Akshay Jain says, ‘Dance is something which you have to keep learning and there’s always a scope to be better’!

#AkshayJain journey in showbiz so far has been a roller coaster ride. The choreographer and #YouTuber, who belongs to Jabalpur, MP, came to Mumbai a decade back to pursue his dream. His father runs his own business, his mother is a passionate baker and homemaker, and Akshay is the youngest of three siblings. He talks about his journey so far.

“Honestly, I have been a natural dancer since childhood. When in class 11, I had the chance to perform a Bollywood number on stage; I knew that performing arts is my calling. So I completed my studies, and came to Mumbai. I got mentored by Pankaj Achpaliya sir and Priya Shankar ma’am. They used to run gym and Bollywood classes. I learned a lot from them. After that, I worked as an instructor at RSDC. My journey has been long from being an instructor to a dancer, to an assistant choreographer to a YouTuber, to now an independent choreographer,” he says.

Akshay wanted to dance because of Hrithik Roshan, after watching him perform Ek Pal Ka Jeena (Kaho Na… Pyaar Hain). “That song turned my world around. More than a dancer, I want to be a good choreographer. I look up to and admire the work of Masterji Ganesh Aacharya, Bosco Martis sir and Caesar Gonsalves sir. They are good and creative,” he adds.

As a background dancer, for three years Akshay performed in shows such as Star Screen Awards, Da-Bang Tour, IIFA and so on. He shares that as a dancer, one gets a lot of opportunities, like performing alongside stars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, be on TV, also travel a lot.

“I have also travelled to many places abroad as a dancer. You get to make lifelong friends. My best friends are from my initial dancing days in Mumbai. So all in all there are quite a few perks. However, dancers work hard. They need to know all styles, many routines, and 12 hours of non-stop rehearsals. While as a choreographer, one gets to interact directly with the visionaries and create something artistic. I have full working knowledge of all types of equipment used on a set and this is because I am a choreographer. However, I feel that choreographers like me lack opportunities in the industry. I’m not stating reasons or blaming anyone, just a general opinion as a choreographer. There are many choreographers whose potential has not been fully explored,” he says.

On whether having formal training is necessary, he explains, “Talent is everything. I say this because I haven’t received any formal lessons in dance myself. I am a natural dancer. Yes of course my mentors helped me develop my skills and taught me a lot but I never joined any academy to learn dance.”

A piece of advice to aspiring dancers from Akshay would be to buck up. “There is a hell of a lot of hard work, struggle and sleepless nights. Learn from wherever you can, show no ego and make contacts for personal growth. Dance is something which you have to keep learning. There is always a scope to be better,” he adds.

Akshay’s favourite movie is Baahubali. “I can watch Baahubali at any point at any time without getting bored. The movie is fiction but it is so beautifully directed by SS Rajamouli sir that it feels real. I’m a big fan of his vision and direction and hope to work with him one day. My other favorite movies are 3 Idiots, KGF, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Fast and Furious Franchise and all Marvel movies,” he ends.