Puja Amin, Toronto Based dancer, choreographer and teacher, Puja Amin established Sanskriti Arts in Toronto in 2003, bringing together students with a passion for dance and extreme drive to explore their potential. Puja Amin has the distinction of receiving the Kesri Youth Award 2005 in Canada for appreciation of support and help, to impact and make a difference in the lives of youth. She is a veteran of TV & film; an internationally renowned Bollywood, Folk and Kathak dance performer and educator; Owner and Director of Sanskriti Arts in Toronto and President of Bollycore!

Puja began studying Indian dance at the tender age of 5 and has received professional training in Kathak, Indian folk, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Belly dance, Modern and International dancing, giving her a diverse, worldwide appeal and reach. Shaped by the artistic vision of Puja, each piece has an inspired theme and her choreography unites dances with influences not only from traditional Indian dance styles but also international inspirations from Acro, ballet, Highland, English Sword Dance techniques and more. Puja has autonomously directed/choreographed independent musicals in English with Bollywood and Hollywood music in India and Toronto.

She commenced her culture in Kathak with Guru Anjali Gupta, disciple of Pandit Shri Birju Maharaj and continues her education with Sandhya Desai, disciple of Kumudini Lakhiya. She was a member of Joanna D’souzas’ dance company Chhandam and has also had been trained by Kathak Legends Pandit Shri Birju Maharaj, Guru Chitresh Das, Guru Kumudini Lakhiya, Guru Anjani Ambegaonkar and Amrapali Ambegaonkar.

‘Sanskriti’ means ‘culture’. As the name suggests, the Sanskriti Arts Ensemble exists to raise awareness of the various forms of South Asian dance, spread Indian culture and ethnicity through traditional and contemporary dance and music performances. In 2010, Puja embarked into a new realm of dance and pushed forward into dance-fitness to launch the new dance-fitness program, BollyCORE, teaching at various locations across the GTA.

A few of Amin’s film and TV credits include: Giselles Backyard, A million ways to move, Latest Buzz and Badhai Ho. Puja Amin has choreographed for Bollywood personalities such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Shah Rukh Khan, AishwaryaRai and Madhuri Dixit on film sets and directorial campaigns. Her choreography has been displayed in concerts and music videos for Falguni Pathak, Boman Irani, Lisa Ray, Shibani Kashyap, Sukhwinder Singh, Praful Dave, Vino Russo, Ila Arun, Kamaal Khan, Sandrine, Lata Mangeshkar, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor and commercials for Town shoes and Rogers. Puja has trained Miss India Canada Worldwide 2007, Miss India Canada 2008, first runner up; Beauties of Asia 2011 for their talent and all of them were awarded best talent.

Media has featured SAE in the Toronto Star, Vaughan Citizen, Brampton Guardian, Toronto Sun, CMR and TVi, Snap, Gujarat times, Gujarat Abroad, the Voice, That Channel Canada AM, City TV, CBC news and Television Omni TV and CHCH. Puja was featured in the Toronto Star article for So You Think You Can Dance, Canada.

Her workshops are part of most multicultural projects such as Urban Noise, Soulpepper Theatre Company, Arts for Children and Youth. She has choreographed and performed for IIFA- Green carpet and various IIFA Buzz events, Ignite the Spark – Tribute to Lisa Ray, Black Creek Pioneer Village, Luminato- Light on Your Feet Series, Royal Ontario Museum, Canadian Children’s Theatre, Toronto Street Festival, Gerrard Street Festival, Sherbrooke Festival, Yoga festival, Trillium Health Center Foundation’s Diwali Gala, CIBC Diversity Day, TDSB and Peel region School, International Conventions and more. As a teacher, Puja believes that dancing is like reading; an essential part of life that can be achieved by those who persevere to learn and explore the infinite possibilities.

Puja is a certified Yoga Instructor from the Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz, India. She is also a trained and practiced physiotherapist.

Dance holds a special place in Shireen’s life as it has followed her through her childhood and education. Shireen has completed her B.A. in Dance Studies and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Dance at York University. Shireen’s passion for dance has led her to become an aspiring dance educator and dedicated performer. Her thriving interest in cultural dance forms has always been an important part of her childhood because of her West Indian heritage, leading her to begin formal training in Jazz dance. Shireen is also trained in Afro-Caribbean and Caribbean dance forms, Egyptian Beledi dance, West African dance, Latin dance forms, Southeast Asian dance and Hip Hop.

