

They started out with a Latin-Bhangra fusion series in October last year,which got a huge response from everyone,especially youngsters. The Lawani-Rap fusion,which begins today,is the second workshop of the series.

“We basically have an idea that we wish to convey through our dances,” says Lahoti,adding,“There is never any particular logic to any dance,especially since fusion dance is a combination of varied dance forms. Most of the times good ideas just flow together to become one.”

On the occasion of International Dance Day,Lahoti defines dancing as a sacred experience. “For me,dance is a spiritual journey which takes me towards a knowledge of myself and an understanding of who I am,” she says.

(Lahoti will be conducting a free introductory workshop for the Lawani Rap fusion series at 7 pm today at Ramjog Mandir on Law College Road)