It’s not just about dancing in India: Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa choreographer Elena Samodanova

She tells us dance runs in her veins. “My mother and father are both dancers who met each other at a dance studio. I grew up in Russia and started learning ballet at the age of six. At 16, I had represented my country and won worldwide championships. I have won major titles in Europe and Asia as well, after which I was offered So You Think You Can Dance. I also have an older brother who started out as a dancer, but has turned to a different profession now.”

So how did she make her way all the way to India and bag Jhalak Dikhla Jaa? “The Jhalak team got in touch with me over email when I was in Australia. I hadn’t been to India before, but my friends told me good things about the place and I made up my mind to participate in the show,” she says admitting that she was in for a surprise when she landed here.

“The first thing I realised when I came here is the fact that the sets are much bigger than those abroad. Also due to the larger-than-life props used here, the production values are very high too. And unlike international shows, it’s not just about dancing in India. There’s a lot of drama and acting involved in every act. One has to emote according to the lyrics and feel the song during the performances,” she says, adding, “That makes it all the more challenging to execute.”

Given that lyrics play an important role and she does not understand Hindi, how did Elena cope with the alien language? Special tutoring? “The first week was very difficult, but Karan helped me through it by explaining the lyrics to me. I also used international English translator on the Internet to understand a few lyrics. My favourite line has to be one of the first few things Karan taught me — Aamhala vote kara. (Vote for us in Marathi),” she says.

Since it is her visit to India, Elena says she’d love to explore the city and the country at large, but rehearsals take up all her time. “We don’t get even a single day off and practise for about eight hours on an average every single day. When I’m not dancing, I am either busy translating or caught up with other creative processes of the performance. I definitely want to explore the city, but right now I have no time for that. Karan takes me out for drinks and dinners after rehearsals at times. He also made me taste the local cuisine and I must admit that I absolutely loved it! Luckily I am staying at a very beautiful hotel in Mumbai, so I get to relax by the calm poolside. Rest of the time is mostly spent chatting with family back in Russia. They are very supportive of my choice.”