SHALL WE DANCE?
WOn International Dance Day, Nargis Fakhri, Harleen Sethi spill the beans on shaking a leg with choreographer Melvin Louis
hile Melvin Louis is quite famous on social media for his groovy dance steps, the ace choreographer is also popular among some of the leading ladies in showbiz.
On International Dance Day, The Free Press Journal caught up with Melvin Louis and two of his favourite dance partners, Nargis Fakhri and Harleen Sethi, who spoke about the art form, and its importance in their lives, the choreographer’s skills, and more.
Melvin’s first tryst with dance was as a child when he used to groove to upbeat numbers for hours without getting tired. “Growing up, I never consciously thought of choosing dance or choreography as a career. I just went about enjoying my passion. Initially, I had never thought I'd be so lucky but it seems like God had different and best plans for me,” he says.
Not many know that Melvin had participated in the reality show Dance India Dance in 2009, but failed to clear the second round of the auditions. However, he did not give up on his dream. His hard work finally paid off when his social media videos became a rage and he tasted success that was long overdue.
Over the years, Melvin has choreographed some of the most gorgeous ladies of BTown, including Sandeepa Dhar, Harleen Sethi, and Nargis Fakhri, to name a few. Shedding light on the process that he follows with them, he states, “They all have different styles. I choreograph them in their comfort zones and in return, I also get to learn a lot from them.”
Nargis couldn’t help but heap praises on the choreographer. “Melvin is such a good teacher. He always makes sure I am comfortable and helps create moves that I look good doing. I hope to create something with him soon again,” she quips. Adding further the Rockstar actress says, “Dance for me is a form of artistic expression. I am not a professional or trained dancer, but I enjoy it as a form of exercise for the mind, body, and soul. Your entire being feels uplifted when you dance.”
For Harleen though, Melvin is not just a choreographer but also a dear friend. “My father always says that out of all the people I’ve danced with, I look the best with Melvin. We have this crazy vibe and madness between us,” she gushes. Sharing her experience of working with Melvin, Harleen adds, “The best thing about Melvin is that he plays into the strengths and weaknesses of his dance partners. He doesn't make me do anything that he knows will be tough for my body.” The Broken But Beautiful actress shares it was music that evoked her love for dance. “Since childhood, I was passionate about music and my love for dance has stemmed from that. Today, dancing is recreational for me. It makes me forget everything else. It liberates me,” she avers. Dance is the solution to all problems for Melvin. He believes that one must dance when they face a roadblock and set their minds free. “In my case, the more I dance, the more money comes in. Hence, all my problems get solved anyway,” he jokes.