Young choreographer from Bhubaneswar
Goutam Bhattacharya has made a special place in the hearts of youngsters for his extraordinary dancing talent. He has worked in cities like Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and other parts of the country and is well-known for choreographing mega national events like iifa Award in 2002 and Z Cine Award in 2005. Goutam has been teaching around 300 young people at his dance institute Goutam Kalinga Dance Studio. In an interview with Dipchand Bihari the choreographer talks about the nitty-gritty of the profession. Excerpts
Q How did you chance upon choreography as a profession?
A- When I was very young the passion for dancing in me was, perhaps, the strongest of all other passions a kid harbours. So I decided to move to a metro city like Mumbai to learn the various forms of dances. There I dedicated myself to learning wholeheartedly. Later, I took to teaching young aspirants in Mumbai. The turning point of my career was when I was asked to choreograph iifa Award 2002 and later Z Cine Award.
Q What does the work entail?
A- First and foremost, it is passion that matters. Passion propels you forward in the profession. Besides, creativity, originality, commitment, flexibility, a positive and open attitude are also equally important.
Q Why did you return to your hometown at a time you were having a great time in Mumbai?
A- True, Mumbai is a city of opportunities. I stayed there for around eight years. But when my father passed away, I was forced to come back to Bhubaneswar. Now, I am teaching students of the city and enjoying life.
Q What’s a typical work week like?
A- Well, it depends on seasons. Sometimes I don’t find time to take rest and then there are situations where I need to find work. But here in the institution I can earn a steady income.
Q What is most challenging about what you do?
A- Every profession has some challenges we cannot ignore. Earlier it was very difficult for me to find work because nobody was acquainted with me and my skills. The hurdles are still there but I have found the way to overcome the obstacles.
Q- What is most rewarding about the profession?
A- The reward for a choreographer is when your students reach high places in this field. My students Bhumika Das, Barbi Mishra, Abhishek Nanda have topped many reality shows. Some of them were selected for Dance India Dance.
Q- Any movie offers in the pipeline?
A- I never got any opportunity in Hindi films but I was invited to work in the Oriya film ‘Dhauli Express’. However, I didn’t accept the offer due to some personal reasons.
Q- Your advice for aspirants…
A- Dedication is absolutely essential. It may take some time to get success but there surely is success. You may get rejected but it is part of the job. Don’t ignore the hurdles. Learn hard to be an extraordinary choreographer.