CHENNAI: Choreographing a dance routine for 270 roller skaters with just 10-12 days of planning for a 14-minute song is no easy feat. Last Thursday, Rahul Shetty, a Mumbai-based choreographer, was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records for accomplishing this feat.The event itself took place in 2015, at the Shiv Ganga Roller Skating Club in Belagavi and also bagged a record in Guinness Book of World Records that year.
When he was putting the event together five years ago, the thought of a world record hadn’t crossed his mind. “I never expected this. When I was in school, my parents had got me this big fat Guinness Book of World Records which had fancy illustrations and real pictures of record holders. I always used to wonder if I could ever have my name in that book,” says the Street Dance 3D choreographer.Although he was born in Mumbai, his roots are in the coastal city of Mangaluru. Dance shows that a young Shetty put together for the Bunt community, to which he belongs served as a launch pad for his journey in dance.
Shetty recalls that his father, who is from Mulki (25 km from Mangaluru), used to encourage him to serve Karnataka, the land of his cultural roots. “My parents are proud that I have been able to contribute laurels to my motherland. This, after a bag of opportunities presented itself in B-town and exposed me to some of the finest choreographers and actors in Mumbai,” says the 30-year-old.
Shetty had to overcome multiple challenges to make the 2015 show a success. “We had to get to the fundamentals of dance moves. Moreover, we had to train participants of varying age groups. From hand movements to body posturing, a lot of things had to be in sync for all 270 roller skaters. I also collaborated with Sandeep Kinekar, a local choreographer, and Nikhil Chandaka, a skater who helped in orchestrating the entire show,” says Shetty.
When the pandemic crisis eases and Covid restrictions are relaxed in Maharashtra, Shetty will begin work on projects he has signed up for. Until then, there’s a record that is keeping him happy.