Hello Questers! 

I hope you all are doing well. Today, I want to share the Quest story of how my passion transformed into my profession through relentless pursuit.

Self Introduction 

I'm Gerold Praveen James, aka JStreetS, a professional dancer, choreographer, and artistic director from Chennai, leading the Give Up Dance Up Community.

I began my dance journey at 17, training at Rackerz Studio of Dance & Fitness in Chennai. Over the years, I’ve participated and placed in various solo and group dance competitions. As a loyolite I had the opportunity to represent  India’s top college dance group and I had the opportunity to choreograph for the Loyola College Dance Team.

I also served as the official choreographer for The GSquad Crew from Madras Institute of Technology, securing three consecutive intercollegiate dance competition,Dance Battles victories. Alongside that, I freelanced as a choreographer for Axis Bank India and coached two contestants to the finals in Kalaignar TV's "Oydi Vilaiyadu Papa" Seasons 3 & 4.

Currently, I lead our dance community, the "Give Up Dance Up Community."

Here's My Quest Story

My journey into dancing began during my 11th grade. Initially, I wasn’t fond of dancing, but during a school excursion, my friends insisted that everyone should dance. I was the last to join in, but they recorded my performance. The next day, my friend Vinoth, an excellent dancer, showed me the video and suggested that I should take up dancing seriously. He even helped me join a nearby dance class, known for its appearances on TV shows.

Although my parents weren’t strict, they didn’t want me to join the dance class and refused to pay for it.Because they warned me that dance could negatively impact my career.

Determined, I learned quickly, became a senior dancer, and earned money from my performances, which helped me pay my dance class fees. I also recognized my limits in balancing my studies and dance, which helped my parents see that I am managing things maturely.

This independence motivated me to improve continuously. Eventually, my parents accepted my passion for dancing as I began choreographing for reality shows, with my students reaching the finals,

One of my most prestigious achievements is becoming the official choreographer for the Madras Institute of Technology, the college of Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam sir.

With the experience and recognition I gained, I started my own dance community in Chennai with five dancers. Now, we are celebrating our 8th year anniversary. To ensure I provide the best guidance, I completed an international dance syllabus certified by its originators from all around the globe.Sharing the right knowledge has always been important to me.

However, many dancers reach the peak of their careers at one point, only to fade into obscurity later.

Impact 

Turning my passion for dance into a profession was a challenging journey, and I knew I didn't want anyone else to face the same struggles. That's why I founded the 'Give Up Dance Up Community.' Many ask why we chose this name does it suggest giving up? Yes, but not in the way you think. We give up our teaching fees to lift up passionate students who can't afford to pay for dance classes. Our mission is simple: to provide free dance education to passionate dancers across India.

We believe dance is for everyone. Financial barriers should never dictate who gets to dance. Whether you're rich, poor, or physically challenged, dance is a universal art form that should be accessible to all. Over the past 8 years, we've trained countless dedicated dancers across India, helping them not only survive but thrive in the dance world.

Another key aspect of our program is that we follow an international dance syllabus. This approach is unique compared to traditional styles and helps dancers adapt their body language and attitude to current trends and culture. It also fosters personal development, shaping them into confident and well-rounded individuals.

Lessons For Life

To all budding dancers, remember that dance is like the sky... always be a learner. Just like counting stars can leave you confused about which ones you’ve missed, the potential for learning in dance is infinite. Always stay curious and open to new lessons.

I am grateful to iQOO Connect for giving me this opportunity to share my Quest story about my dancing career driven by continuous quest.

I never expected this to become something big, but to my surprise, it was included in the Quest Report by iQOO. When they asked me to share my journey, I had no idea it would lead to such an amazing feature.

This unexpected recognition has truly been a pleasant surprise, and I want to thank iQOO for acknowledging my passion and how I turned it into a profession. It has deepened my loyalty to the brand even more.@Nipun Marya @Parakram Hazarika @ShubhamRya 

A huge shoutout to everyone who worked behind this campaign much love and respect to you all. I'm also thrilled that this incredible campaign was planned and executed by Ogilvy & Mather, who always deliver phenomenal work. Kudos to everyone involved.

Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed my Quest story! I'd love to know which part resonated with you the most or inspired you in some way.

Also, feel free to share your own Quest story let's inspire our community and offer valuable insights for the next generation of budding Questers!

Untill then Signing off 

Your Never Ending Quester 😎 

@JStreetS    

I'm truly unstoppable...💥 

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