Getting to know…SHAM!
Because we all need more strengthening & conditioning in our lives, we are so honoured to bring you the multi-faceted performance artist, Sham, to our teaching team with her specialised Burlesque Barre class!
Experienced in both stage and screen mediums; Shamita is a performer who enjoys a challenge. A trained dancer from an early age, after over 16 years of ballet training, as well as a broad range of other dance styles; she developed an interest in dance theatre forms such as Butoh alongside her acting. She holds a BA Performing Arts from Monash University, supplemented by training with Film & Television Studios International, Stella Adler AoA Los Angeles, AAFTA, and Meisner Technique. As a performing artist her work has travelled across Australia and overseas, from the tropical islands of Guam and Brunei, to cosmopolitan Singapore. She often incorporates intercultural practices and cross disciplinary elements into her work, inspired by everyday experiences, music and sound, and socio- political issues she is driven by. When not on large scale stages and screens, she is an active performer of Australia's queer cabaret scene, and is passionate about creating high energy performances with her signature style. Behind the scenes, Shamita is also a keen writer and director, and is popularly consulted for movement direction.
Shamita has had extensive dance training. Her foundation began with 16 years of RAD ballet training, which she continued until RAD Advanced 1. Over the years she has become proficient in Jazz, Commercial, Bollywood, Contemporary, Hip hop, and tap. She is comfortable in Afro- Caribbean and dancehall styles, and is also an avid Voguer.
She has performed internationally, at various occasions and venues ranging from car launches with Audi and Toyota, exclusive private events, Boxing day test matches, and even the State Library of Victoria. She has performed both solo and as a member of Urban Vibe dance crew. You can often find her performing frequently at local queer events and cabaret shows.
In 2013 Shamita began delving into physical theatre explorations and has since completed workshops and training for Butoh, Suzuki and Bogart practices. She endeavours to refresh her training at least once a year.
She currently dances freelance as well as with Sapphire dance Company; Melbourne's premiere Bollywood dance co. She is also one half of Commercial/ Vogue duo SIZE KWEENS with frequent collaborator Gerard H Pigg. She teaches dance and Barre at Eve Studio in Preston/Brunswick; and is available for private hire, hens parties, choreography and one off workshops. At the start of 2021, Shamita became a certified Spin/ Rhythm riding instructor with Vicious Cycle, and teaches at their South Yarra branch. As a fitness/dance instructor, Shamita is a supportive, passionate and knowledgable teacher who brings her experience and joy for movement with her, along with a bangin' playlist! She is known for her ability to bring out the best in the shyest of movers, and encourages and supports people to push beyond their comfort zones.
We sat down with Sham and asked her some questions to get to know her better!
What is your favourite thing about being a performer?
I love setting a mood, and creating characters. Although I'm first and foremost a dancer, a lot of the enjoyment for me mostly comes from character development and embodying something I am not! I'm actually more introverted than people assume, and super self-conscious when I'm not performing as something other than 'myself'! So, I guess I love having alter egos.
What other styles of dance do you teach/perform?
I’m not teaching dance regularly at this particular moment, but over my years of teaching I've taught everything from dance fitness classes, heels, Bollywood, vogue, commerical, hop hop and bollyheels. In terms of performing, I probably perform bollywood the most as my crew is often booked and busy! But closely followed I utilise lots of commercial and heels in most of my choreography, but I also have a few more contemporary/lyrical routines, and even butoh pieces. These don't get requested very often but I love the chance to bring them out for the right occasion.
What's the funniest/craziest thing that has ever happened to you during a performance?
I have SO MANY horror stories!
I wouldn't say this is the craziest but it definitely sticks out in my mind as being hilarious, yet painful.
Once I was performing at some fancy birthday party event, and we had mentioned to the client several times to please make sure there was nothing on the floor as we would be dancing barefoot. And sure enough, from our upstairs changeroom we saw the staff sweeping the floor ten minutes before we were about to perform. The idea was that the birthday celebrant would have a big entrance, walk through the stage and then sit as the two dancers would head through and kickstart the party. Then as we were prepping at the entrance doors, we noticed what we thought was this epic smoke machine effect as the birthday girl walked through the space. It was floating like a cloud over the dancefloor.
Then we heard our entrance music and headed in, did the routine no dramas, although both of us noted it was a bit slippery. Towards the end of the set, I noticed my feet felt like they were going numb, like they had pins and needles! It just got worse and worse! We finished the dance, ran back up to our changeroom and felt like our feet were entirely frozen! We then realised that the smoke we saw earlier was not, in fact, haze - but DRY ICE. Our feet literally had lowkey frozen from the residue left on the floor! Luckily I had asked the venue for a pot of hot water for some tea earlier so the two of us literally sat on the floor with our feet wrapped around this warm teapot literally laughing and crying at the same time. Ahhh- performer life.
Where do you gain your inspiration from?
Inspiration comes from the strangest things for me. Often I'm inspired by random everyday occurrences, or a piece of music, or an aesthetic. It depends what I'm creating for! What inspires me for routines and sets is very different from what inspires my writing and theatre/film work! I think my acts are generally visually driven and focus on creating a vibe and character within that world. Rather than choreographing and then finding the look of the piece I usually work the other way around- where I can't work on it until I have the visuals down pat!
Join Sham for some casual drop in classes! Check out the current timetable to see what she’s offering this term and book a class!