Shireen has been avidly trained by Puja Amin in various styles of Indian dance including Rajasthani, Garba, Bhangra, and Bollywood since 2009. She has also begun Kathak training under Puja Amin’s instruction to further her dance training and discipline. In 2011, Shireen embarked into a new realm of dance and pushed forward into dance-fitness. Training vigorously with Puja Amin to launch the new dance-fitness program, BollyCORE, Shireen is one of the leading instructors of the program, teaching at various locations across the GTA. Although BollyCORE has become Shireen’s prominent teaching interest, she also teaches Bollywood dance to students from ages 5-50+.

The Fine Arts discipline remains to be Shireen’s leading area of interest, with a strong emphasis on performance. In 2011, Shireen was granted the opportunity to represent the Indian community in the Miss Beauties of Asia pageant. As she trained under the mentorship of Puja Amin, Shireen went on to win the titles of Miss Popular, Miss Best Talent, and Miss Beauties of Asia 2011. Shireen’s performance experience involves a number of recognizable artists. She has performed with singing sensations ShibaniKashyap, VikasKhanna, and Ali QuliMirza and was featured in the music videos of Vino Russo and Deep Jandu. Shireen’s modelling experience has led her to work with fashion designers Joy Couture, Leanne Ramnarine, and ShibaniSahney, whom she modelled for at the 4th Annual Midweek South Asian Awards where she met Bollywood actress and former Miss India World, SayaliBhagat. Shireen’s most recent accomplishments include performing at the Toronto IIFA: Green Carpet Event 2011 and the Teri MeriKahaani: Official Gala After Party, with Bollywood stars ShahidKapoor and Priyanka Chopra. Lastly, Shireen’s love for music has led her to become a dedicated member of Samba Squad, led by award-winning percussionist Rick Lazar, and York Tones, directed by one of Canada’s leading steel-pannist musicians, Gareth Burgess.

With an extensive family lineage of Indian musicians and a strong childhood background in music herself,Nirmala sought another related outlet of expression to add to her traditional Indian background. After exploring various channels, Nirmala found her passion in dance at Sanskriti Arts and excelled in her dance studies, taking classes simultaneously at various locations around the GTA.

Nirmala has been a member of the Sanskriti Arts Ensemble since 2005 and has been teaching since 2006. Her students range in age from ages 2½ to 60+ and class structures vary from recreational classes to professional training for children, as well as social dance classes. Nirmala teaches private and group lessons in and around the GTA. As a Sanskriti Arts Instructor, she has taught for the Toronto District School Board, Peel Region School Board, Canadian Diabetes Association and many more. She also facilitates and assists in workshops across the country. She is also one of the primary instructors for BollyCORE Inc.She also facilitates dance parties for children and adults.Nirmala has been trained vigilantly by Puja Amin to ensure quality instruction in various Indian dance styles is provided to all students of Sanskriti Arts. Her dedication, commitment and sincerity towards her role as a teacher at Sanskriti Arts have been her propellers to excel as a dancer and instructor herself.

She has performed with the SAE at diverse events across Canada, such as IIFA 2011 Buzz Events and Green Carpet Performance, Teri Meri Kahani Premiere Gala,for organizations such as Trillium Health Centre Foundation, Commonwealth Games Association, Coca Cola Inc., Canadian Armed Forces, and stage shows with world renowned artists such as Sukhwinder Singh, Shibani Kashyap and Ali Quli Mirza, appeared at events with Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Lisa Ray, and local celebrities Devika Mathur, Vikas Khanna and Jonita Gandhi.

Nirmala is familiar with many styles of Indian dance including Bollywood, Rajasthani, Bhangra, Garba and Kathak. In addition to learning from Puja Amin, she has also had Kathak training from Smt. Sandhya Desai, a senior disciple of Smt. Kumudini Lakhia. Nirmalahas been privileged in learning tabla from Ed Hanley who has studied from masters PanditSwapan Chaudhuri in California, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee in Calcutta and Taalyogi Suresh Talwalkar in Pune.

Recently, Nirmala has finished her B.A. in Theatre Production at Ryerson University, and as part of her program she organized Band Baaja Sanskriti: The Precursor Dinner and Dance to raise awareness for Rhydhun 2012: Band Baaja Sanskriti and funds for Trillium Health Centre Foundation.Her commitment to Sanskriti Arts and Bollycore Inc. goes far and beyond instructor and performer as the Manager and supporting pillar for both companies, she strives to take Sanskriti, Bollycore and Indian Art and culture to every door in Toronto and beyond. Nirmala hopes to help make 2013 a prosperous year these sister companies with new beginnings and unfolding chapters.