Doc World

Call Me Dancer

By Leslie Shampaine

PREMIERES SUNDAY, JUNE 29 at 10/9c
WATCH on TV (check your local listings), STREAM on YouTube

An inspiring coming-of-age documentary about Manish Chauhan, a talented street dancer from Mumbai whose dreams clash with his working-class parents’ expectations. They want him to follow a stable, traditional path, but Manish has other plans. One day, he sneaks into an inner-city dance school and accidentally lands in a ballet class, where he meets Yehuda Maor, a 75-year-old Israeli teacher who sees potential in him. Though skeptical at first, Yehuda becomes Manish’s toughest critic and greatest champion. What follows is an unlikely bond between two outsiders chasing purpose through dance. Set against the backdrop of Mumbai’s bustle and New York’s world of elite dance, the film captures their emotional and physical journey. Call Me Dancer is a true story of grit and grace, exploring family pressure, cultural barriers, ageism, and the power of following your passion, no matter the odds.