I attended several schools throughout my childhood. My father was in the army and hence we kept moving from one city to another. I was known to be a serious child — sans mischief. I was much more serious than others my age. My entire life revolved around my dance classes and the programmes that were arranged once in a while. I loved art and dance and was always in my school’s dance team. I was very focussed since childhood, even though I then took dance and music as a hobby and not a future career option.

As a child, my dream was to work in big hotels. They always fascinated me. But my time as the head of a PR company, after completing hotel management and MBA, was nothing like my dreams. So I was more than happy to give it up.

Dance had always been my passion. My first stage performance was at the age of 12. I was very emotional and still remember that I had been reduced to tears during the performance as I had kicked my partner too hard and was sorry about it. But I was always a strong believer in individuality and never had any role models.

I do not remember being in the bad books of my teachers for playing pranks. And though I was not a naughty boy by any stretch of the imagination, I had once ended up in hospital for months. While playing with my cousins, I fell head over heels and hurt myself very badly. The skin on my entire face had peeled off. I had to be hospitalised for quite a few months. I was also barred from dancing and it was then that I realised how much I loved it.

In my childhood, I had often gone on trips to Spain and Cuba as an exchange dance student. Those were the most memorable trips for me. More than the places, what I loved were my dance classes. It was there that I learnt authentic Spanish dances such as Paso Doble, Rumba and Salsa. It was an enriching experience as I learnt these dance forms from people who knew them as well as the back of their hands. There is nothing better than learning a dance form from its native practitioners. It was a unique experience that I still cherish.