Mastering the Moves

The Grand Finale of the show will be held in Pune on August 7 and Soparrkar admits it’s going to be a tough task picking one winner. He says,“We have chosen the best from the country,and let me tell you,it was quite a difficult task. We had to choose from thousands of very talented kids. Some had even come from the US and Canada. Finally,we had to settle for 16. Even harder was to pick the next four. I really don’t know how we are going to choose the winner.”

His personal favourite is Vaishnavi Patil. He says,“One reason is because she is from Pune,but the other,overwhelming reason is because she is proficient in many styles of dance.” He explains further,“The most important thing in a reality show like this is the dancer’s will to perform every dance form,and not just show expertise in one. This is how many very,very talented kids lose out – they may be very good in one style,but are sadly lacking in others.”

Soparrkar feels such shows give true talent its much-needed platform. “Such shows open the doors of possibilities for dancers,especially those from smaller towns. It shows how a common person can become a superstar through talent and hard work.” He also feels that in such competitions,winning isn’t everything. “Winning is good,but such shows are about showcasing one’s talent. It is not only the winner who gets picked by choreographers,but other talented participants have an equal chance,” he says.

He’s pleased that the finale of the show is being held in his hometown. “The show is one of the biggest dance platforms in the world. When the organisers initially contacted me,I thought it was to choreograph. To my great surprise,they wanted me to judge. My co-judge is Farah Khan and it has been such an honour to just sit next to her!” he smiles.

Recently,Soparrkar suffered a personal jolt when his house was robbed. “It has been a total breach of trust for me as someone from the inside was involved. He was like a family member. It will be difficult for me to have that kind of confidence in anyone again,” he says.