Renu Kansal

Photo by Sonya Shannon of Artware Studios

From a young age, Renu Kansal’s enthusiasm and passion for dance led her parents to enroll her in ballet classes. The technique and discipline provided a solid foundation to her dance training, but she was still restless for more energetic and compelling styles of dance. Curious and passionate, Renu spent years studying ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, tap, African, Haitian, salsa, kathak and bharatanatyam from some of the world’s foremost dancers. It was only after searching for fulfillment in studying and choreographing these many and varied global styles of movement, that she re-discovered a dance form linked to her own roots, which encapsulated all the elements she loved about dancing: Bollywood.

On a visit home to India several years ago, Renu discovered Bollywood movies and the cornerstone of the Indian film style—bollywood dancing. Stylistically, that was the turning point for Renu. Bollywood dance provided the contagious energy, expressive beauty, and unparalleled passion and spirit she’d been searching for in all her years of dance training.

Photo by Steve Groer/GroerPhoto

In 2003, Renu began working with Pooja Narang, of New York City’s Bollywood Axion. Trained by Saroj Khan and Shiamak Davar, among others, Pooja’s innovative and visionary style of dance was formative to shaping Renu’s experience and training in Bollywood dance. Renu performed with Bollywood Axion through 2005, and worked with Pooja to grow Bollywood Axion, developing a role as Company Manager and eventually as Pooja’s teaching associate.

Renu’s bi-cultural upbringing and interests give her a unique ability to teach the Indian styles of dance in language that non-Indian students can understand. "Everyone can dance, it just takes a patient and compassionate teacher, who can break down each dance step, to the point where students will understand the
simplicity at the core of even the most counter-intuitive step, and feel natural in their movements," she says.

Additionally, Renu has over a decade of live-production and entertainment experiences with Walt Disney World and the William Morris Agency—both world-renowned for defining the concepts of entertainment and performance— bringing a behind-the-scenes professionalism and 360-degree understanding of what truly makes for a world-class show, from the moment of creative inception, through every facet of execution, to the stage.

August 2009 will bring two new dreams to life, through Renu’s vision and success: the new "Up With People" international cast tour will share her choreography with audiences worldwide, as their grand finale showstopper. Additionally, Renu has introduced a new adventure, bringing together her aerial dance training with the vibrance and excitement of Indian culture: the unprecedented Miraas Aerial Dance.

Photos by Erik Schiffbaum

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