Shivani Thakker

🪔 About

Shivani Thakkar is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer, and instructor specializing in Bharatanatyam, alongside other forms such as Bollywood, Tap, Jazz, and Ballet. She is known for creating innovative cross-cultural fusion choreography and has gained international recognition for her artistry. Thakkar has performed extensively in India, Canada, the US, and Japan, including prestigious tours as a lead and soloist. Her performance credits include being the lead female dancer in the Cross Canada production "DVAYA: A Confluence of Male Female Spirits" and performing as a principal dancer with the Ovation Award-Winning company Navarasa Dance Theatre under Aparna Sindhoor. As an educator, Shivani Thakkar has a wide range of teaching experience, having taught at institutions like Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center, Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles, and Manu Kala Mandir Dance Academy in Canada. She has also taught master classes for various dance companies, been a guest lecturer at Howard Community College, and annually at the University of Southern California. She is currently a faculty member at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) Los Angeles and Occidental College. Thakkar is the Associate Artistic Director of Manu Kala Mandir Dance Productions and Academy and the founder and choreographer for MKM BollyStars, described as Canada's Premiere Dance Troupe. Her company, MKM Bollystars, has also been in residency at A Noise Within Theatre. Beyond dance, Shivani Thakkar is also an actress and writer, holding a BA cum laude in Theatre from the University of Southern California. She has acted in various theatre productions and film projects. Awards & Honours: National US Dance Competition “Bollypop” Winner (2008), Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute's Arts Study Fellowship, Grant, Grant, Enbridge Emerging Artist Award Nominee (2010).