Taking Dance Decibels Higher
GCC Roll ‘4’ Soul Dance Academy
      “It is a different experience for the soul.
      Indulge in what the soul tells you.
       Explore yourself and conquer hearts.”

When Darpan Malhotra moved from New Delhi and joined GCC as a freshman and student of Biotechnology, he did not anticipate the kind of change he wouldexperience at the Roll ‘4’ Soul Dance Academy. That too within a short span of time! Says Darpan:

“The dance academy has been a temple of learning and hence provided all that I craved for - positive attitude, perfect dance skills and overall personality development. It has been a genuine transformation, really!”

Recently appointed as the Head of the Student Trainers at the academy, Darpan, who also juggles the additional charge of Salsa and Ballroom, epitomizes a journey that is not an unusual one as you may imagine. Having taken to dance on campus as a youngster keen to pick its nuances, the salsa and ballroom dance exponent swears in the academy’s motto: Don’t be a spectator, be a performer.

“I came to Garden City College to pursue my studies but in the academy, I realized I could learn something more. I have no regrets at all.”

Brought up in Assam and schooled at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mayuri Dutta fostered similar ambitions when she joined the campus to pursue Biotechnology. “At that time, I was next to zero in dance, shy and short in confidence,” she recalls. In 2005, she witnessed the performance of Rang De Basanti and did not require a second invitation to take to the dance floor. The rest as the cliché goes is history. Today, she can hold her head high. Mayuri heads the Management Department of the academy.
So what has she gained since making the move? “It has been transformation of sorts and the academy has played a major role,” she insists. “After joining the academy, I have gained enormous confidence, got rid of stage fear besides being groomed as a dancer,” she continues. “The highlight of my stint was being adjudged the ‘Best Outgoing Student 2008’, something I least expected but will cherish for a lifetime.”

Another member of the academy, Archana Surendranath, started learning dance after joining the college. “Throughout my childhood, I had no inclination to dance and the feeble attempts by my mother failed to elicit a positive response,” she recalls. Now a regular member of the dance troupe, Archana has no words to express her joy and attitude even as she rues the lost time. “It has been an altogether different experience, I have a very different outlook to the art of dancing, but more importantly, dance has become my passion.” Looking back, Archana is amazed by the tremendous change. I have always been an introvert, shy and doubtful of anything I opted to do but here I am, so confident, and taking initiatives, sometimes on my own,” says the Biotechnology lass from Kutch, Gujarat hardly able to hide her joy.

And then there is the Biotechnology student from New Delhi and member of the management committee, Kamakshi Khanna.

So what is it that stands out for these fab four?
All heap words of praise on their dance teacher Mr. Jigar. Says Darpan: “The way he continues to impart his dance skills is commendable. He is soft, a friend but the best part of it is that he is a great teacher who knows how to get the best out of his students.”

According to Darpan, there is a great change in his dance movements, management skills and marketing fundas, all because of the dance teacher.

The most importat thing i have developed at the academy is my personality

I am looking forward to the coming years to push forward the goals of the academy,” chips in

“ W e l o v e t h e academy for so many things, not just dance,” adds Archana. “I have made lots of friends here in GCC and the exposure has helped me inculcate a Mayuri. sense of team spirit.”