Rashmi Rekha Das, OP
Atish Mohapatra is a doctor while Ashis Das is a scientist, but their passion is the same: Dancing
The difference between their passion and profession is vast — yet they gracefully manage both with poise and purpose. Atish Mohapatra is a doctor while Ashis Das is a scientist but their passion is the same, i.e., dancing. They straddle two different worlds with ease. The Rourkela-born duo has already made a mark in the world of dance thanks to their mesmerising performances. Ashis is a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai and Atish is preparing for the post-graduate examination. Interestingly, both of them come from the same region and same school. In a candid conversation with Sunday POST, the two talk about their dreams, future plans and more.
Tell us about your journey as a dancer.
Atish: I used to dance at the functions of St Paul’s School, Rourkela. I had a casual approach to dancing until I got to know about hip-hop. Ashis and I did a lot of research on YouTube about hip-hop and used to practice during school breaks or the games period. St Paul’s was our practice venue until ClassXII. After getting into VSS Medical College Burla, I used to regularly come down to Rourkela on weekends to practice dance at NIT Rourkela with Ashis. That apart, I used to practice in my hostel room during my stay at Burla. I started participating in hip-hop competitions and Jams after two years and after that every year as my schedule permitted.
Ashis: We made up our mind to carve out a niche in the field of dance when we were studying in ClassXII. Interestingly, we did not learn dance from any institution. We are self-taught dancers because we followed YouTube to learn new dance moves. We have also popularised“Bboying.” Apart from being passionate about dancing, we also have to pursue our studies. After graduating from St. Paul School, Atish joined Bural to pursue MBBS while I joined NIT. During those days,Atish used to come down to NIT to practice dance moves together with me. We got noticed after performing at a few local events. Later, we came up with our dance crew called Divine Torque Crew.
What are the challenges you faced?
Atish: The main challenge was how to handle academics and dance simultaneously. It was my childhood dream to become a doctor and Ashis wanted to be a scientist. We always motivated each other to balance dance and academics. A warrior doesn’t give up on things he loves. I had to drop a year to prepare for the MBBS exam, which made me a little bit depressed after my boards. It was difficult,but somehow I made it. I am still struggling to balance both the things,but it is a sweet struggle.
Ashis: Yes, the biggest challenge was to balance both studies and dance and that too without proper guidance. We succeeded because we had the patience.
What was your most memorable experience as dancers?
Atish: The most memorable moment for me was when Ashis and I along with our crew won the second prize in IIT Kharagpur shuffle for the first time. It was a great morale booster for me.I have never looked back since then.
Ashis: Indeed, the Spring Fest at IIT Kharagpur-2013 was the most memorable event for me as well when Atish and I, with four other members of Divine Torque Crew, won the competition MTV Dance to Act.
How do you maintain a balance between your passion and profession?
Atish: It is difficult but for me it’s all about priority management. I give at least one hour a day to practice, stretch and exercise. But during exams, I practice only about 30 minutes. During competitions, if I am not overburdened with work or studies, I practice more.
Ashis: Well, it is not that easy but when you are passionate about art, you always find time. Actually it’s not that you find free time for the art but it’s the art that finds you.
Who do you credit for your success?
Atish: I really want to give credit to my elder brother, my parents, and my friends, especially Ashis, Nistha and my dance crew, for helping me to balance studies and dance well.
Ashis: Atish, Sumon Rudra and Debayan Chakraborty are the brilliant guys I would like to attribute my success to.Besides, my parents have always encouraged me to chase my dreams.
Have your parents supported you in your journey?
Atish: Yes, my parents have always supported me to follow my dreams. They used to tell me to try to be best in whatever I do.
Ashis: Yes, my dad supported me to follow my heart. My father, who works as a physics lecturer, was an artiste when he was young. He knows that pursuing a passion doesn’t have to do affect studies. It will not hamper studies if one knows how to balance them.
How do you describe yourself as dancers?
Atish: A dancer reflects his personality when he is on stage. At the beginning, I was a timid dancer but I had that urge to be better than what I was.I just focused on improving every day and creating something new through my dance moves.
Ashis: I spend most of the time doing Toprock, Downrock and Freezes as a breakdancer. I will call myself a style-head, who focuses more on the musicality and postures of mymovements. There are two types of B-Boys: Power-head and Style-head. Power-heads are those who focus more on acrobatic movements whereas Style-heads are those who focus more on the musicality, style and attitude.
What is the biggest compliment you have received so far?
Atish: I got the biggest compliment from my father when he praised me after watching a video of my dance.
Ashis: Many youngstersin my age group find me an inspiring personality. They often seek advice from me when it comes to maintaining a balance between passion and profession. I take that as a great compliment.
What is your dream?
Atish: My dream is to keep progressing and become better in my profession as a doctor and to keep dancing.
Ashis: My dream is to take the Indian nuclear energy programme to new heights for the benefit of my country. Besides, I would like to impress upon school and college students that pursuing an art form like dance can keep you occupied in a positive way, away from all negativity and distractions.
Tell us about the dance form you have introduced.
Atish: Our dance form is called breaking /bboying /bgirling. It is an athletic type of street dance and consists of four kinds of movements called Toprock, Downrock, Freeze and Powermove.
Ashis: Breakdancing, widely known as B-Boying, is one of the four major elements of hip-hop culture. It is an athletic style of street dance. Though many know B-boying in Orissa, they do not follow the authentic form. Atish and I retained the authenticity of the dance form and this distinguishes us from others.