RHYTHM INDIA STAFF
Arzan Gonda - Artistic Director / Founder
Rhythm India was founded by Arzan Gonda in 2005. Since then she & her dancers have captivated audiences throughout Houston! To know more about Arzan & her accomplishments CLICK HERE
Arzan continues to choreograph, perform & teach classes for Rhythm India.
Arzan continues to choreograph, perform & teach classes for Rhythm India.
Dilshad Patel - Bollywood Dance & JHOOM Fitness Instructor / Choreographer
Dilshad has trained in the Indian classical dance form of Bharata Natyam from Smt Chhayaa Khanvate since she was five years old. She was also a senior instructor and performer with the Shiamak Davar's Institute for the Performing Arts. She has taught various demographics which include street children, prisoners, corporates, patient populations as well as elite athletes. She has performed for many professional stage shows nationally and internationally. She has also danced in Bollywood films and music videos: Taal and Dil Chahe to name a few. Dilshad has intensively worked as a 'Movement Therapist' both in India and in the US. Some of her noted work include 'Movement Therapy for Sports' with the Indian IPL Team (Rajasthan Royals) and the Canadian Cricket team (during World Cup 2011). She has collaborated with ace choreographer Remo Dsouza and Bollywood superstar Varun Dhawan for an exercise fitness video: Pumpstart. Her life's purpose is to spread the joy of movement and dance to enhance physical, mental, emotional, cognitive and social well-being.
Namrata Sirur - Director of Marketing & Social Media / Choreographer / Instructor
Namrata realized her interest in dance after a school recital at age 5 yrs. Since then she honed her dancing skills by enrolling in a wide variety of classes ranging from Bharata Natyam and Hip Hop to Salsa and Belly Dance most recently. She also taught herself several Bollywood and Hip Hop numbers. Over the years she has put her diversified dance skills to use by participating in and choreographing several performances and dance competitions throughout school and college, and most recently at Rhythm India, which she joined in June of 2011.
Namrata’s non-dance credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Guelph in Canada as well as an MBA from the University of Houston. She currently works as a Supply Chain Analyst in the Oil & Gas industry, and pursues her other passions for food and mixology part-time.
Namrata’s non-dance credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Guelph in Canada as well as an MBA from the University of Houston. She currently works as a Supply Chain Analyst in the Oil & Gas industry, and pursues her other passions for food and mixology part-time.
Ranjita Jonnalagadda Parihar - Instructor / Choreographer
What started as an innate talent and passion has now become a way of life. Ranjita started her dance career by teaching Bollywood, Tollywood, and folk dances to kids in the community where she grew up. Then to expand on her skills, she took jazz, hip hop, Bharata Natyam, and ballet lessons for a few years. While attending UT Austin she co-founded a Bollywood dance team that won 1st place at the university wide talent show two years in a row and performed at the Festival of India both years. She then went on to join Rhythm India Bollywood Dance Co as a senior company member, instructor, and choreographer. She has been performing and teaching with Rhythm India for 3 years. As a member of the company, she helped choreograph and has performed at three half time shows for the Rockets games and has assisted with choreography for numerous numbers performed at Rhythm India's annual "Just Dance" Program, the Indian Film Festival of Houston, and other performances throughout the year.
She is currently teaching group classes in Katy and plans to start instructing at other Rhythm India class locations.
She is currently teaching group classes in Katy and plans to start instructing at other Rhythm India class locations.
Xiao Chen - Administrative Manager and Cultural Liaison
Xiao has recently joined the Rhythm India family as the cultural liaison and to provide administrative support, working alongside the Founder. Originally from New York City, Xiao pursued a B.S. in Psychology at Fordham University. Her professional career experiences includes from working in the procedure room as a medical assistant, to management of a hotel business in the Big Apple, to executive assistant of an international business. Her "Find a way" attitude has led her to having an extensive skill set list, yet she thrives most and finds passion in helping individuals and organizations coordinate strategy development and implementation.
Xiao is not professionally trained nor talented in dance as the rest of her Rhythm India family, but (fun fact) she did try to pursue dance once upon a time; she attended Britney Spears Performing Arts Camps for two years (and thus decided her forte was elsewhere:)).
Xiao is not professionally trained nor talented in dance as the rest of her Rhythm India family, but (fun fact) she did try to pursue dance once upon a time; she attended Britney Spears Performing Arts Camps for two years (and thus decided her forte was elsewhere:)).