Sandip Soparrkar

Sandip Soparrkar
Sandip
Born (1964-10-06) 6 October 1964 (age 60)
Bhopal
OccupationBallroom dancer
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2009; div. 2016)​
Websitesandipsoparrkar.com

Sandip Soparrkar (born 6 October 1964) is an Indian Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor, columnist, Philanthropist, Dance Reality Show judge, Radio Jockey, Dance Therapist, Sufi and Tanoura Dancer [1] and a Ted X speaker, who holds a doctorate in World Mythology Folklore from Pacifica Graduate Institute United States and also an Honorary Doctorate in Performing arts from The National American University. He has been honoured with 3 National Excellence Awards[2][3] and 1 National Achievement Award[4] by the Government of India, he is also the recipient of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for Social Achievement.[5][6] and the prestigious Bharat Gaurav Samaan given by the Ministry of Culture at The House of Lords, London, UK.[7] He is also a recipient of the Prestigious Shakti Samman given to him in form of a Sword by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.[8]

The renowned 'Dance Today' Magazine, USA, rates Sandip as one of the '100 most influential dancers in the world'. He has also been crowned as the 'King of Art4Peace' by the Art4Peace Organisation, Beverly Hills, USA.[9]

He founded "India Dance Week", which combines Indian and international dance.[10] He has also become a philanthropist with this Worldwide initiative "Dance for a Cause" where he uses dance, drama and music as a medium to raise awareness of various social issues in the society. At the British House of Commons, World Book of Records / Indo-British Cultural forum honored Soparrkar with the title of "Ballroom Dance Jewel".[11] He is the only dancer choreographer of India who has a postage stamp issued by the Bhutan Government with his picture and with the logo of his worldwide initiative 'Dance for a Cause'.[12][13] and the first dancer choreographer to receive the Rabindranath Tagore Social Achievement Prize for is much appreciated 'Dance for a Cause' initiative.[citation needed]

Apart from that he is the only Indian dancer and choreographer who has the honour of having two miniature dancing replica dolls of his by India Fine Arts Council (IFAC) and My Cute Mini for his extraordinary work in the field of dance and social work.[14]

He is the Chairperson of India Fine Art Council (IFAC) and extensively promotes artists from all fields.[15][16][17] He has been bestowed with the title of ‘The World Peace Ambassador’ by The World Peacekeepers Movement. He is also the first Indian to be certified by the Ballroom Dance Training School, Bonn, Germany

The government of the United States along with Lions Club International honoured Sandip with the 'Visionary Award' for developing a Ballroom dance program for the blind.[18] He is the first Indian Dance choreographer who was invited to the United Nations Headquarters in New York city to conduct a dance session for the United Nations Staff through the United Nations Staff Recreation Council (UNSRC) and Society for Promotion of Indian Culture and Experience (SPICE). He has also been honoured twice by Mr. Thomas Lankey, honourable Mayor of Edison, New Jersey, United States of America with a Proclamation citation regarding his initiative 'Dance for a Cause', Highest State honour was given to Sandip by The State of New Jersey, USA in form of an 'Assembly Resolution' by New Jersey General Assembly, USA.

In the history of any Bollywood film magazine Soparrkar is the first dancer Choreographer to grace a cover of a Bollywood Magazine – Films Today.[19]

Worldwide popularity of Soparrkar grew manifolds when international luxury watch brand Rolex appointed him as their 'Indian Youth Icon' and gifted him with their timeless masterpiece.[20][21] he is also the brand ambassador for Solitario Diamonds [22][23]

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles have written personal letters of appreciation to Sandip Soparrkar for promoting ballroom and Latin dance culture in India. He was the first Indian to be invited to judge the Asian Latin & Ballroom Dance Championship held at Colombo where 32 countries took part with 78 competitive dances. He is the first Indian who was invited to be on the jury of Sharm Shaikh International theatre festival for the youth, Egypt, along with other top theatre personalities from all over the world[24] Soparrkar is a noted contributor to The Asian Age[25][26][27][28] and Afternoon Voice[29][30][31] newspapers.

