We were lucky to catch up with Vaidehi Mankar recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Vaidehi, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I have been in love with dance since I was five. Watching Bollywood movies, I was always captivated by the vibrant dance numbers, and it felt like dancing was just a natural part of who I am. My passion truly took off thanks to the amazing Madhuri Dixit, who has always been my inspiration.
Over the years, I’ve had the joy of learning various South Asian dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Garba, and western styles including Hip Hop, and Jazz. Each style brought its own set of challenges and unique beauty. The classical dances, Bharatanatyam and Kathak, taught me about discipline and the rich cultural history behind the movements. Garba, Hip Hop, and Jazz allowed me to really express my creativity and develop my personal style.
I knew from a young age that dance was more than just a hobby for me—it was my true calling. Dancing has always been for my soul, and I felt incredible after every performance and every new piece of choreography I created. By the time I finished high school, I knew I wanted to be a professional dancer and teacher.
Becoming a dance teacher was a natural step for me. What really drives me is the impact I have on my students. Hearing them say how much they enjoy my classes and how good they feel afterward is so rewarding. Watching them learn and perform my choreography feels like seeing a piece of my mind come to life.
Dance has been my therapy, my mood lifter, and my purpose. It’s my way of expressing myself and an essential part of my well-being. Through teaching, I want to help my students build self-confidence and feel part of a community. I aim to challenge them while making them feel proud of their progress.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My career has been interesting and multi-faceted thus far. Professionally I began my career in healthcare by working in a health clinic as a medical assistant and have then transitioned into being a Life Sciences Consultant today. I work during the day to help optimize programs to help uninsured/underinsured patients gain access to critical medications.
Although, that is only part of the story. I am also the founder and creative director of Mayura Dance in Houston Texas. I have danced my whole life so I decided to formalize my passions into a tangible business. Mayura Dance is a community and culture focused Bollywood dance company that caters to the busy adult student.Traditional dance schools require monthly commitment for dance classes ,whereas at Mayura, you are welcome to join any class based on your convenience and schedule. It is the perfect solution for busy adults that still want to learn and continue dancing without the pressure or commitment.
In addition to our workshop style classes, Mayura offers flexible wedding choreography services through private lessons or filmed tutorial videos. Lastly, our company dancers are available for performances, gigs, weddings, dances videos and more.
In my classes, I focus on creating choreography that’s challenging yet achievable. I also use a ‘word of the day’ to give my students an intention or focus for each class. This not only helps them improve technically but also supports their personal growth.
My vision for my students and the dance community is to see continuous growth and excellence. I want to inspire my students to always strive for improvement and to excel in their dance journey. I believe dance is crucial for physical health and mental well-being, and by nurturing a passionate and dedicated dance community, I hope to make a positive impact on my students’ lives and the broader cultural landscape.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back there are many things I am grateful for and many things I would do differently if I was given the chance. I think the three things that were the most impactful to my journey have been- 1) having great dance teachers, training and mentors throughout my life, 2) a great supportive community and family, and 3) my journey to building my own self confidence.
My advice for people early in the dance or even entrepreneurship journey would be to be okay with failing and failing fast. Brush yourself off and tell yourself to do it again. Another piece of advice I would give is to stay organized with your admin tasks. You don’t want to let your boring tasks get on top of you and take you away from whats really important, which is growing and sustaining your business especially if you are juggling multiple jobs.
For those creatives out there, turning your art into a business sometimes requires making sacrifices. I would say to be prepared for those internal battles.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
In the last year, my biggest growth has been around accepting that I may not be the best in every aspect of my business. I have learned that it is okay to ask for help in the areas of your business you may not be the expert in.
As a solo entrepreneur, you are single-handedly the accounting department, the sales team, the project manager, the content creator, the marketing team and more. It’s almost impossible that any one person will be the expert in all of these things. It took me a while to understand that just because I do not fully understand accounting or taxes, does not mean I was failing as an entrepreneur. After I figured this out, I was able to ask for help and not feel embarrassed when I did not know something.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dancemayura.com/
- Instagram: @mayura.dance
- Youtube: @mayura.dancehtx
- Other: Email: [email protected]
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