Shiamak Davar

Shiamak Davar

Shiamak Davar in 2010
Background information
Born (1961-10-19) 19 October 1961
Occupation(s) Choreographer
Years active 1996 – present
Website www.shiamak.com

Shiamak Davar (born 19 October 1961) is an Indian choreographer, noted as one of the first to bring contemporary jazz and western forms of dance to India.[1] He is known as the guru of contemporary dance in India. He is responsible for modernizing India’s dance scene especially in the film and theatre industry, and is respected for his ever evolving and very popular “Shiamak Style” of dance.[2] He was also the Director of Choreography for the Commonwealth Games, Melbourne, and Commonwealth Games, Delhi.[3] He recently choreographed the dance sequences for the movie Mission Impossible 4.

Davar has choreographed several Indian actors and celebrities for film and stage for events like the IIFA Awards and the Filmfare Awards. Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Sushant Singh Rajput were members of the Shiamak Davar Dance Company.[4][5] Upcoming Indian actors Ruslan Mumtaz, Shubh and child actor Darsheel Safary were also a part of the Shiamak Davar Dance Company.

Davar won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Choreography for his work in the film Dil to Pagal Hai,[6] as well as the Lycra (R) MTV Style Awards 2007 for 'Most Stylish Song in a Film', for the song "Dhoom Again" in the Indian film Dhoom 2.[7] In July 2011, Davar received an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University in recognition of his contribution to entertainment in India and throughout the world.[8]

Davar is a Gujarati-speaking Zoroastrian.[9]

Choreography

Davar began his career in choreography for Hindi cinema with the film Dil To Pagal Hai, for which he won the President's National Award. Having changed the way dance was perceived in Indian films, Davar went on to choreograph for several Hindi films such as Taal, Kisna, Bunty Aur Babli, Dhoom 2, I See You, Taare Zameen Par, Yuvvraaj, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Aladdin. He also trained Sumer Gill in 2014. Shiamak has shared the stage with artists such as Sting, Bryan Adams and Eddie Grant.[10] He acted and choreographed in the movie Little Ziziou...[11] He released a hit pop album, Shabop, for which he composed and sang songs with other Indian artists such as Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan and Shweta Pandit as well as songs mixed and assorted by DJ Aqeel. Shiamak has also served as the performance and entertainment designer for shows such as the Sahara Sangeet Awards, the Shiamak Davar China Tour, the Seventh Cairo International Song Festival,[12] IIFA Awards,[13] Shiamak: The Spirit of Song and Dance South Africa,[14] I Believe — A Shiamak Davar Spectacular[15][16] and The Unforgettable World Tour.[17]

Shiamak has directed, designed and performed at global events like the 2006 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, the 2010 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, The World Economic Forum, Davos (2006) and entertained world leaders including Bill Clinton who said, about Shiamak, "the world must see you".[18][19]

Davar has been associated with choreographing the Bollywood Oscars, the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), for over a decade. At the IIFA in Tampa Bay, Florida in 2014, Davar choreographed Hollywood stars John Travolta and Kevin Spacey. His choreography for Hrihtik Roshan made Travolta look surprised and his jaw was hanging open. Travolta stated "He’s really brilliant as a dancer. And I’m most impressed by Shiamak Davar’s team. They’re as good as any of the dancers at the Tonys. That was actually a performance worth watching. Two thumbs up from me".[20]

Charity

As a philanthropist, he runs the VAF (Victory Arts Foundation) that teaches dance to underprivileged children and children with mental and physical disabilities to help them experience the pleasure of expression through “dance as therapy”. His dedication to his art, unfaltering faith in God and belief in the power of prayer makes him a true role model.

He is involved in a religious group, that most people claim is a front for a cult. [21][22]

Controversies

On 8 May 2015, a lawsuit has been filed against Shiamak Davar in Canada's British Columbia Supreme Court[23] for allegedly sexually abusing two men from North Vancouver, Canada. Shiamak Davar has denied the charges, in writing to both the lawsuits, denying all the allegations and claiming they have been made with the intention of ruining his "character, reputation and affiliated organisations".[24][25][26]

References

  1. ↑ Shiamak Davar The Times of India, 10 December 2002
  2. ↑ Wednesday 11 March 2009
  3. ↑ A Slice of India at C'wealth Games, The Times of India 16 March 2006
  4. ↑ Shiamak Davar's mover and shaker, by Bella Jaisinghani, The Times of India, 20 July 2008
  5. ↑ The official Screen India Magazine Website – Shahid Kapur's biography
  6. ↑ Shiamak Davar Shiamak Davar The Times of India, 10 December 2002
  7. ↑ Style Award Winners – The official MTV India website – 2007 Lycra(R) MTV Style Awards Winners List
  8. ↑ http://www.mdxsouthasia.com/Pdf/Articles/Shiamak_Davar.pdf
  9. ↑ Diksha Kamra. "SRK's shouting was a gift: Shiamak". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Www.Shiamak.com 22 June 2014
  11. ↑ IMDB.com 22 June 2014
  12. ↑ Pack of Cards Al Ahram Weekly 16–22 Aug 2001
  13. ↑ Talk n Cafe: IIFA Awards 2008 - Complete Retrospective. 10 June 2008
  14. ↑ Vidoevision Entertainment Website. Shiamak - The Spirit of Song and Dance. 8 July 2005
  15. ↑ The Aditya Birla Group Website, feature on I BELIEVE
  16. ↑ Buzz18.com. Shiamak Davar Returns with I Believe. CNN-IBN. 12 November 2007
  17. ↑ Bollywood World.com Unforgettable World Tour IANS 16 August 2008
  18. ↑ The globe and mail news site Published Wednesday, Jun. 15 2011, 4:23 PM EDT Last updated Friday, Aug. 24 2012, 3:54 PM EDT
  19. ↑ WSJ : Shiamak Davar Dance Company Starts Classes in NYC By AARTI VIRANI
  20. ↑ Firstpost.com From Kevin Spacey to Hrithik Roshan - 6 memorable IIFA 2014 moments 16 June 2014
  21. ↑ Wednesday 11 March 2009
  22. ↑ www.Shiamak.com 22 June 2014
  23. ↑ "Notice of Civil Claim in the Supreme Court of British Columbia between Jimmy Nowzer Mistry and Shiamak Davar" (PDF). 6 May 2015.
  24. ↑ "Shiamak Davar: Shiamak Davar, Bollywood star, sued for alleged sexual abuse of B.C. dancers in sect". CBC News. 8 May 2015.
  25. ↑ "Shiamak Davar: Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar is accused of sexually abusing two former students in Canada". Scroll.in. 8 May 2015.
  26. ↑ "Shiamak Davar: Shiamak Davar sued for alleged sexual abuse by two ex-students". FirstPost.in. 8 May 2015.

External links

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