All Photos in this Slideshow are courtesy of Decca Photography

Hello, my name is Divya Ahuja. I've been dancing ever since i could walk. I've taken a bit of every dance style, including; Classical, Bollywood, Fusion & I've tried a bit of ballet, hip-hop, & jazz. I love to dance, it has become such a huge part of my life. I also enjoy to read and spend time with my friends and family. I'm so glad to be a part of this dance company. Thank you Arzan for this amazing opportunity.

Little did I know that dance would be a defining characteristic of mine. My first performance, at the age of 14, was in front of thousands of people. Being on that stage gave me the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever experienced and from then on, I knew that this is what I loved . I became addicted. I have performed with Mahesh Mahbubani for 4 years and am now an honorary member of Rhythm India! However, dance isn’t the only thing I love; I also have a passion for animals and would like to open up a vet clinic in the future. I look forward to growing and cherishing every moment I have in life and surrounding myself with the things I love most.

Someone once said, “You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart.” There has not been a single day where I haven’t had the urge to dance.  Starting at the age of six, I have been classically trained in Kathak and completed my kathak pranam ceremony, and I can say that my guru is one of my main role models in my life. She is the one  person who has helped me shape my life and become the person I am today. I am 19 years old majoring in Business at the University of Houston. Along with dancing, volunteering is another activity I am extremely passionate about.

 I would like to thank my parents and friends for always supporting me. And a special thanks to Arzan for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Rhythm India dance troupe family! 

Nothing makes me happier than dance. I make time to dance every day, experimenting with new styles and choreographing new dances. In high school, I was part of several dance teams, shows and competitions including IFMP, FIA and Fogana. In college, I was part of PennMasti – a South Asian fusion dance team where I learned different styles, including raas, bhangra and hip hop. I was especially interested in choreographing Bollywood filmy dances. I am honored to be part of the Rhythm India dance troupe—the next phase of my dance career. Thank you Arzan for the opportunity!

I graduated in 2007 from Texas State University with a major in Mass Communications in Advertising and a minor in Communication Design. My past dance experiences include being a dance team officer for 3 years on a team that won state and national awards and being apart of Dance 3 Ensemble and a select co-ed team that won state and national awards. My hobbies include: reading, dancing, scrap booking and road trips. I aspire to improve the life of those around me and inspire dedication.

Hey, I am Natalya Haveliwala. Dancing is my passion and I love it! I have had 5 years of training with one of the best teachers, Arzan Gonda. My hobbies are reading, playing basketball, and of course dancing. I am not sure of what I want to make of my life in the future, but I hope dancing is a part of it. Dancing is very important to me, for it's my life now. It's a pleasure to be a part of the Rhythm India dance company!

Dance is a form of expression for many people, to me it's that and much more. It's my way of living and connecting to my daily actions. It's when I forget about my worldy life and create a world in which I live to emote through dancing. I have been dancing since I could barely walk and have been told numerous times from family friends and relatives that I have my mothers passion for dancing. From a very young age I have been moving my hips and shaking my legs to the latest and  hottest bollywood hits. Growing up I have participated in the theatre arts, taking roles in dancing and choreographing and contributing culture to the South Asian community. I feel that dance is quite the paradox being that it should be taken serious yet light because a dancer has to be serious about her dancing and focused while also dance being a way to be light and just having fun! Other than dancing I enjoy playing various other sports in order to promote a healty lifestyle, and I love to act, using it as another option to express myself. Family is a big deal to me and I find that exact feeling when I am with my Rhythm India family and Arzan Gonda is like a great role model to all of us as she is exactly what symbolizes the dedication and professionalism a person should have as a dancer. All of this is why I am proud to call myself a Rhythm India company dancer!

I have been obsessed with Bollywood music and dance since I learned to speak Hindi. I graduated from UT, Austin where I was the choreographer for a dance team that won two 1st places for two consecutive years. I also have experience with jazz, hip-hop, and a few Indian classical forms of dance. In my free time, I take vocal lessons, do volunteer work, and teach dance to kids in my local Indian community. I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Communication Disorders, but hope someday to make a career out of my passion for dance.

