1999…. Entering Freelance Private Group Choreography. How we got into it…

1999 marked the year when our founding member Ms. Hetal Nagaraj first stepped into professional competition choreography as freelancer. It was the very first time when she taught students similar to her age, or they did not belong to her affiliated groups/school or college or let’s just say, were complete strangers. For a 20 year old, it was tough call when she was not a performer but a choreographer (Sigh). Through a friend’s friend, this all got started and today we are thankful to both of them.

Biggest challenge was that these students were avid dancers (who could move the way you want them to) but they had no idea of what they were doing. This is in-spite of being natives or participating in various community or school events as they claimed to. But, ready to work hard & first whole week just passed by getting their moves FIXED to folk requirements, which we did daily for 4 hours totaling to up-to 28 hours of training!

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After spending all that sponsored funds for the costumes and travel, you cannot afford to do mistakes. The whole week, with pure folk training & listening to audio/video of 30+ folk artist, finally we ended up in a song that was approved by competition board to use and was best fitting our decided folk & theme!

Then the real drill work of choreography had begun!

Folk Dance Competitions in India were/are technique focused (The ones we participated in) considering the important and major elements of folk dances to promote the authenticity and importance of Folk Dances. Other folk dances participated as well due to diverse cultural demographics in Gujarat. Judges either had dual degrees in performing arts, followed by PHDs or double masters in their areas. Ms. Joshi (we were) was worried as it was her very first freelance private group choreography with just some amateur free-move dancers who took training for short period of time! Getting them to NOT do mistake was biggest challenge.

If that was not enough, innovation & creativity was an essential element and to further make it look dramatic, we added the props that required balance.

Pressures…pressures & crazy pressures of around 16 dancers (14+2 setting) and it was all worth taking the pain! Cash prize of 1 Lakh Rupees & gift certificates to various malls & resorts. We did bag 20K INR (from award money as our % other than choreography fees), free tickets to cultural concerts, and gift cards to restaurants and hotels. It was a big amount back then in 1999 for a 20 year old to earn that money for just 3.5 months of work!

The satisfaction, Ms. Joshi (we) got was PRICELESS. Ms. Joshi also received additional perks from group as a thank you note for arranging costumes, jewelry & Props in last moment when board did not approve costumes and jewelry (due to folk costume guidelines) that group had initially decided. This was a kick-starter for us…Our best of all until now!

Copyright Reach Media for Grace And Grooves | Grace Creations | 2012-2019. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

2 Hour Exclusive Festival Workshops – For 18+ Intermediate Levels Only

2 hours Exclusive Festival / Community Indian Folk Dance (Lok Nruthya) 18 + & Adults : 

 Gujarat :  By Hetal Nagaraj: Padmini Hundy, Kalpana Narayanan, Deepa Billanuka,  Mansi Chauhan – hands onn internships,  

 Maharashtra : By Hetal Nagaraj: Mansi Chauhan – hands onn internships, Bani Patel, 

  More Names…Coming soon.

4 hours Exclusive Festival / Community Indian Folk Dance (Lok Nruthya) Younger than 18 years : 

4 hours Exclusive Festival / Community Indian Folk Dance (Lok Nruthya) Younger than 18 years :  

Gujarat : 1 Folk Dance : Karma Subramaniyum, Nithya Thumma, Rhythm Patel, Sahith, Akhil, Bani Patel, Samarth Setty, Nirja Setty, Ashna Pethe : Hetal Nagaraj.

  2nd Folk Dance : Bani Patel, Samarth Setty, Nirja Setty, Ashna Pethe Mansi Chauhan, Hetal Nagaraj + 6 workshops navaratri raas garba (attendees : 16, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 people) = almost 700 people + Dhamaal Events Workshops as directed and as requested from international artists = 12 workshops with minimum 25 people per batch.

 Rajasthan :  1 Folk Dance : Varsha Harish Jambunathan, Selvi Jaiganesh, Ishita Raval, Esha Raval, Shagun Gupta, Avighna, Aanya Rajbhoj, Arya Patlola, Sameeksha Tiwari, 

 Eesha Cheedella, Shrika Atluri, Ashna Pethe, Nirja Setty : Hetal Nagaraj.

 Maharashtra :  1 Folk Dance : Ashna Pethe, Mansi Chauhan, Nirja Setty, Samarth Setty,  Ashrith, Ashwin, Akhil, Nikhil, Aarav, Yuvaan, Sahith : Hetal Nagaraj.

 2nd Folk Dance : Bani Patel, Samarth Setty, Nirja Setty, Ashna Pethe : Mansi Chauhan, Hetal Nagaraj.

 Punjab : 1 Folk Dance : Samarth, Setty, Ashrith, Ashwin, Akhil, Nikhil, Aarav, Yuvaan, Sahith, Rishan : Hetal Nagaraj.

This post is updated / transferred from website for further additions : Feb 27, 2023

Registrations & Locations : In-Person Classes : https://www.graceandgrooves.com/locations

From September 2021 : We stopped virtual classes for outside or new students.

As the annual dance recitals are planned, prepared, the dances and the musicals in all our dance forms are at level where we can easily convert them into an exclusive dance production pertaining to respective forms, and styles.

Website : www.graceandgrooves.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndGrooves

Twitter : https://twitter.com/GraceAndGrooves

Youtube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbZYIr0EPzrfPNzH_0FcVw

Book us for your next set of events !!!

Let us be your host, email here directly to Ms.Hetal for specs : mail2hets@gmail.com

Exclusive Copyrights by Reach Media for Hetal Joshi Nagaraj | Grace & Grooves | Grace Creations | Grace And Grooves | Nruthyakala Dance Academy | Mirchi Dance Academy | Kalasri Classical Dance Academy : 2012-2023.  

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 

10 Hour Kathak Choreo Basics Only Workshop

10 hours Exclusive Kathak-Basics-Beginners Only workshops : 

  • Nirja Setty, Ashna Pethe, Bani Patel : Technique : Mansi Chauhan, + 2 hours Choreography Hetal Nagaraj. (Ms. Hetal Nagaraj is trained in 40 hours Kathak Choreography -Not Technique)

This post is updated / transferred from website for further additions : Feb 27, 2023

Registrations & Locations : In-Person Classes : https://www.graceandgrooves.com/locations

From September 2021 : We stopped virtual classes for outside or new students.

As the annual dance recitals are planned, prepared, the dances and the musicals in all our dance forms are at level where we can easily convert them into an exclusive dance production pertaining to respective forms, and styles.

Website : www.graceandgrooves.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndGrooves

Twitter : https://twitter.com/GraceAndGrooves

Youtube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbZYIr0EPzrfPNzH_0FcVw

Book us for your next set of events !!!

Let us be your host, email here directly to Ms.Hetal for specs : mail2hets@gmail.com

Exclusive Copyrights by Reach Media for Hetal Joshi Nagaraj | Grace & Grooves | Grace Creations | Grace And Grooves | Nruthyakala Dance Academy | Mirchi Dance Academy | Kalasri Classical Dance Academy : 2012-2023.  

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 

12 Hours Exclusive Bharatanatyam Workshop | Hetal Joshi M | Hetal Nagaraj.

12 hours Exclusive Bharatanatyam Workshop : 

  • Rashmi : Returning Student of Bharatanatyam : Deepthi Chandrasekaran, Hetal Nagaraj + 4 hours choreography. : Intermediate / Thillana Level
  • Sindhu Jampala : Deepthi Chandrasekaran, Hetal Nagaraj + 4 hours choreography : Beginners to Intermediate. 
  • Ashna Pethe : Hetal Nagaraj + 2 hours of choreography : Beginners.

This post is updated / transferred from website for further additions : Feb 27, 2023

Registrations & Locations : In-Person Classes : https://www.graceandgrooves.com/locations

From September 2021 : We stopped virtual classes for outside or new students.

As the annual dance recitals are planned, prepared, the dances and the musicals in all our dance forms are at level where we can easily convert them into an exclusive dance production pertaining to respective forms, and styles.

Website : www.graceandgrooves.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndGrooves

Twitter : https://twitter.com/GraceAndGrooves

Youtube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbZYIr0EPzrfPNzH_0FcVw

Book us for your next set of events !!!

Let us be your host, email here directly to Ms.Hetal for specs : mail2hets@gmail.com

Exclusive Copyrights by Reach Media for Hetal Joshi Nagaraj | Grace & Grooves | Grace Creations | Grace And Grooves | Nruthyakala Dance Academy | Mirchi Dance Academy | Kalasri Classical Dance Academy : 2012-2023.  

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 

Bollywood Summer Exclusive Students ( May-Sept once a week class with all holidays)​​

Bollywood Summer Exclusive Students ( May-Sept once a week class with all holidays)

  • 2019 : Beginners To Intermediate : Navya, Sai Satwik, Sraavya, Iniyan, Luckshay, Shreya
  • 12 Hours Drop-in : Edlyn.

This post is updated / transferred from website for further additions : Feb 27, 2023

Registrations & Locations : In-Person Classes : https://www.graceandgrooves.com/locations

From September 2021 : We stopped virtual classes for outside or new students.

As the annual dance recitals are planned, prepared, the dances and the musicals in all our dance forms are at level where we can easily convert them into an exclusive dance production pertaining to respective forms, and styles.

Website : www.graceandgrooves.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndGrooves

Twitter : https://twitter.com/GraceAndGrooves

Youtube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbZYIr0EPzrfPNzH_0FcVw

Book us for your next set of events !!!

Let us be your host, email here directly to Ms.Hetal for specs : mail2hets@gmail.com

Exclusive Copyrights by Reach Media for Hetal Joshi Nagaraj | Grace & Grooves | Grace Creations | Grace And Grooves | Nruthyakala Dance Academy | Mirchi Dance Academy | Kalasri Classical Dance Academy : 2012-2023.  

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 

12 to 16 Hour Exclusive Indian Folk Dance Workshop Students

12 to 16 Hour Exclusive Indian Folk Dance Workshop Students (includes lok nruthya/community or festival folk): 

This post is updated / transferred from website for further additions : Feb 27, 2023

Registrations & Locations : In-Person Classes : https://www.graceandgrooves.com/locations

From September 2021 : We stopped virtual classes for outside or new students.

As the annual dance recitals are planned, prepared, the dances and the musicals in all our dance forms are at level where we can easily convert them into an exclusive dance production pertaining to respective forms, and styles.

Website : www.graceandgrooves.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndGrooves

Twitter : https://twitter.com/GraceAndGrooves

Youtube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbZYIr0EPzrfPNzH_0FcVw

Book us for your next set of events !!!

Let us be your host, email here directly to Ms.Hetal for specs : mail2hets@gmail.com

Exclusive Copyrights by Reach Media for Hetal Joshi Nagaraj | Grace & Grooves | Grace Creations | Grace And Grooves | Nruthyakala Dance Academy | Mirchi Dance Academy | Kalasri Classical Dance Academy : 2012-2023.  

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 

International Teachers Training Intensive – For Educators Only By Hetal Joshi M, Hetal Nagaraj

International Teachers Training Intensive (For Teachers, Educators, Dance Instructors or Interns from other Institutes) By Hetal Joshi M, Hetal Nagaraj.

  • By Hetal Nagaraj : Guedy Galeed Luna Olivera for Indian Folk Dances (From Mexico) : 4-6 hours a day | 1 week.
    • Ghoommar and Styles w/theory,
    • Gidda & Styles w/theory, Stage Preps w/theory,
    • Diff & Corrections for Garbha, Dodhiyu as folk – techniques w/theory
    • Diff & Corrections for Garbha, Dodhiyu as festival folk/lok nruthya

This post is updated / transferred from website for further additions : Feb 27, 2023

Registrations & Locations : In-Person Classes : https://www.graceandgrooves.com/locations

From September 2021 : We stopped virtual classes for outside or new students.

As the annual dance recitals are planned, prepared, the dances and the musicals in all our dance forms are at level where we can easily convert them into an exclusive dance production pertaining to respective forms, and styles.

Website : www.graceandgrooves.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndGrooves

Twitter : https://twitter.com/GraceAndGrooves

Youtube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSbZYIr0EPzrfPNzH_0FcVw

Book us for your next set of events !!!

Let us be your host, email here directly to Ms.Hetal for specs : mail2hets@gmail.com

Exclusive Copyrights by Reach Media for Hetal Joshi Nagaraj | Grace & Grooves | Grace Creations | Grace And Grooves | Nruthyakala Dance Academy | Mirchi Dance Academy | Kalasri Classical Dance Academy : 2012-2023.  

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.