Sandip Soparrkar shows off his dance moves

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Renowned Ballroom and Bollywood choreographer Sandip Soparrkar was the chief guest at “The Grand Magical Night” hosted by Navrang Dance Academy on Aug. 11. Soparrkar is a Latin and Ballroom dancer, choreographer and actor from India, who holds a doctorate in World Mythology Folklore.

The event was attended by more than 250 people at Royal Albert’s Palace in Edison, New Jersey.

Students from Navrang Dance Academy started off the night by performing to “Oh Mere Sapno Ka Saudagar” from the 1991 film Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahi and Soparrkar joined them towards the end.

“I believe in having events and parties which bring families together in this age of electronics and social media. I am glad this event brought families together to spend quality time dancing, socializing and celebrating life,” Varsha Naik of Navrang Dance Academy, who hosted the event, was quoted saying in a press release.

After the Ballroom Dance Session, which saw Soparrkar leading, was over, a scavenger hunt titled “Find the Cinderella Shoe” took place where the men were to find clues that would lead them to the Cinderella shoe and present it to their partner.

“I am happy that I could share my knowledge of classic Ballroom dancing to all the dance lovers here and also talk about the changing phase of dance as an art form,” Soparrkar is quoted saying at the event.

On Sunday Aug. 13, Soparrkar conducted dance workshops at Navrang Studio locations in New Jersey, that were based on a “fusion theme,” combining international dance forms like Salsa and Ballroom with Bollywood. The classes were open to all ages.

Soparrkar is the pioneer of “India Dance Week,” which is a dance platform that brings together Indian and international dance forms and which, according to the press release, has been honored with the title of “Ballroom Dance Jewel” by the World Book of Records, Indo British Intellectuals Forum and the British Government at the House of Commons in London. It has also received the National Achievement Award and the National Excellence Awards from the Government of India.

Soparrkar was honored with the “Visionary Award” by the U.S. Government for developing a dance program for the blind and was later declared as part of the 100 Most Influential Dancers in the World by the Dance Magazine, the press release said. He has also choreographed Jacques Roybin, the French actor and director; Prakash Patil, who holds the title of Mr. United Nations and American Model Ekaterina Hanssens, all of whom were present at the event. He has appeared in many Indian dance reality shows with other famous choreographers like Saroj Khan, Farah Khan and Geeta Kapoor.