He has synthesized these influences into a genre of dance he calls Indian Contemporary. Over the years, as he studied more dance forms-jazz, hip-hop, contemporary ballet-it opened up a wider world of nonverbal expression. “ would not be able to speak in complete sentences even at like 16.” During dance performances as a child, Patel says you’d likely find him on the edges, in the back. Patel wasn’t always comfortable with his own voice. Amit Patel performs his signature Bollywood heels style in Fremont, CA. “I was able to get to my sense of self through dance,” Patel says. Now, when he teaches “Bollywood Heels,” a mixture of Kathak gestures (Indian classical dance) and jazz dance, Patel takes great care to create a welcoming learning space for all his students, regardless of their gender expression or sexuality. He wanted more, specifically, to dance in heels to Bollywood music, but no one was offering that class. “I knew that a lot of people in their entire lifetimes would never experience that,” he says. Everything clicked: the added height, the posture those heels required. It was the first time he danced sensually. When Amit Patel first danced in heels, he felt empowered. If Cities Could Dance is KQED Arts' award-winning video series featuring dancers across the country who represent their city's signature moves. Safety parameters were followed to protect the health of the dancers and video production team. Editor’s note: This episode was filmed under strict guidelines due to the coronavirus pandemic.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |