Episode 18: Dance and Inclusion - In Conversation with Aayushi Karandikar

In Episode 18 we are in conversation with Aayushi Karandikar. She is a grade 11 student and a dance enthusiast.

Aayushi Karandirkar who is an 11 grade student in Pune. She wants to pursue psychology. She loves dancing and putting out content on social media. She wanted to spread the love of dance in her community and through her venture Dance It Out, she teaches underprivileged kids dance on the weekends. She is enjoying it and loves every part of it.

Initially she and her mother thought they would teach English or Math to them. She was not convinced about it and decided to dance as it comes from the bottom of her heart. She realized that they won’t be enrolled in formal dance classes as they won’t be able to afford them. Since everyone likes to dance, especially primary students and teenagers, she decided to teach them dance.

She wants more teenagers to volunteer and support her in her mission to spread the love of dance.

She has had 2 teenagers from 11 and 12th grade who reached out to her on Instagram. They have taught a few routines to them. She has also asked for people to help her with editing the videos. On Saturday and Sunday she teaches the routine. They get the weekdays to practice and then next weekend they revise and shoot the routine.

Dance is something that comes from within and not being professionally trained has never come in the way of that. Through teaching  you are trying to get more people involved in what you love. A lot of the kids already had the love for dance but did not have a space to express it. She feels that her teaching them more styles apart from Bollywood like hip hop, wacking, popping had increased their love of dancing and she has loved teaching that.

On Teacher’s day when she went for class, 2 of the students made cards for her and that was touching and felt so good that she was making a difference in their life.

On their YouTube channel, you can see their videos for Ganpathi celebrations and Independence Day celebrations. They were all excited to wear traditional clothes and put makeup and wear gajra to shoot the video. The whole environment created is like a plus point on everything.

In case you want to volunteer you can contact Aayushi on:

Dance It Out

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Vb2QJ3J8InEzLJLUcP0nw/videos

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danceitout13.06.21/

My personal

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNiB1Me7pZB-iGQNAJ8NvdQ/featured

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aayushi_karandikar/

Number - (+91)7744859172

For her personally volunteering is a serious job. She even let go of a chance to go on a holiday as she did not want to miss her sessions with the kids. Finding teenagers who are willing to take it up that seriously is tough as they have to give their skills and efforts and don't get a certificate in return. Since all are in college, weekdays are busy with college, studies and classes. Weekends are time off but also to find time is important. She is good at western styles of dancing. One of the volunteers was trained in Bharatnatyam and Kathak. It is important that the kids not only learn different styles of dance but also learn from different people.

She is looking to expand it in Pune and throughout India as well. She wants more children to feel included in the community of dance.

If you are doing something from the bottom of your heart and you love it, try to spread it to as many people as possible as many people don't have the opportunity to grab that themselves. Go to people and spread that love of your subject to others as well.