"I could never stop dancing"

Jahnavi Sheriff is a multi-disciplinary artist - a dancer, model, actor and choreographer. Her journey into dance began early as a child, leading up to a diploma in Bharata Natyam from Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, Chennai. She pursued her dance ambitions further, at the Broadway Dance Center, New York, receiving the 'Outstanding Student Award' in 2014. During her stay in New York, she was drawn towards Dancehall culture and music. Was a turning point in her career, setting off new directions. She attributes these changes which lead to new opportunities, such as Kalamandir Dance Company and the Urban Dance league . Returning to India, she got actively involved in building dancehall crews, travelling across the country as an artist and as an instructor. Having contributed to the repertoire of Terence Lewis Academy, Danceworx and The Wooden Stage, Jahnavi took to modelling and creating her own team called  “Smash Dem”. 

As a contemporary dancer, Jahnavi has performed and choreographed for artists like Nucleya, Reggae Rajahs and Naezy at festivals such as the NH7 Weekender, Royal Enfield Rider Mania and Goa Sunsplash. FEMWAV had a heart-to-heart chat with Jahnavi recently. About how she is navigating the current pandemic and it’s effect on the dance scene in India. Jahnavi reveals many interesting facets of her career and how she has tackled various challenges and changes as an artist and entrepreneur …

Due to the Covid pandemic, live performances and workshops have been cancelled en-mass. How are you handling this change?  

Early last year, as the news about covid slowly started to spread allover, I had to shifted all my classes online. And since then it's been online. So I would definitely consider the concept of online classes a blessing during these times. However, I remember last year and even now a lot of artists are coming together to create or give free performances and classes in order to raise funds for Covid-19 Emergency Appeal. I do miss being in front of people and dancing together and having the energy in person, but with the way things are to be able to still connect via the internet I consider it a privilege and I'm grateful... 

How did your dance journey begin? What motivated?
I have been dancing since I was 5. I guess I always knew it was what I wanted to do. When I grew up we only had the concept of western or Indian dance, so I started with 'western dance'. And then when we shifted to Kandivali, I was put in Bharatanatyam class. Then in school also I was a part of the dance team. I've been lucky to have parents who supported me in this venture. All teachers used to complain that I am always dancing and my parents used to tell them she wants to be one, so let her be, it is just important that what she learns in school she should be able to apply in her life to survive, she should be able to walk into a shop and know she is not being cheated. Haha. So Yeah, Once tenth got over, I wanted to apply to a dance college, didn't feel the need to go to college and waste time, but colleges abroad would only take me after completing school .... Thankfully I found Kalakshetra, in Chennai. I applied gave the audition, I remember the director then telling me you've scored well in tenth do you still want to pursue dance? I was like hell yeah !! So the 4 most intense years of my life as a dancer began in Kalakshetra. I'm grateful I went soon, because it taught us a lot of life and valuable lessons that I don't think I would have got or maybe would have taken time to have learnt. IF anybody thinks dance is an easy job, yes we are doing what we love but there are hurdles that will come in your way, you're so exposed that criticism can make or break you and how you deal with it is so important, how you deal with injuries, how you deal with a lot of things…

Beyond your teenager years?
College was hardcore but I wouldn’t have it anyway, Im blessed with the people i met, connected with people from all over. It's been an important journey of my life. During that time thanks to the internet i started getting exposed to a lot of styles, Like movies like step up, stomp the yard etc have been quite an inspiration to me and many others, I started to learn that there were names to the styles and it was quite an experience, So i was so fascinated that during college student showcase I would try to imitate what i learnt watching those movies and get the girls to dance with me. quite an interesting time. I was having an inclination always to combine two styles, I was very fascinated just by dance and its possibilities, during my time in Kalakshetra ... all my summer vacations were me spending time in classes of contemporary, Jazz, choreography classes. I could never stop dancing. In fact before I left for Kalakshetra I had joined Breaking with Simon and Heera, I was probably really bad. But yeah I take all these experiences and count them as blessings, which has shaped me the way I am today...

After your stint at Kalakshetra?
After Kalakshetra got over, I knew I wanted to study abroad, I had applied to Canada and New York, got accepted in both places but chose New York City. Best one year of my life. I had applied for the international student visa program, and that's where I was exposed to so much more. That's where I discovered what dancehall truly was. We had to take ballet as mandatory and then the main styles we did and then other styles as sub, so that we could be versatile. They believed that as artists we shouldn’t be limited because incase we had to book a job, we should be able to deliver. So I am grateful to that place for helping me discover myself through my movement, it helped me slowly to understand who I am meant to be. I got to explore contemporary Indian, got to connect with a lot of dancers, perform, It's also taught me a lot of valuable life lessons, so when I reflect, I am like okay that is what it was trying to teach me...

How did you get attracted to Dancehall music culture as such?
While in New York, when I stepped into a dancehall class it was a slap on my face, I sucked so bad but something about it made me feel very free. I love dancing and I love to explore movement and any dance class can make me happy , but when I do dancehall it hits right in my heart and says yes! this is what I needed in my life. Dancehall for me is not just a dance form, it's been a transformative journey, it's taught me to be comfortable, that the way I am is okay, I felt like if it wasn't for dancehall I don’t think I'd be how I am. Learning to embrace my sexuality, myself, being able to share the joy of dance, it's teaching me to live life, celebrate life, give thanks for life. It's like I feel like a caterpillar coming out of a cocoon. It's been a beautiful journey. There is energy in the music and the dance… And having been exposed to it, it was important for us for people here to experience it. That's why we would organise workshops with artists from Jamaica to come and share the energy with everyone here. And if you attend their sessions, OMG!!... you will definitely feel elated! 

I have been doing dancehall since 2013. 

 

Everyone goes through a low point in their career ..what was yours and how did you overcome it?
Hmmmm..... Well, I think as artists, finance is not easy, there have been months of not having any registrations for the classes ... you go to the studio and wait and no one shows up! it's scary but it teaches you to persevere. One time I had just one student but I was so grateful to her because she still continued class with me and that gave me strength to never give up. It was like she believed in me as a teacher and that was a lot. Then when i got injured during the time my dance career was picking up, I was pissed and bitter and angry and was like why the fuck when i want something so bad i had to break my foot. But soon thanks to Yoga and being regular with it and especially ‘pranayama’, My mindset changed, I started to be more positive, i lived life like a normal person, and didn't want to let the injury make me feel down. I thank yoga for helping me come out of it sooner, during that time there were a lot of things I needed to reflect on and when I saw that time I looked at it as a time I needed off and to learn a lesson for myself. So yeah it was a time to reflect and change my attitude to life.

https://www.jahnavisheriff.com/

 

Written and compiled by Roopkiran Sangha