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Behind every successful show there are those few wondrous individuals working behind the scenes. On today’s edition of ‘Style Spot’ the spot light is on Toshizen, a well known personality in the showbiz circuit. A much sought after choreographer/show director, a one man army working behind the scenes to make every show a success.
His mantra is routine and discipline.
Read on to get up close with Toshizen…..
EASTERN MIRROR: How did you get involved with fashion industry? Talk us through your journey.
Toshizen Longkumer: Routine defines me. Perhaps you will not be too wrong in assuming that I suffer from a mild to moderate form of OCD. To me, routine demands discipline and in discipline I find beauty. (But I have also been known to be spontaneous). Despite the glitz and glamour which defines the visage of beauty pageants there is a lot of hard work that goes behind it. The outcome of which would not be possible without proper planning and its immaculate execution; all of which, demand creative focus, practical insights and strict discipline. So much so, that creative focus and discipline becomes routine. This principle is not too far from the subject matter of Economics and hence the transition was not a complete U-turn, in fact it was, to some certain degree, expected/ bound to happen as am also a keen observer of beauty and aesthetics. However, there are some people I would like to thank for believing in me even when I doubted myself. Ethnic Group of Nagaland (EGON) for providing me a canvas to paint my dream.
EASTERN MIRROR: What was the strangest offer you got as a choreographer?
Toshizen Longkumer: The strangest offer I have received so far has to be about a musical event. Strange because am tone-deaf plus I have two left feet when it comes to dancing.
EASTERN MIRROR: Introducing new and innovative steps is not easy for someone who has been doing shows for years. How do you keep up to date and what concepts do you as a rule hit in your choreography?
Toshizen Longkumer: There are only certain things one can come up with in terms of choreographing beauty pageants as beauty pageants have a specific format. However, in my endeavor to infuse new ideas and concepts, I have incorporated live singers and dancers, with a local touch, into the choreography, to bring about a more entertaining picture.However, most times, I dwell on my body of work, replay each event, sequence in my mind and try to do things a little differently. Yes, the sense and sensibilities of the music also plays an important role in determining the general rhythm and pattern of the overall choreography. As such, I have no rule that I adhere to…. I just need to (be) intrigued, motivated and inspired.
EASTERN MIRROR: How do you manage situations when the models have issues among themselves for the positions/sequence of appearance on stage?
Toshizen Longkumer: In a beauty pageant it is of paramount importance that no contestants should be highlighted more than the other. And to avoid any (such) situations, the contestants are not numbered according to their height or alphabetically arranged but rather by a draw of luck leaving no room for manipulation or partiality. And once the numbers are accorded, the first appearance will invariably be the contestant no.1.
EASTERN MIRROR: Can you share one of your most memorable experiences?
Toshizen Longkumer: Every Pageant is an amalgamation of hard work, deep concentration and minute execution of precise actions. Thus every pageant is as memorable as the previous one. However, if I have to choose one, working with supermodel Ketholeno Kense during Miss Dimapur 2015 was a very memorable experience, as it brought back a lot of memories.
EASTERN MIRROR: As far as directing goes, how do you set the quality for the piece?
Toshizen Longkumer: The most challenging thing as far as directing shows is selecting the right mood/ theme of the show which is an interplay of settings, seasons and the targeted audience. Once those are deliberated upon, everything falls into place.
EASTERN MIRROR: You have choreographed many big events in the state. What are some of the challenges you have faced.
Toshizen Longkumer: One of the biggest challenges I face in every pageant is the lack of space for practice. We get access to the final stage only a day prior to the show, before which we can only imagine the stage size, design and space. With a vague layout of the stage there are a number of things which can go wrong, but thankfully, so far, I have not had a situation when things were beyond my control. Touch wood.
EASTERN MIRROR: Naga society including youths for many reasons is still opinionated towards showbiz. What positive message would you like to throw?
Toshizen Longkumer: Not just showbiz, we are highly opinionated about every issue under the sun. Having said that, I think the beauty industry is one which comes under a lot of scrutiny from the public eye. Remember, it’s not easy to face an audience let alone respond to questions intelligently on the spot. Most of us would shudder even at the thought of standing on the stage but these young girls are up on the stage fighting an unsympathetic crowd with their intelligence, grace and charisma. And they could only do such things because of the grooming sessions that are accorded to them. Win or lose, with these grooming sessions these young girls will always have an edge over others; the ability and the conviction to voice their views and opinions with their head held high.
EASTERN MIRROR: Describe the Fashion industry of Nagaland in your own word.
Toshizen Longkumer: I’m not too sure whether we can use ‘Fashion’ and ‘industry’ together in one sentence in Nagaland. To be considered an Industry one should have a plethora of production units. Apart from one or two small production units here in Nagaland, most designers here are operating on a client basis. We need fashion week, investors, easy access to fabrics and most importantly customers who can see and think beyond Hongkong Market. Nonetheless, in the past 2-3years things are beginning to improve with frequent fashion shows taking place and designer boutiques mushrooming. And on the hindsight, pageants provide a platform for the designers to showcase their designs. So, beauty pageants are not so bad after all.
