Ever meet people where you think, “Wow, they are doing exactly what they were meant to be doing in this world”? They’re passionate, live and breathe their work – which they don’t consider as work – and have this unwavering, refreshing honesty and confidence about who they are and what they do. Well that’s the type of person I discovered when I met Sharmila Kamte, dancer, choreographer and director of Sharmila Dance School in Dubai.
She is somewhat of a celebrity in the city’s performing arts world. Over the years, she’s not only taught thousands of children, teens and adults but has also trained top professional dancers. And when you see her, you get it. She has spunk, what seems like limitless energy, and is straight up in everything she says and does.
I’ve always been fascinated by dance. It’s a full body sport that works all the muscles together in a cascade of beautiful movement. It does so to the rhythm of music. And it’s an art form. There just aren’t that many sports out there quite like it. So I was absolutely ecstatic when Sharmila accepted to share her views not only on the practice itself but also on today’s teens and how dance can help them get a stronger sense of identity.
WM: How did you get started in dance, what is your background?
SK: I grew up in India in a very open-minded family that loved sports. My mother was a national champion in badminton and squash and my brother in power lifiting, shotput and javelin. As soon as I could, I practiced and competed in all sorts of disciplines, from athletics to dance. I loved dance for as long as I can remember and was quite good at it. My first formal training was in a ballet school set up by the Russian Cultural Center in India; then at 15, I attended the Legat School of Classical Ballet in the UK. It was a great experience where I mostly practiced ballet but also got to do contemporary, jazz, tap, drama, choreography, etc. After graduating, I travelled all over the world as a performer and choreographer. Then in the late 90s, I moved to Dubai, began teaching at the Jumeirah Beach Club, and eventually opened Sharmila Dance.
WM: What type of dance do you teach and who are your students?
SK: We teach ballet but also a mix of Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk and Contemporary. Ages vary, kids, teenagers and adults. The 13s to 16s are the biggest group, then the 7s to 12s, then the adults, who absolutely love it because it has so many benefits. Level vary from beginners to advanced.
WM: What would you say are the biggest physical benefits of dance?
SK: It works the mind, and slows the aging process. Dance is about mind and body coordination. Learning choreography is hard: you have to learn the steps and then pray that your body will understand what your are supposed to be doing. The mind can rememeber but the message doesn’t always get to the body in time. And then of course, it tones and lengthens your muscles. Many sports can do that but dance is unique in that it requires you to take energy from your core and let it flow throughout your body. It’s not just about doing this move or that move, it’s energy that flows through a sequence of moves that lengthen your muscles and helps them communicate well with one another. When people start dancing, you often see their body and the way they hold themselves change.
WM: Do you think anyone can dance?
SK: Anyone can let loose and have fun dancing, you just need to lose certain inhibitions. Inhibition is huge though. It’s a psychological thing, with age, something in our mind stops us from letting go, we don’t want to look silly in the eyes of others and even to ourselves. This is very very common, especially in this part of the world, though I don’t see it nearly as much with kids and teens. That is, unless they’ve already learned to be “stiff” through their upbringing or environment. That self-consciousness, the feeling of “you’re looking at me and I’m not good enough yet” is often experienced by high achievers who aren’t used to be out of their comfort zone or people who are just too aware of themselves.
WM: What about rhythm?
SK: Ahhh…rhythm is different. Some have it naturally, others work a little harder to develop it, but there are individuals who just really struggle to acquire it. There is this exercise I do sometimes in class where I clap a rhythm with my hands and the students repeat it. Most get it, but some really cannot, it’s as if they can’t even hear it. But it actually goes beyond the ear: I’ve taught deaf people who felt the rhythm through vibrations and could move to it. So I think there are a few people who actually have a disconnect between what they hear or feel and how their brain commands their body to move to a rhythm.
WM: How do teaching and dancing make you feel?
