Today we’d like to introduce you to Apra Bhandari.
Hi Apra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started with the idea of teaching dance while I waited to restart my career in film production here in LA. I had worked in direction and production in the Indian Film Industry after graduating from Cornell University. I grew up in NY but was simply fascinated and drawn to the idea of acting in films. I was trained in dance since an early age and really enjoyed performing on and off the camera and felt acting was my calling. I even worked in a South Indian and Bollywood film as well as acted in commercials with some leading actors in Bollywood. However, I soon realized acting wasn’t as glamorous as I had imagined it in my head. I was offered an assistant director position for the movie, Bhoothnath, starring the biggest names in the Indian film industry (Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan). I welcomed the opportunity to learn in such a rich environment and quickly realized how much I loved every aspect of film making especially production.
I am someone who gets things done, I solve problems, I think out of the box and I work really well under pressure and all these qualities were very important while working on a film set. I think I would have still continued working in India had I not gotten married and moved back to the US. And I was excited to move to LA, home to Hollywood, but I was destined to start Adaa dance academy. I started teaching two kids in my living room in 2012 and never looked back. Last year we opened our own studio in Tustin and despite the pandemic and having our studio close down for an entire year after we were open for only four weeks, we have been able to bring dance and joy in so many lives. Covid really strengthened my belief that creating a positive, nurturing, inclusive and safe place where our students can get the best Indian dance education is my purpose. I love choreographing, creating, bringing smiles on my students’ faces and building a beautiful and strong dance family. I hope to share our passion and love for Bollywood dancing with so many more people and give everyone an opportunity to experience Adaa Magic.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road. If you don’t have hurdles or obstacles, you become complacent. You never try new ideas. You never experiment and you never leave your comfort zone which means you don’t grow. I graciously accept struggles as an opportunity to find a new solution and to embrace the lessons that I learn from these experiences. Also, it hopefully helps my students understand and see the value of not giving up. There have been so many struggles and there will continue to be struggles but instead of focusing on them, I prefer to focus on the solution. Covid taught me to stay focused on my goals, my journey and learn to move forward and some days it’s challenging to do it but luckily, my Adaa family inspires and motivates me to not get overwhelmed and continue focusing on the positives.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Adaa Indian and Bollywood Dance academy is an all-inclusive, positive dance community that focuses on dance education as well as building lifelong relationships. Dance teaches you so much about yourself and it is a beautiful way to express yourself, connect with your culture and build confidence. Our school prides in empowering its students and making them realize their potential as dancers and individuals. We value each and every one of our students and believe it’s more than a dance school, Adaa is a family. We specialize in various styles of Indian dancing, focusing on both the fusion forms as well as the more traditional classical dance forms. We want our students to be versatile dancers and appreciate dance in totality. One of our core values is to create a safe and loving space for everyone so that dance can be a positive outlet for them. Life is complicated, but hopefully our academy can offer some solace, love, encouragement and positive reinforcement to people especially the youth. We train to be a strong dancers and a kind and accepting individuals.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Teaching and being around my students makes me the most happy. I love the incredible energy my students bring into the studio and I am constantly inspired and in awe of how strong my students are. The joy of creating a choreography that they bring to life, the pleasure of seeing them excited about coming to dance class every week and the pure bliss of knowing we are building this amazing Adaa family that touches so many lives is what I cherish the most. I wake up feeling rejuvenated knowing my staff and I work so incredibly hard to bring joy into others’ lives and that is truly precious. I am so lucky I get to do that which I am so passionate about and trust me, I count my blessings every day.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.adaadanceacademy.com
- Instagram: @Adaadance
- Facebook: @adaabollywooddance
- Youtube: Adaa Bollywood Dance Academy
- Yelp: Adaa Bollywood Dance Academy
