{"id":10461,"date":"2024-05-22T07:00:28","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T01:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalindian.com\/youth\/\/?post_type=story&p=10461"},"modified":"2024-05-21T12:42:39","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T07:12:39","slug":"an-indian-ballet-star-in-the-miami-city-ballet-amiruddin-shah-pirouettes-to-glory","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/old.globalindian.com\/youth\/story\/cover-story\/an-indian-ballet-star-in-the-miami-city-ballet-amiruddin-shah-pirouettes-to-glory\/","title":{"rendered":"An Indian ballet star in the Miami City Ballet, Amiruddin Shah pirouettes to glory"},"content":{"rendered":"

(May 22, 2024)<\/strong> An excited Asif dances his heart out to the beats of the dhol<\/em> at a Dahi handi<\/em> celebration in Mumbai, reprimanded by his uncle for participating in a Hindu festival. The opening scene of Yeh Ballet<\/em>, a Netflix biographical film of an Indian ballet dancer, Amiruddin Shah, speaks volumes about a boy from the slums of Mumbai who made it to London\u2019s Royal Ballet Theatre. \u201cIt\u2019s true. My uncle was against a Muslim dancing at a Hindu festival. But I kept doing what I liked,\u201d smiles Amiruddin, who is today a corps de ballet member at Miami City Ballet, in an exclusive with Global Indian<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Indian

Rags to riches \u2013 A \u2018balle\u2019 to ballet<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The 20-something\u2019s rags to riches story is inspiring. From doing odd jobs in Mumbai\u2019s slums to becoming the first Indian ever to be selected at the Royal Ballet Theatre, Amiruddin’s story is about patience, perseverance, and resilience.<\/p>\n

Amiruddin\u2019s story unfolded in the Sanpada slums. His father left his village in UP over three decades ago to eke a better life in the City of Dreams. Struggling to make ends meet, the children chipped in. \u201cFrom selling eggs to slippers, shoes, mango pickles on the roadside, I did everything,\u201d recalls the Indian ballet star, the youngest of five brothers and two sisters.<\/p>\n

Despite studying at a government school, he hardly attended classes. \u201cWe went to school because free meals were provided. Not too great, they sufficed, and many families sent their children for that full meal, and to keep them away from trouble,\u201d says the boy, who grew up amidst violence. \u201cWhen you see people dropping dead in street fights, you begin to look at things differently,\u201d reminisces the Indian ballet star.<\/p>\n

\"Indian

With no clear interest in studies, it was dance that called out to the young lad. \u201cI was sort of dyslexic and never understood how to write or count. It seemed too difficult –\u00a0 I felt comfortable and at ease with the arts. Dancing made me feel alive,\u201d chirps the street dancer.<\/p>\n

Then came a Danceworx jazz and contemporary dance programme for underprivileged students. His older brother Nizamuddin introduced him to it, and he even impressed the instructor. This led to him trading places with his brother who was already enrolled. \u201cBoth couldn\u2019t be a part of it due to financial constraints, so my brother stepped down,\u201d says an emotional lad, who felt trapped seeing his brother give up his place.<\/p>\n