Who We Are
Cid Shaha, Choreographer and Lead Dancer
Cid Shaha was born and brought up in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has been performing since he was eight.
His training in Kathak, Folk, Baratha Natyam and Manipuri was at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (7 year long Dancers' Course), the Shishu Academy (Dances' Course) and Shuronggoma Academy (Dance Course). After graduating, he danced with the government run Shilpakala Academy as a child Cultural Ambassador, Nrityanchal Dance Company, Bangladesh Television and most of the other TV channels in Bangladesh. He has also worked as a professional actor, appearing on TV and film.
Cid was invited to England in May of 2006 to dance the lead as Prince Siddhartha / Buddha in the new UK musical ‘Journey To Wisdom'. Since his arrival, he has been in constant demand as performer, choreographer and teacher, appearing in dance productions for FIPA (Foundation for Indian Performing Arts) where is lead dancer and principal choreographer, Anurekha Ghosh Dance Company, the Nehru Centre (Cultural Wing of the Indian High Commission), Akademi, UK Foundation for Dance (Big Dance) and Chhandam. In 2007, he created the role of The Prince in FIPA's ‘ground breaking production' (India Digest) of Tagore's ‘Tasher Desh'. He is also the South Asian dancer for the electronica band Sphongle (performances include the Roundhouse, Russia and other future international destinations).
A popular teacher of Kathak and Bollywood, he is a registered tutor for Tower Hamlets (Dance Foundation) and choreographs for, amongst others, FIPA (Foundation for Indian Performing Arts), River Cultures and Club Asia. He worked with schools in Stepney to develop and choreograph Binderella, a Bollywood musical with 60 young people, that was performed to a full house at the Hackney Empire (2007), in which he also guest starred. He also choreographs most of the productions he is involved in.
Ever curious and inventive, he has developed his techniques in ballet, contemporary dance, stiltwalking and choreography pursuing his career into new creative directions.
"... so popular the dances had to be repeated ... a great cultural ambassador." The Wharfcid.shaha@fipa.org.uk