Shivapriya School of Dance, the brainchild of Dr Sanjay Shantaram was established 25-years-ago with a handful of keen learners. Today, it has successfully bloomed into a major centre for performing arts in the city.
Apart from being the director, Sanjay is also a practising doctor and a vocalist. He began his training in Bharatanatyam at the tender age of seven.
His inspiration came from dancer, Manju Bhargavi who is also an actress. “I was inspired after watching the film, Shankarabharanam. I would dance whenever I heard music which caught the attention of producers. They started casting me as a child artist. This is how my entry into tinsel town happened."
Sanjay has not stopped dancing because of cinema. "Dancing has always been my priority. It is my dance which has complemented my acting. It has also helped me with my body language. I never wanted to only act and forget dancing or vice versa. I wanted to strike the right balance as I liked both,” he said.
The dancer became a dentist because he needed a degree. Sanjay said, “I became a dentist but was not able to identify myself sitting in the clinic. I realised that I should do what my heart wanted. I took my father’s permission and got into acting and dancing in 2002 and since then, I haven't looked back,” he said.
Today, Sanjay’s Dance School is celebrating its silver jubilee. “Acting is something which does not happen on a continuous basis. That gap is always filled by dance, which has been of great support to me all throughout. With producers knowing that I am a good dancer, there have been situations when they would incorporate dance sequences in their film and also in my television projects. Nowadays, I am recognised as a dancer rather than an actor. I am proud when people only think of 'Sanjay and his troupe' when it comes to dance performances,” he said.
There was a time when not many men took up dancing as a career but now things have changed.
“Coming from educated family, it was not difficult for me to take up dancing. Back then there was not much scope for male dancers as opportunities were very less. But today, I have seen a drastic change and the demand for male dancers is more than women. It is amazing that male dancers have been given priority here as well as abroad. There is no harm in taking up this field as a profession. But my only request is that one should ensure that they has proper education and are armed with a degree and then take up dancing seriously,” he said.