| Colonial rule brought Ballet & Ballroom dancing to | | | | trained in imperial ballet early in London, Paris & Milan. |
| India. During the pre-independence era, they were | | | | He was a Member of the Imperial Society of |
| mostly restricted to the foreigners and to the elite | | | | Teachers of Dancing, London and had a school in |
| Indian society. It was in the 1940s that two veteran | | | | London called the Mayfair Academy of Dance |
| western dance teachers Bhabani Prasad (Bob) Das | | | | wherein he taught Imperial (English) Ballet to children |
| and Paritosh (Peter) Dey started dance classes in | | | | from Pre-Primary till Year 8. Subsequently, to |
| Kolkata. | | | | encourage students in Kolkata he opened a studio at |
| But the real pioneer of western dance in the city | | | | Galway Mansion, Park Street under the banner of his |
| was Achyut Das. Born, Achyutananda Das, he was | | | | London school. |