Stepping up in the Bay

Robert Hoffman, who is best known for Step Up 2: The Streets and She’s The Man, has collaborated with choreographer Ashley Lobo for master classes in Mumbai and Delhi. Hoffman is on a two-week tour in India to discover the dance scene here and the choreographer is intrigued by the available talent in the country, considering how well some of them have done in international dance competitions. The dance master classes, to be held during the weekend, will focus on fusing various dance techniques. Talking about the masterclass he is conducting with Ashley, he said “I am very excited to see Indian talent for the first time in my classes based on how well some dancers have done in international competitions. Currently, I am very interested in freestyle dance, especially the way freestyle dance connects to spirituality.”

Hoffman also believes that “every technique a dancer has access to should be mastered”. “This, so that their dance style has the ability to be as original and versatile as possible, and so that their own personality can come through. This is for dancers who want to be stars, not the ones who only want to have a regular career dancing behind other artists,” says the choreographer-actor who is looking forward to making new associations in the country. “The most important thing to bring back from India — as with all my travels — is a new family of artistic friends. This, as well as a broader understanding of the human condition. The more I travel and see different human potentials in various cultures, the better I understand life,” he adds.

Ashley Lobo, who is partly responsible for placing India on the international dance scene, wants to further strengthen the notion that Indian dancers match with the best on a global stage. On bringing in such well-rounded international talent, Lobo said, “India needs as much encouragement as it can get to keep up with world dance. Robert’s familiarity with hip-hop and contemporary is widely popular in the country, and his perspective on it will be a great value addition to the dance scene here. Along with being popular, he will bring to the master class some fresh techniques and a whole lot of enthusiasm.”