Chandni is a rockstar instructor in San Francisco where she teaches at Symbolic Dance & Fitness and RAE Studios. Dance has been a huge part of her life growing up and now she helps other unleash their inner rockstars in class! Read more about this San Franciscan rockstar in her interview below!
Q: Tell us about yourself – what do you do when you’re not teaching? What are your hobbies? What other formats do you teach? Give us a little on your background.
Hello hello, I’m Chandni! I’m 24, currently live in San Francisco, and am way too excited to have been chosen for the BollyX Instructor Spotlight!! When I’m not teaching, I’m in school working my “Tooh” off for a Business degree or probably watching choreography videos on repeat. Dancing is definitely my main hobby and BollyX is a BIG part of that, but I also enjoy being active, trying things I’ve never done before, and the occasional DIY Pinterest project to fuel my compulsion to be unnecessarily organized (no one NEEDS four different forms of calendars in their life). I currently do not teach any other formats other than BollyX but getting certified was definitely a BIG step in my life.
I was born in the Bay Area but lived most of my childhood in Montana and Minnesota before moving back in 2008. Home videos prove that I was a super active child who loved to dance. I always experimented with whatever dance style was popular around me – I’ve taken Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop, and even Line-dancing (Oh Montana memories…). Bollywood and Gujarati folk styles, Garba and Raas, have always been in my blood, so the minute I moved back to California, I looked for any opportunity to participate. I helped form my high school’s Bollywood dance team during Senior year then joined a competitive Garba/Raas team (go Sangeet!) for a couple years after. Later, I explored the dance fitness world and tried classes such as Zumba and U-Jam. One magical day, I was introduced to BollyX at a Master Class demo taught by Shahil and Tamara in Palo Alto and LOVING it was an understatement.
Q: How would you describe BollyX in one word?
A: Strengthening. Physically AND mentally! Physically, I literally became stronger from becoming an instructor and felt my stamina significantly increase to the point where I am now able to dance and stay moving for an hour at a time when I used to barely be able to make it up a couple flights of stairs without breathing heavily. Mentally, BollyX has strengthened my self-esteem and confidence.
Q: What is your favorite part of BollyX class?
A: The performance!! By the end of class, even new participants have loosened up and are comfortable shouting and rocking out the moves as if they’re in a music video themselves! It’s so great and encouraging to see everyone having as much fun as I have dancing with them!
Q: How has working with BollyX changed you or your lifestyle?
A: Despite all the dancing in my life, I have ALWAYS been an introvert. I struggled with stage-fright and was always too shy to be the center of attention for anything. NEVER would I have even imagined becoming an instructor of any kind, let alone a dance fitness class. After becoming certified I learned how to do SO many things; from memorizing multiple sets of choreography and pre-cues, observing and paying attention to the needs of participants, providing encouragement while dancing, pacing myself and being physically prepared, to opening myself up and learning not to be afraid of making mistakes. Instructing has made me a more confident, strong, and outgoing person. Along with that, working with BollyX has allowed me to meet, talk to and become friends with some of the most inspiring and supportive people I’ve ever met in my life!
Q: How long have you been with BollyX?
A: Since April of 2015 – a little over a year.
Q: What is your favorite BollyX song to teach?
A: I love teaching D Se Dance! It’s an awesome combination of sassy Bollywood choreography and a little bit of Bhangra. Can’t wait to learn and teach the new Western match 🙂
Q: Where do you teach BollyX?
A: I currently teach at two studios in San Francisco; Symbolic Dance & Fitness in the Mission district on Mondays, and at RAE Studios in downtown SF on Tuesdays! If you’re around, come join the party!!
Take a class with Chandni and rock out with her in San Francisco!