People have skipped an important chapter in dance today, one of pursuing training. I want to fight back.” We are mid-way into our conversation with Dhiraj Bakshi, founder of the Split Sole Dance Academy (SSDA), which has opened its new studio in Santacruz. He is talking about the loss of a sense of commitment to the art form since the pandemic. “There is an expiration date that comes with creating art,” he adds.

Inside, Eden Pereira, a guest faculty member, is teaching a contemporary dance session as part of a three-day workshop series, where they introduce textures within dance seen across the world in the 21st century. He has just finished teaching a short piece he’s choreographed. Noticing the participants trying to grasp the choreography before the workshop ends, he asks them to take a moment to pause. “What is it that makes you tick? Think about what it is that really keeps you going,” he tells them. “Find that. Don’t be scared to be human,” he adds.