Dance became an integral part of my life at a very young age.  My mother says I learned how to do Garba even before I learned to walk.  Seeing how much I enjoyed it, she placed me in formal dance lessons.  I started my training in Bharata Natyam at the age of 6 and did my Arangetram at age 11.  I have also taught Bharata Natyam for several years .  I used to believe that dance is an art that cannot be learned by everyone.  Arzan has made me believe that dance can be taught to anyone, as long as they have the right attitude and the desire to learn.  One of my biggest thrills in life is performing on stage.  The feeling of being on stage is very exciting, yet very relaxing.   I am very thankful to Rhythm India and Arzan for teaching me so much and giving me the opportunity to continue my passion.  I am also extremely thankful for my ever supportive husband and two beautiful children, who make it possible for me to do this.

I greatly enjoy art, specially dance and music. I had the privilege of practicing Bharatanatyam for eight years while growing up in Indonesia. I continued this interest at Rice University by choreographing dance pieces for cultural shows every semester. Few things are comparable to the adrenaline rush I feel while dancing, be it on the stage or while jamming out to music in my car. Thanks to Arzan and Rhythm India I can continue celebrating dance with others!

Dance has been my passion ever since I was a 3 year old shaking to the rhythm of my mother’s sewing machine. Since then, I’ve honed my dancing skills by enrolling in classes ranging from Bharata Natyam to Belly Dance or teaching myself through recorded Bollywood and Hip Hop videos. I’ve also enjoyed performing and choreographing dances for several cultural shows and competitions throughout school and university. I am incredibly excited to be a part of Rhythm India Dance Company and to get the chance to not only perform on a regular basis, but also to learn and continually improve.  Apart from dance, my hobbies include being a foodie, a news and politics junkie, Hindi movie fanatic, and Harry Potter aficionado.

I'm Zenia Sunavala, curently a freshman at Clements High School in Sugar Land.  I have been a student of Arzan Gonda for now over five years, and have performed at several events. Acting is also something I enjoy doing, in which I have three years of experience in Theatre.  My hobbies besides dancing are: acting, swimming, playing piano, and arts/crafts. My mother has been an ispiration and the biggest supporter and fan who continuously encourages me to excel. As far as my career goals, studying medicine seems to be my future. The love of dance is my heart and soul which will always stay with me, as that is who I am. I truly am proud to be a part of the Rhythm India Dance Company. 

Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It's the rhythm of your life. It's the expression in time and movement, in happiness,  joy, sadness and envy," by Jaques D'ambroise. This quote is very dear to my heart. I have been dancing for fun ever since I was a little kid. Whether it is in front of the T.V. in my living room, or at a family wedding. However, dancing really became a passion about four years back. I danced and trained at the Anjali Dance Company for two and a half years with Mr. Mahesh Mahbubani. Recently I have begun training in Kathak classical dance with Mrs. Uma Nagarsheth. In Februrary 2011, I began training with Mrs. Arzan Gonda, and am now very happy to be a part of the Rhythm India Dance Company! Other than dancing, my hobbies include swimming, shopping, hanging out with family and friends, and watching movies. I attend the University of Houston and it will be my second year of Undergrad this coming Fall 2011. I am double majoring in Economics and Business Finance. I plan on going to law school in the future and also continuing to dance, hopefully having a side career as a dance instructor. Dancing and performing brings me much happiness and it is and will continue to be an eminent part of my life.

Namitha Vijay has been performing various dance forms such as Kathak, Hip-Hop, Western, Indian Pop, and Bollywood fusion since the young age of 5. She has represented Informatics and the highlighted faculty in many popular interviews, shows and functions in Singapore. She has also been published for Kathak dance performances in “India Se” magazine while representing India its Republic day, 2008. Winner of best dancing teen at an event held by Sangam Hotels in 2006, Namitha has performed Indian classical dance for the Indian Prime Minister during his visit to Thailand and for the President of India during his visit to Singapore. She has also been featured in various TV shows both in Singapore and abroad. Namitha has had the opportunity to perform and be filmed with international dance troupes and is very excited to be a Rhythm India Company Dancer.