“One Year Program (OYP) for me is enriching. I feel very oriented and wholesome as to what OYP has done for me” says Ishaan Khattar who has been a part of Shiamak Davar’s OYP

Shiamak Davar is a name that has been synonymous to Bollywood dream sequences and exceptional thumkas on the dance floor since inception. Watching a sizzling Madhuri Dixit and a sensational Karishma Kapoor battling it out on the dance floor was a scene that we desired to mimic.

Over the years, Shiamak Davar has transformed many lives and made them SUPERSTARS. Bollywood’s A-listers like Katrina Kaif, Ranveer Singh, Govinda alongside Bollywood legend like Amitabh Bachchan, Varun Dhawan, amongst many others have been trained by Shiamak Davar & his star instructors for various award shows. 

Shiamak Davar’s One Year Program (OYP) is one such program that formalizes passion with relevant higher education, a full time course that has transformed lives across the country and abroad. One such dance star whose life was changed is the very famous, Ishaan Khattar, whose elder brother, Shahid Kapoor was a student of Shiamak Davar and then an instructor for many years. He claims, “One Year Program (OYP) for me is enriching. I feel very oriented and wholesome as to what OYP has done for me”.

OYP is a holistic performing arts course that encompasses all aspects of dance. It can be considered as the epitome of Shiamak Davar’s mission to help dance enthusiasts make their passion into a profession. It is his belief that every dancer should have an equal opportunity to get quality dance training, regardless of their economic status. On the occasion of 10th year of the One Year Program, Shiamak Davar is announcing FREE scholarships for 30 most deserving candidates across India from the underserved background. The initiative is being entirely supported by Book-A-Smile, a BookMyShow charity initiative, which was created with a vision to support special causes and enrich the lives of the less fortunate in our country through "Entertainment-led Experiences."  

The program will focus on technique, training and knowledge in over ten dance styles with specialized training in Shiamak Style, Contemporary, Modern and Ballet. With theoretical and practical knowledge, this program gives first-hand experience to students at big shows and events.

"Every instructor who is a part of my Dance Company and teaching faculty is professionally trained to maintain high standards of dance education. There is an abundance of talent that needs the right guidance and for this reason I created an intensive dance training program with extensive course content. Every student is reviewed in the auditions personally by me. I check their fitness and basic dance ability to ensure that those selected will be able to cope with the program, both physically and mentally. The auditions are a combination of participants performing their routine and a couple of routines set by me.”

What makes this certification unique is the theoretical component — “For example, a course called ‘Science of Dance’ incorporates the understanding of the body which is essential for a dancer,” explains Shiamak.