Amey Mehta started his career with an aim to be a choreographer. After training himself under Terence Lewis Academy for five years, the vivacious dancer started his studio called Temperance in Bandra, Mumbai, which offers yoga, dance, mixed martial arts, and a host of workshops for kids and adults. Though he has mastered many forms, he is of the opinion that there is no end to learning and he travels every year to different places exploring new forms of dance. Here’s a conversation with the master dancer. Tell us something about your journey as a choreographer… I still remember my school days, when I was in my second standard. My teacher asked the class what each student aspired to become. At that time I told her that I want to dance. I trained myself in Terence Lewis Academy for five years and later started my own studio called Temperance, a studio which offers yoga, dance, mixed martial arts, and a host of other workshops for kids and adults. Today, as a dance director I make sure I do work which is creative and different like the CNBC Award function; the showroom, Goodearth’s launch event, Actor Shakti Mohan’s entry sequence in Channel V’s Dil Dostii Dance and lately I choreographed her dance with Kunwar Amar on Khuda Jane too, for the same show. Also I travel every year to various places and learn new forms of dance. So my learning has not stopped yet. These days dance has evolved well on the small screen. Your viewpoint? Absolutely. But I would also want to say that not all shows present have a radical approach to dance. Most reality dance shows have 80% of content and 20% of dance apart from Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa where I feel the platform defines dance very well. In fact, the contestants are selected on the basis of background which can give them strong content. In fact, if I am offered to take up choreography for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, I would be more than happy to do it. Do you think that people now know you better because of the reality shows? Yes, of course. Television is a medium which helps people who are in search of fame, and gives a face to their names be it actors, dancers or choreographers. What challenges have you faced and how difficult is it to survive in the industry? I have not faced much competition as luckily things fell in place for me. But yes, there was this time where I completed my training at Terence Lewis Academy and had no place to go. I was left thinking what should I do next? Thankfully, I met all the right kind of people who guided me and today I can say that I do not need to go to people for work. They come to me with assignments and life’s good. If not a choreographer what would you be? I would make an excellent event manager as I have a niche of being a leader. Message to aspirants… I would like to advise people to believe in themselves and not get carried away with reality dance shows which show a short-cut to fame unless they plan their career that way. I would also like to say that if you have the potential, you will get your due on trying hard. So please do not be disheartened.