The Indian beat

Desjardins performed a contemporary number on the popular So You Think You Can Dance?’s recently-concluded second season in Canada,no one who saw them had a doubt that the two will make it to the finals. The chemistry was potent and their technique firmly in place. The two,as predicted by many,went on to secure the winning and the first runners-up positions (respectively) on the show. And now,India’s contemporary dance guru Shiamak Davar is set to recreate the magic as he brings the now-real-life couple to India next week for workshops at his dance school,Shiamak Davar’s Institute for the

Performing Arts (SDIPA).

The duo,who will be in Mumbai from May 3 to May 15,were approached by Davar’s team as part of their regular initiatives to expose Indian dance aficionados to international dance and dance stars. “Tara Jean and I had known about Shiamak for some time now since his dance schools are extremely popular in Canada. So when his team member offered us the opportunity,we naturally agreed,” explains Desjardins.

The couple is understandably excited about visiting India since the Bollywood Dance group number,which was introduced in the show last season,helped them score. “It’s our first time in India and we are looking forward to visiting the country where this genre comes from,” remarks Popowich. An immensely popular show in the US,So You Think You Can Dance launched the Canadian version in 2008,which became an instant hit across the globe with 22 million viewers in the very first season. Indian dance enthusiasts too,have been following closely both the US as well as the Canadian versions. Talking about the genre itself,Desjardins says that he finds the hand movements tricky “but the visual effect that the dancers create together is beautiful”.

While here,the duo will be conducting workshops in

contemporary,salsa and hip-hop styles that they specialise in.

In Davar’s opinion,the duo excels in technique,grace and style but their strength lies in their passion for dance. “Though they are in Mumbai for 15 days and then in Delhi for another 15,such short workshops with talented international stars enable students to learn the basics of certain dance styles and improve on their technique,” he remarks.