His Radio Show in India on Radio Nasha, Radio One and Fever FM titled 'Aao Twist Karein with RJ Sandip Soparrkar' received the World Book of Records (WBR) London, UK certification as the world's first radio dance show. Apart from that he is also Nominated as the 'Goodwill Ambassador' for World Book of Records USA.

Soparrkar is also one of the Board of Directors of the prestigious International Business School Washington (IBSW) which has its branches in The United States of America, France and India.[32]

He is the founder member of Mumba India International Film Festival.[33]

Soparrkar extensively popularizes sufi Whirling as a from of moving meditation and self discovery, often holding workshops and talks in regards to the same.[34]

  1. ^ "Dance on, Sandip Soparrkar". 20 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar – Fab India". fabindmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar receives national honour - Times of India". The Times of India. 28 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Choreographer Sandip Soparrkar honoured for his contribution to dance - Times of India". The Times of India. 28 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar: I'm overwhelmed to be the winner of Tagore Social Achievement Prize 2020 - Times of India". The Times of India. 9 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Raj Kamal Jha wins Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2020 for the City and the Sea". 7 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar receives the Bharat Gaurav Samman at the House of Lords in London".
  8. ^ ""Shakti Samman" bestowed on Sandip Soparrkar by the Ministry of Culture, India". 3 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar crowned King of Art4Peace in Beverly Hills, Hollywood". ANI News. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Bollywood Actors Raveena Tandon and Tiger Shroff to be present at Choreographer Sandip Soparrkar's "India Dance Week" - Nagpur Today : Nagpur News". nagpurtoday.in. 23 April 2015.
  11. ^ "World Book of Records". worldbookofrecords.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Stamp of honour". Asian Age. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  13. ^ https://www.pressreader.com/kuwait/arab-times/20180706/282355450497805. Retrieved 20 December 2023 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ "九游会官网真人_j9九游注册地址_j9九游旗舰厅". www.televisionsworld.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  15. ^ "संदीप सोपारकर यांची इंडिया फाईन आर्ट्स कौन्सिलच्या अध्यक्षपदी निवड". 11 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Home". indiafineartscouncil.com.
  17. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar appointed new chairperson of India Fine Arts Council". 24 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar awarded for his dance programme for visually challenged - Times of India". The Times of India. 29 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar the first dancer to grace a cover of a bollywood Magazine – Films Today". 21 July 2018.
  20. ^ "Rolex Chooses Sandip Soparrkar as the Brands Indian Youth Icon". Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  21. ^ "Rolex Gifts Sandip Soparrkar One of Their Timeless Master Pieces". 4 December 2018.
  22. ^ "Solitario Diamonds announced Sandip Soparrkar and Shanthi Priya as Brand Ambassadors".
  23. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar and Shanthi Priya have been named as brand ambassadors by Solitario Diamonds".
  24. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar Jury for International Theatre festival in Egypt".
  25. ^ Soparrkar, Sandip (28 March 2017). "Celebrating Indian traditions voxtrot". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2023 – via PressReader.
  26. ^ Chu, Adela (22 November 2016). "Meeting the queen of carnivals". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2023 – via PressReader.
  27. ^ Soparrkar, Sandip (16 August 2016). "Tao Porchon: The legend turns 98 years young voxtrot". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2023 – via PressReader.
  28. ^ Soparrkar, Sandip (7 June 2016). "The Pratibha of dance". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2023 – via PressReader.
  29. ^ "King of Kathak turns a year older". Afternoonvoice.com. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  30. ^ "Quality of a Good Dance Teacher". Afternoonvoice.com. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  31. ^ "Delivering a social message through Fan Dance". Afternoonvoice.com. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  32. ^ "International Business School of Washington Appoints Sandip Soparrkar as Board of Director". Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  33. ^ "Mumbaindia International Film Festival (MIIFF) was launched at a Grand Function in Mumbai".
  34. ^ "Sandip Soparrkar first Indian choreographer learning Tanoura Dance". 10 February 2018.