Dance is not just about deft footwork, coordinated steps and experimentation, according to a troupe of 15 dancers, all first year college students. They strongly believe that teamwork is the key to success.
Pandemonium, a dance crew that started out with a small bunch of starry-eyed dance enthusiasts last year, has grown into a rage among city colleges. The talented teenagers, who have even registered their dance company, strive hard to innovate each time they are on stage, giving their best in every performance. The creative head of Pandemonium, Pranav Padmachandran, a first year engineering student of SRM University who co-founded the company with his friend M Saravan Krishna, shares his insights on their journey, memorable experiences and future plans in this candid interview.
“I used to go for training to Raack Academy when I was in school, that’s where I met Vijay. He is my mentor. He encouraged me to start the troupe and gave us the idea of performing for colleges,” says the down-to-earth dancer who aspires to start his own dance school in four years’ time.
The genesis of Pandemonium happened right after Pranav wrote his board exams, during the three-month vacation period. A five-member core team comprising students from different schools who got together by chance soon grew into a 15-member strong troupe comprising dance enthusiasts who specialise in jazz, hip-hop, Irish folk, Indian contemporary and western contemporary dance. Their Facebook page – Pandemonium Dance Company – hosts dance videos and inspirational posts to keep the team focused on their passion for dance.
Speaking about the biggest challenge he faced while forming the motley group Pranav says, “Most people thought that it would be impossible for us to form a group immediately after school and sustain it. But with proper practice we have been able to make a name for ourselves.”
“We try to incorporate new styles. Like hip-hop set to old movie songs, or even to violin music,” he says of their signature style.
The members of Pandemonium are no amateurs. They have performed for corporate events, college culturals and have also conducted workshops for the children of Paradise Home, an orphanage on ECR, Chennai .
“Our most memorable experience was when some members of my troupe got on stage for my college fresher’s event. People in the crowd started screaming out ‘Pandemonium’ during our performance. It was unbelievable,” says Pranav.
Pandemonium was formally registered as a company this year, following which the troupe conducted auditions to recruit fresh talent.
“We didn’t expect much of a response but more than 50 people turned up on a Sunday morning for the audition. We selected four who were really quick learners. But we will definitely give the others a chance for other shows,” he adds.
At present, the gang is meticulously juggling their dance lessons with their two-hour rehearsal sessions at Pranav’s house every weekend. The motley crew will be featured in a music video that will include a story line about their journey and a dance video set to film music.