We have all sat in a darkened theatre or from the comfort of our couch watching a range of dance films. Some of them are about competition, some about learning, others romance. But all of them are about aspiration and inspiration and some amazing music.

From “Dirty Dancing” to “Flashdance” to “Dance with Me” to “Honey” to the “Step Up” series, and even “In the Heights”, we have spent a lot of screen time rooting for a dance form or dancer. Now, imagine one such dance tale coming to life in our own backyard.

Well, the close of 2022 saw India’s very own Namrata Wittke and Elvis Mascarenhas (Co-founders of the Rare Groove Dance Company) take the world stage as the first Asians to compete with the best of the best in Paris and win the Olympiads of Kizomba 2022 - Authentic Category.

On International Dance Day – 29^th April, 2023, Ayesha Dominica spoke with Namrata and Elvis on everything dance and also taking in a glimpse into their journey.

The Hustle

‘Everything living has a rhythm. Do you feel your music’ - Michael Jackson

Dressed in a simple yet elegant flowing African print dress, Namrata is filled with a certain joie de vivre that extends from the dance floor to even walking beside me on the charming streets of Bandra.

“The last couple of years have gone in hustling and levelling up with various dance styles,” begins Namrata. “We spent the Covid-19 lockdown upgrading ourselves with renowned teachers, research, and practice.” Having decided to compete in 2022 on an international platform, they first participated in the Asia Qualifiers of the Olympiads at the Muxima Delhi Festival, where they won and were catapulted to the Olympiads.

A freestyle-based competition, it was the perfect platform for Namrata and Elvis to showcase their prowess on the dance floor. “I always wondered what it would be like to compete in a worldwide competition for Kizomba/Semba,” explains Elvis, as he tries out some new dance moves on the road donned in his fetching fedora hat and Cuban style clothing. “The one thing that drew us to the Olympiads Of Kizomba was the freestyle aspect, where a random track from the genre you are competing in is played and dancers have to freestyle their moves, vis-à-vis other competitions, which are choreography-based. For me, this setup puts us as dancers in a position to display our understanding of the music, our creativity, and our footwork in a unique way.”  

To take to the dance floor side by side with Angolan dancers - the creators of the genre, as well as European and African dancers; all who have barely if never seen Asians dance the Kizomba or Semba style and who have been competing longer than one has, can be nerve-wracking and overwhelming. For Elvis, his centre of calm was the fact that they had already made it to the world stage, it was time to show others what Indian dancers are capable of, represent his style and experience authentically, and more than anything - have fun. While the feeling was surreal and the atmosphere charged, Namrata kept her cool by just finding various nooks and crannies to practice before the competition and turning her exhilaration and responsibility toward readying her technique for the win.

Winning Streak

‘Life is short and there will always be dirty dishes, so let’s dance' - James Howe

The moment before the proverbial curtain went up was exciting and the ambience ecstatic. Having first been exposed to this dance form in 2014 during a visit to New York while training in various Latin styles, Namrata and Elvis became one of the pioneers of Kizomba and Semba in India and the first to introduce it in Mumbai. Kizomba / Semba fall under a wide genre of African dances that have originated in Angola. They are interlinked in terms of music, groove, origin, and artists and Semba along with Zouk make up Kizomba. Its authentic style is grounded, groovy, and energetic, with a lot of flavour in footwork, styling, and tricks.

And now nearly 9 years later, they were about to showcase this style on such a massive platform. The curtain went up, the music began, and the rest as they say is now dance history. “It’s a very proud feeling being the first Asians to win this world title,” gushes Elvis while adding “I feel like we have created anopening for a lot of dancers from Asia and India who never would have imagined this could be possible. They can now start preparing to be the next and we would love to help anyone who wants to do so.”

“All eyes are on us to see how we build on this and take it forward.So with all this excitement comes this huge responsibility to pave the right path,” feels Namrata.

While the Olympiads of Kizomba is by no means their first international competition, it is one of the biggest platforms they have ever been a part of. “From Prove Your Groove NYC 2015 to the Latin Asia Championships 2016 to the World Salsa Summit – Miami 2018, to name a few, we have competed internationally and won in genres spanning house, freestyle, Hip Hop, Salsa, and more,” points out Elvis. “But the Paris experience was something else. It reinforced my belief in myself, taught me to stay positive, and to trust the process. Anything is achievable if one can reach that mindset. We did!”

