Profile of a Dancer: Nidhi Banthia Mehta

Nidhi Banthia Mehta was comfortable with her regular work hours and corporate environment life in the United States. So it comes as a surprise to learn that she’s now the proud owner of a Bollywood Dance Instruction School, BollyBeatz.

“It was all by chance and accident!” she says. “Dance was always a passion since school days. But as most of us, I completed my MBA and got a job with McKinsey. It’s only after I got married did I quit my job and then dance happened to me. It was not planned or even a remote thought in my mind.” 

Her training to be a dance instructor involved enrolling in Shiamak Davar's Institute for the Performing Arts (SDIPA) and also various courses to learn different dance styles such as salsa, Jazz and Hip Hop. She had also gone through numerous classical Indian courses as a child.   

Never underestimate her passion for her craft. Even a 100 degree Fahrenheit fever did not stop her from giving a class once. “There are times I have danced with a muscle pull and once the music comes I get so carried away that I forget the pain and dance and of course after the class I am dying in pain!” 

Looking to the future, she plans to introduce various other forms of dance fitness modules.  She wants to provide people with the opportunity she had as well, by starting partnerships and opening franchises in various other cities to empower others who love to dance and enjoy teaching. “I want to allow them to do and create something big with their passion,” she says.  

What were the biggest challenges you had to face?

I am fortunate that things worked out very smoothly for me. But the challenge usually is to keep challenging your own creativity and try and get better. Also its a challenge to find and train good dedicated instructors. 

Are there any downsides to the job?

It’s a test of your physical strength . So you have to be fit, dedicated, creative and very professional. You cannot reach late to teach a class or cancel. There are no downsides to this job if you take good care of your body. Sometimes dancers suffer from back problems - but if you stretch well you can avoid it! 

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to do the same thing?

If you have a passion for dancing then go ahead and give it a shot. Try and get associated with a dance school and teach to get experience and grow.... It may not have a lot of money but it has a tremendous amount of satisfaction. In fact, you could teach dance as a part time after work job. Its extra pocket money for you and you will enjoy what you are doing... 

What is the dance industry in Singapore like?

In Singapore , there are limited Dance studios and the space is very small. But fortunately there are all forms of dancing available to learn and teach. The students are great and love to dance - so in that sense its a good industry! 

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