Kamal Ghorui
Choreographer Terence Lewis recently spoke about his personal journey of growing up in a religious household and the struggles he encountered while questioning faith from a young age. He shared that he was brought up in a deeply devout environment and eventually began noticing several ‘discrepancies’ in Christianity. When he raised these concerns with a priest, he was reportedly told to leave the church.
Terence Lewis recalls early experiences with religion
During his appearance in I.I.M.U.N.’s Before I Became Me, “By the age of eight and nine he first read the bible and then re-read it at the age of 12… that’s when I started asking questions… there were a lot of discrepancies and the priests also couldn’t answer. At one point he said, get out, leave. You are asking too many questions”.
Terence Lewis shares impact on family and beliefs
Terence also opened up about the impact his questions had on his family, especially his mother. He admitted that his shift in beliefs was particularly difficult for her to accept. He said, “When I started to question religion, that was the hardest thing for my mother… I know I put her through a lot of grief.” He further drew a line between personal faith and organised religion, questioning the authority of institutional interpretations. The Choreographer shared, “The Christian faith, not Jesus Christ… but the system, the church… why should I need to listen to this person’s version of the Bible, and why can’t I make my own decision?”.
Terence Lewis journey in dance and television
Renowned for his contribution to contemporary dance, Terence has played a key role in bringing modern dance styles into mainstream entertainment. He became widely popular as a judge on major dance reality shows, earning recognition for his strong technical knowledge and mentorship. Over the years, he has worked across Bollywood films, stage productions, and international platforms, choreographing performances for some of the industry’s biggest stars.
Terence Lewis work beyond choreography on global stage
Beyond choreography, Lewis has also been active in theatre and international dance collaborations, presenting Indian contemporary dance on global stages.