Destiny’s Plans

‘Dance is sacred. It is a prayer for the future, a remembrance of the past, and a joyful exclamation of thanks for the present' - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Loalwa Braz and Patrick Swayze will definitely be smiling down and happy to know that they played a serendipitous role in getting Namrata and Elvis to fall in love with dancing. A chance listening on the family boombox to Kaoma’s Lambada by Elvis as a kid and Namrata falling in love with the dance moves in ‘Dirty Dancing’ led them to their destiny. “It’s the earliest memory of dance in our lives and has kept us grooving as partners for 12 years now. Some of the disciplines we practice either as partners or individually include but are not limited to Afro Latin styles like Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Semba, Tarraxinha, Merengue, Afro Cuban, Orishas, Cha Cha Cha, Bboying, Hip-hop freestyle, House, Waacking, Popping, Locking, and Krump.”

Other than dancing itself, for both, teaching dance is their single greatest pleasure. Elvis began by teaching his friends, creating his own life experiences, and translating that into dance class. “Dance and music has always been a part of Indian culture. There always will be this hunger to learn something new and explore culture from different parts of the world.” feels Elvis. “It is a blend of experience, sharing your knowledge with an open heart, and helping dancers grow according to their level of understanding.”

As teachers, it is very important to constantly upgrade oneself not only in dancing techniques but also teaching techniques to meet the requirements of the current market, reiterates Namrata. “A teacher must always be many levels above their students and have an overall knowledge of the dance form to do justice and spread the culture in the right way. The styles we teach are more niche but the community is growing quickly through social dancing as it is a great way to make new friends.”

Dance Differentials

‘Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music' - Friedrich Nietzsche

Music and dance have always been an integral part of Indian culture but does that translate into a hunger for learning these dance styles here? Studies show that while there is a passion for dance in India, this appetite has favoured commercial styles like Bollywood, an inclination towards forms that are quick and easy to grasp rather than those that take long to master. That is the vast difference between India and abroad in terms of the dance community, the training itself, music knowledge, and teaching, believes Elvis. “With the rise in social media today, the ratio of just learning steps and putting up a reel or a TikTok video is infinitely higher than people who truly want to gain knowledge. Even though social media has made people in India very aware of the latest trends in dance, the growth of the community is slower owing to the fact that the number of hours put in to increase one’s knowledge and train better and the level of research is lesser here as compared to abroad.”

Namrata agrees when she says, “While everyone in the industry and community here in India is doing what they have to do to survive and there is a rise in numbers and hence a growth in the right direction in terms of dabbling with different genres of music and being open to trying out new and latest styles; an in-depth evolution, seeing things all the way through, and consistency is where we’re lacking. I feel that people lose interest too soon or want to learn enough to just about manage a dance socially or to make conversation or get a date. But to reach advanced levels requires an energy that not many people are willing to expend. We have a long way to go on many fronts including a need for a crop of great disc jockeys specifically geared towards this particular dance scene. We have a long way to go and are working on strategies to make the change real.”

While dancing transports Namrata to her perfect world and keeps her carefree and happy, for Elvis, each dance gives him a new avatar to channel himself into as he switches characters according to what he’s wearing “If I’m wearing my pork pie, I’m like a classic gangster, if I’m wearing a suit, I have this James Bond Vibe, and if I’m wearing shorts I’m in a funky mood. I may be an introvert in real life, but out on the dance floor I am the loudest.”

They say that you can’t choose the music that life gives you, but can choose how to dance to it. And as long as the bass from the speakers runs through their proverbial sneakers, Namrata and Elvis will keep their and your body grooving.

My Favorite Things:

The one song that will always get you grooving ?

Namrata: Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson 

Elvis: Baby I Love Your Way - Big Mountain 

Your favourite city?

Namrata: New York

Elvis: Amsterdam

Would you like to become a judge in any reality show? Which one?

Namrata: Not a fan of Reality TV

Elvis: Boogie Woogie

What’s your favourite dance movie?

Namrata: Dirty Dancing

Elvis: You Got Served

If your autobiography had to have a title, what would it be?

Namrata: Beat it

Elvis: The Indian Vibration

Interviewed by Ayesha Dominica

Ayesha Dominica is a fiercely independent writer who has been published regularly since age 13. When she's not intimidating strangers with her love for polysyllabic words, she works as an artist manager for DJ Russel. She is prone to withdrawal symptoms if distanced from her books or her Funko collection. But you can easily distract her with the colour yellow, anything Doctor Who, Supernatural, and music trivia. ​