Securing the 1st place in solo at the IIT BHU 2017 KASHIYATRA, Dhruv Dikshit a Computer Science student from Amity University Lucknow has won more than 27 dance championships at the local as well as College level. A highly passionate dance artist and a choreographer, Dhruv took his dream to the next level and formed his dance team the Contagious Crew in 2014.
Known for their unique dance styles, the Contagious Crew has won a large number of College Fests and dance competitions and stood 36th in the Indian Hip-hop Championship out of a huge 400 + Dance teams. CC won the BBD University Utkarsh 2015 and 2016, IILM ZEAL 2015 and IILM ZEAL 2016 too. Adding up to their laurels they also won the IISE Lucknow, Amar Ujala X Factor Talent Hunt and stood as the 1st runner up in the IIT ROORKEE Thomson 2016.
Not only this, winning several hearts this young artist is working day and night to keep up his zeal and take his team to the Internationals.
Q.1: What was your most challenging Dance routine till date? Do you have any favourites?
The most challenging Dance Routine for me was when we went for Indian Hiphop Championship Prelims held at IIT BHU on 18th Feb 2016 and I made a dance routine of SNOW WHITE AND THE ELEVEN DWARVES to revive everyone’s childhood to give it a funny touch. My team comprised of youngsters who were passionate about dance. Being a choreographer I always made sure to understand their body groove and make them do the specific routines.
One of my favorite routine is KATTHI DROP (A short musical tune of a Telugu Movie). This routine was most challenging because this marked the era of our continuous Victory everywhere. We started off with this routine and then never looked back what we used to do earlier.
Q.2: What inspires you to dance? Who is your role model?
Being an artist and choreographer, I am fond of music and love to show how I understand it through my body language. The evolution of music has made me inspire a lot. It’s like I can feel there is a different vibe in me when I hear an interesting piece of music. I don’t have a particular inspiration or role model to follow to be named. Anyone who amazes me with his good deeds or talent inspires me or becomes my role model for an instant.
Q.3: How difficult it was to form a complete team? How did you come over those challenges?
After I reached college I took ahead my dream and decided to form a dance team of my own. There were many hurdles and challenges, people whom I trusted ditched me and the team formed another team and were always ready to bring me down. Although I used to be broken at times but kept my members strong in every situation. One of my closest friends KARISHMA SRIVASTAVA stood tall with me in every situation and was a greatest support that CC made it out till here. Another challenge came up when I suffered ACL TEAR in my left knee during a basketball game while I was in the 2nd year. Managing the team with an injured leg which used to dislocate every time from the knee joint was the most painful era of this team. My team members cheered me up and I always stood up for them keeping a smile. Finally I got my knee operated in 3rd year, and regaining back to health we worked hard rigorously and never looked back again.
Q.4: What is that, that gives you strength when things get difficult? How do you motivate your team?
When things get difficult, I start all over again. I calm myself and always emphasize on finding ways to tackle those difficult situations and give it all in the moment. There is always a way which is blocked by the negativity that comes along with difficulties. I keep them aside and always welcome the situations in every form. I am always ready for worst phase. When it comes to motivating my team I make sure I am never dull in front of them. I always keep a smile and act like nothing much has happened to ease them. Even though I don’t have solutions at that very moment when they get panic, I still ensure them I got a plan and make them relax. I handle them with utmost care its just they are like a family away from my family. I keep cracking jokes even in pressure situations to release their fear and pressure if they have any and they all know how good I am when it comes to PJ.
Q.5: If you could give advice for aspiring young dancers, what would you want them to know about?
My word of advice will be, being an artist you must respect other’s hard work and art form. Copying them will surely make you win many hearts for a while out there but won’t satisfy your inner artist. If you are a real dance lover then trust yourself, your body parts, your dance style and the way you understand music, rest all will fall perfectly in line. Create new stuff each day and push your limits more which will lead to your overall growth. Dance the dance which makes you happy not others want you to. Don’t keep on doing what you always do, attempt new things, learn from every dancer who impresses you, take tips from them and apply on yourself. Lastly, Dance because you love it not to show you are better than any other. That’s the real funda to keep moving ahead.
Q.6: Your most memorable experience till now? Tell us about any one of your performances that highly motivated you as a team?
Obviously its gonna be Indian HipHop Championship 2016. We got selected for the quarters and then we made it to MUMBAI. We stood 36th place out of more than 400+ crews from all over the country. Competing with the professional teams made the best days of this team and indeed a memorable experience. The performance of Quarter Finals highly motivated us because we were at a place which was full of professional dancers and the entire team was afraid of the outcome. But we made it to top 72 for semifinals and that really boosted our confidence.
Q.7: What’s something people would be surprised to know about Contagious Crew?
Hahaha ! Well this team is full of crazy people and I don’t know how we look on stage but to everyone’s surprise, no one is a professional dancer or has ever received any dance training. I teach them in a funny way and they learn it quickly because of the bond we share. This group was about to terminate thrice but it survived everytime. One more thing that can surprise people and make them go. Aaaawwwww about is, this team was created on 14th feb 2014 and that’s when we celebrate our anniversary each year. We all love dancing so made it our special valentine.
Q.8: What are your future goals? How are you planning on to achieve them?
I got jobs already in hand and my future goal is to become a successful software engineer. I want to pursue MBA too but after getting few years of experience in this job field. CC may get terminated after we passout but my future goal is to make another generation of this team one day and that team will be one of the best in India. It might take several years, I will form a team of professional passionate dancers and give them all the opportunities to make them become the best and make this team go international one day.
Q.9: Words to live by?
No one is perfect out there, prepare yourself for the worst so that when actually worst shows up you have at least an idea to deal with it. Never ever give up. Life is too short to regret on personal happenings. Think of your future often. Although you will regret things but all this can be given separate time. The only best thing I can say to live by is:
”WORK IS THE BEST ANTIDOTE TO SORROW IF YOU HAVEN’T TRIED YOU SHOULD SOON.
Contagious Crew Facebook page
Contagious Crew Official page: