Sonal Sanghvi, Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Founder of Nupoor Dances, began teaching and choreographing in the U.S. more than 25 years back. Starting with a handful of students, her passion and dedication have transformed Nupoor Dances into a professional dance school with its own studio in Dublin. Sonal teaches students from ages 5 through adults and has won numerous awards in prestigious competitions such as ICC and CCF. Sonal’s unique choreography fuses a diverse repertoire, blending Indian classical styles with Bhangra, Lavani, Raas, and other traditional folk dances, creating a vibrant and engaging fusion. Her mission is to grow these unique fusion styles and techniques and cultivate the next generation of dancers, passing on her passion for cultural and artistic expression.
Anjal has been studying Bharatnatyam, South Indian classical dance, since the tender age of six under the tutelage of Ramya Harishankar. She completed a two-hour solo debut featuring a combination of pure nritya and abhinaya, conveying the stories of Krishna, Neminaath, and Mirabai. Through her passion for using the arts to support the community, she utilized this performance to raise funds for children's rights, education, healthcare, and overall development through the CRY organization. She is also trained in Jazz dance at the Orange County School of the Arts and enjoys fusing both classical and contemporary genres to create dance performances with creative messages. Anjal is currently double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Music at Yale University. She has performed globally in Kenya, Canada, Alaska, New York, India, and will be traveling to the Philippines next year.
Anjal's solo dance performance - “Suffering to Salvation” - represents the soul’s journey marked by various states, with individual actions dictating the pace of this progression. It commences in nigodh, where suffering knows no bounds, yet it lies within our capacity to unearth the genuine essence of our souls and ultimately achieve nirvana (salvation). Through the art forms of nritya (rhythmic footwork) and abhinaya (expressive gestures), the dancer not only embodies the soul but also vividly portrays this transformative odyssey.
Since the age of 4 1/2, Karina Gulati has been a devoted student of her beloved Guruji, Darshana Bhuta Shulka. For over 2 decades, her passion for music has blossomed as she immerses herself in classical Hindustani raagas, while finding immense joy in performing her favorite songs by Shreya Ghoshal. Alongside her academic journey at UC Berkeley and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and her career at Deloitte as a Senior Consultant, Karina’s artistic soul has always shined. Whether through the graceful movements of Kathak, the vibrant energy of garba raas, or her passion for painting and drawing, Karina continues to express her boundless creativity in everything she does.
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