Beats’n’Steps to launch New Dance-Fitness Studio in Panampilly Nagar

PRESS RELEASE
KOCHI: Beats’n’Steps, the renowned dance-fitness studio is opening its second center at Panampilly Nagar after two successful years of functioning at South Kalamassery. The new center will be focussed on dance, fitness and martial arts with the best talent to teach in each category.

Training in BollyFitness, Zumba Basic and Strong, Mixed Martial Arts with Taekwondo, Latin Dance Jr, Latin Dance Senior, Bollywood dance, Hip Hop, Contemporary dance, classical dances such as Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathak will be offered at the new center, Prasanth S, Director and Co-Founder of Beats’n’Steps said.

“We will have the best of trainers for each of our programs and the most convenient timings for ladies and kids,” Prasanth said. “Lifestyle changes and busy work schedules have made life sedentary for most people and hence our fitness programs are focussed on the requirements of corporates, housewives and above 50 year olds,” he added. 

The Kathak dance training is being provided in association with Mudra School of Dance while Latin Junior and Senior is being offered in association with Paul Paul Academy, Thrissur run by renowned Latin Dance expert Paul Chiriankandath. Paul is preparing kids in the 6-18 age group for Latin Dance Competitions promoted by Dance Sport India affiliated to World Dance Council.

Beats ‘n’ Steps was established in June 2015 by Zumba fitness trainers Prasanth and Aswathy Visweswaran at South Kalamassery. “We have over 250 satisfied clients in our Kalamassery center with focus on Zumba, Aerobics and Yoga,” Prasanth said. He quit a high paying corporate job to start dance fitness business along with Aswathy, a pharmacist turned fitness trainer who is also trained in Latin Salsa dance.

“With more enquiries coming from the heart of the city, we are launching the new facility at Panampilly Nagar to cater to people living in Kaloor- Kadavanthara, Vytilla, Ravipuram, Thoppumpady, Thevara and nearby areas,” Aswathy Visweswaran said.

 “Our clients have expressed satisfaction with Zumba Fitness, Aerobics and Yoga as they have experienced improvement in their health, weight management and happiness which gives us motivation to offer our services more people,” she added. Lately, even doctors, nutritionists and sports medicine experts have recommended Zumba to keep fit and prevent cardiovascular diseases and stroke, Aswathy said.

Beats’n’Steps: Ist Floor Kannada Sangha Builidng, Panampilly Nagar, Kochi-682036

Beatsn’Steps: Ist Floor, Khafji Tower, Near CUSAT Signal

For enquiries: Mob-9895611537, 9744954607

Indian Contemporary Dance: From the floor to air with dexterity

If you think dance was all about body movements, eye movements, mudras and accompanying song and music, you may be out of sync with the contemporary! If you have learnt Kerala’s unique martial art Kalaripayettu, you can use it not only for self defence or for attack. If you have a passion for dance, this martial art would be just right to blend into contemporary style.

If the name Daksha Sheth crops up in any discussion of contemporary there is nothing to be surprised. Daksha, an exponent of Kathak  (having trained under the legendary Birju Maharaj) and Mayurbhanj Chhau combined Kalaripayettu, aerial and rope techniques to take the dance to new heights. Her equally illustrious daughter Isha Shervani performed in Subash Ghai’s Kisna (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZogcmNls0FY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVynNDtvR9Q) and several other films. She mesmerized the world with her horror acts, Argentine Tango, Aerial Lyra acts and several others in the immensely popular reality show Jhalak Dhikla Ja aired in Colors Channel.





Isha Shervani from the production Shiva Shakti (Pic Courtesy: Ishashervani.com)
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Kochiites are now fortunate to have Pratheep Kumar, a versatile contemporary dancer trained under Daksha Sheth and was associated with it for over 10 years and held performances in USA and UK. He dropped out of college while in Trivandrum to pursue his passion-dance.

Kalaripayettu training under his uncle helped him become swift in his body movements and flexibility.  The beauty of contemporary dance is in not giving undue weight or strain on any part of the body especially the knees, Pratheep says. The weight is balanced on the toes and the tip of the leg. His performance in May 2015 at the Kerala History Museum titled Dance Affair organized by TheFloor was indeed a delight to watch. The Floor has been in the forefront bringing contemporary dancers for workshops in recent times.

Daksha’s new language and idiom in Indian contemporary dance is now being taken up by an enthusiastic team of trainers like Pratheep and Santosh (both at Mamangam), trained in Kalaripayettu, Bharatanatyam, and Ballet. Pratheep who has been trained in Indian Contemporary is eager to learn western contemporary that incorporates elements of Ballet and gymnastics. Renowned actress Rima Kallingal, founder of Mamangam is herself a contemporary dancer, which many people may not know.

India’s film industry – Bollywood only briefly experimented with contemporary dance thanks to Isha but for the most gave us a choreographed Bollywood dance that had a mix of classical, semi-classical and western themes.

Western contemporary has a long tradition set by such stalwarts of the 1800’s as Isadora Duncan, Ruth St Denis and Ted Shawn. Indian contemporary is still evolving and should catch on with the younger generation. It takes real courage to experiment and bring new ideas into existing art forms. That makes Daksha unique while most dancers are mere followers of a particular tradition.

When I recently met the legendary Resul Pookutty after a gap of two decades, he asked me what icontemporary dance is all about. I told about my daughter initiation in both Kalari and Contemporary. I didn’t have a clear answer to his question then. But it has stirred a curiosity to know more. With each experimentation, the skillful dancers are stretching its possibilities a bit more.

References:Western Contemporary: http://www.worlddanceheritage.org/jazz-contemporary-difference/
Indian Contemporary: www.ishashervani.com & www.dakshasheth.com

(To learn more about Contemporary Dance classes, call Prasanth@ Beats ‘n’ Steps- 9895611537)