SK: I love dance, it has kept me going all my life. Even when I have a worry or problem, once I get into the studio, whatever it is vanishes for that moment in time. It’s just the way I’m programmed, teaching what I love makes me happy and I totally get engaged in it. And anyway, I don’t think anyone should be paying me money to know that I’m having a bad day.
Also, I want to set a good example for students. Teenagers especially, they can sometimes have this dark cloud over them when they come to class. It’s a period in their lives where in their minds, they are dealing with so much and they can get overwhelmed. I tend to be brutally honest and straightforward with them though. I tell them, “If it’s so bad that even dancing can’t temporarily get rid of it, then stay home, do your homework or something else. It doesn’t matter if you come 5 times a week or twice, it’s what you do when you are here that counts and makes you better.”
WM: How do your students benefit emotionally?
SK: You see a lot of transformations. Again, with teens it’s even more obvious because they develop so much during this age. There are cases where they first come and I can tell just by the way they walk, stand and move that they are really self-conscious. It isn’t rare to see some who are so introverted they can’t even get themselves to uncross their arms. Also, with this generation, I see a lot more issues like self-hate and eating disorders, than before. I think social media doesn’t help: they only see the rosy parts of everyone else’s life and that’s what they aspire to be. They set huge expectations for themselves that are hard to achieve and that distracts them from what they really want.
Usually within a year or two of doing dance, I literally see kids getting “petals” and bloom slowly, you wouldn’t believe how much they change in such a short period. They go from being someone who just gets on with their life to a person filled with energy and who isn’t afraid to get out of themselves and feel closer to their identity.
I think what dance does is give them an opportunity to achieve a goal: they need to train, have good attendance, some also need to clean up their act and adopt a healthier lifestyle. They develop a comradeship with a group of like-minded people and that’s very valuable. And of course, the results are so apparent: they improve, they do one pirouette, then another, and another, they perform, people around them notice their progress,etc. All of that builds confidence.
Another thing is that finding a passion where you invest time and energy helps you grow as opposed to spending large amounts of time doing nothing much, hanging out at a mall, sitting in front of the TV or hooked on your phone for hours on end. It brings a certain substance and direction.
WM: What is your attitude when teaching students?
SK: I try to be a good role model. I regularly check in with myself and ask “Have I been a good person? Did I say what this or that person needed to hear at that moment?” Those are the sort of things I worry about these days. I don’t have a big ego and will apologize to anyone if I think I’m wrong. I don’t lie to others or myself and won’t hold a grudge. I’ll tell you exactly what I think because I care. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t bother. My students give me so much of themselves and in many ways, my job is to help them get ready for the next chapter of their life. That’s also why I’m not crazy about the trend we see a lot these days in schools and sports where everyone gets an award regardless their effort or performance. I don’t work that way. You deserve an award if you deserve an award, I am a little hard on my students because thats how the world works. I help them believe in themselves but I don’t go over the top, I need to prep them for what’s to come in the performing arts world because it’s a tough industry to be in.
WM: Is body image still a big issue in the performing arts industry?
SK: It’s getting better, but I think the problem still exists. It also depends on the type of dance. Despite some progress, ballet is quite hard body image-wise. But other styles, like modern dance or hip hop, are more laid back thanks to the Beyoncés and JLos of the world. As for commercial dance, which is what dancers often end up doing at some point to make a living, they often look for models who can dance, so that isn’t always easy. If they are looking for a size 8 and you’re a size 12, there is a good chance you won’t get it. But things are looking up: brands are starting to realize that it isn’t how thin you are but how you feel and fit into your body that makes you more attractive. A size 12 who feels good in their body will just look better than a size 8 who doesn’t. I mean sure, in classic ballet, carrying extra weight may prevent you from lifting your leg up at the exact right spot but for most dances, and overall in life, how you feel in you body has a huge impact on your general demeanor.
Sharmila Kamte
Website: http://sharmiladance.com
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/sharmiladance
Email: info@sharmiladance.com
Upcoming workshop: Sharmila Dance is hosting a workshop from June 26th to 30th
