Grace And Grooves™

 Hetal Nagaraj : Artist Director Of Grace And Grooves LLC

www.hetaln.com 

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• Hetal Nagaraj was launced as drama artist in 1994 (Academic Year : 93-94) | Estd.1999 | Company Estd. 2010 | Company Regd. in 2012.

• Classical Background: Video Glimpse.

  • Pre-Elementary Bharatanatyam : Dance Dramas Classical Repertoire 1982 : Age 4 : Formal Trainings of introducing Indian Drama started at the age of 4 from her mother Lt. Daksha M Joshi (Non-Commercial Classical Drama Artist - Dance Drama)

  • Bharatanatyam - Sadhir/Sathir-Sadir : 1984 :

  • Bharatanatyam Trainings From her mother Lt. Daksha M Joshi (Non-Commercial Clasiscal Drama Artist - Dance Dramas): Style: Sadir/Sathir/Ancient Bharatanatyam. Completed in 1990.

  • Bharatanatyam : 1984-85 - Kalakshetra - Age 6 : Formal Bharatnatyam Training started with Ms. Daksha. V. Joshi. Style : Kalakshetra Style. Completed & Started Internships in 1996.​​

  • Professional Kathak :97, 98: Professional Kathak Courses Lucknow and Jaipur Gharaanaa/Alternately. 40 hour trainings / Choreo, Application for Fusion by technique.

  • Post Arangetram Bharatanatyam : 2015: Advance Bharatnatyam Knowledge from Smt.Rama Vaidyanathan(held by NrithyaDhwani-Dallas 2015). Thillana & Above, Post Arangetram Dances. 2015: Natyam & Nritta Knowledge from Smt.Niraliben Thakore and Shri.Chandanbhai Thakore (Nrithyabharati "Bharatnatyam"-Ahmedabad-India 2015).

  • Kalaripayattu : 2015 : Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, Ahmedabad-India. Beginners To Intermediate, Intermediate to Advance. (Style : Thekkan Kalari). Dance & Martial Arts Form.

  •  Chhau : 2015  : Completed Chhau with dance drama props and costumes with Full trainings of 20years.​ Styles : Purulia Chhau & Mayurbhanj Chhau. Dance & Martial Arts Form.

  • Degree : Masters in Fine Arts. Year of Completion: 2018. Status : Awaiting Certificates.

    • University : Tamil University-Chennai, India. Education Level : Masters. Check - Dance Linkedin. Education Type : Sponsored Education. Specialization : Bharatanatyam, Theaters/Theatres of India, Dramas, Dance Dramas & Theory of Dance. College : TDES - TiruchirappalI Diocesan Educational Society, Trichy & Tamil University. Branch : Don Bosco School Of Arts & Technology-Kilpauk-Chennai, India. Program Info  : 2 Years Masters Program. Visiting Residency Program : Must come for 25-30 full days at-least 1 of the year (9am to 8pm class - attendance, theory, full costume concert in Bharatanatyam and Musicals, practical dance exams margam and non-margam, nattuvangam, thalam, 2 exam papers and 2 practicals on Folk Dances of India, Creative Dances and Theater/Theatres with thesis & research to one of their locations in India.)

    • Instructors / Teachers & Rehearsals : Jaykishan/Jaykrishnan Ambadi : Graduate of Kalakshetra Foundation-Chennai, India. MFA/same university. Thesis & Dissertation Mentor & Program Guide : Dr. Marie Stella - PHD/Scholar at Tamil University & Owner of Kalai Aalayam Dance Institute, Pondicherry, India. Examiners : PHD / Scholars / Double PHDs From various universities & Stella Ma'am. Program often compared to Harvard Level when it comes to intensity of dances, dance materials, thesis, practices and requirements to get in program. Journey of my Master in Fine Arts : Click Here.

• Indian Folk Dance Formal Trainings: Video Glimpse.

  • ​Indian Folk Dances Trainings of over 15 years(non.stop) and she teaches each Indian Folk Dance as a DANCE FORM with several styles and variations. Some of popular Indian folk dances are: Bhangra, Gidda, Dandiya, Raas, Gagar, Sambalpuri, Kshetriya, Kallaripatt-Kalaripayattu, Kolattam, Padayani, Koli, India's Tribal Dances, KummiAdi(Kummiadi), Bihu, Chirmi, Garba-Garbha, Dodhiyu, Lavani, Tippani, Garbi, Ghummar/Ghoomar/Ghoommar, Teratalli, Tera talli, Kalbelia, Garbi, Kumari and many more. Trainings did not stop after 15 years either with continuous mentorship.

    • 1999, 2000, 2015: Exclusvie Indian Folk-Dance Trainings from Guru. Smt. Mallikaben Sarabhai & several other respected teachers of/at Darpana Academy of Performing Arts (Ahmedabad)

    • 1999: Navrang and Sri Sharada Kala Mandir for pure folk, fusion art forms and theater plays

    • 1999: She started her journey as a freelance choreographer and have performed/competed or choreographed successfully some of the best Indian dance competitions in exclusive folk, bharatnatyam and Bollywood since then. She started her journey from Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India, Michigan, Kansas and now in Dallas-Fortworth Areas of Texas.

    • 1980s-90s: Guru. Smt. Minalben Oza and own mainstream schools(click here for her schools) (Gujarat Folk Guru-Gandhinagar Late 80s/90s).

    • 1983 to 1998: She was introduced to non-Gujarati folk dances in her own schools-Mt.Carmel, St.Xaviers (Gandhinagar) representing various states of India where school/visiting faculties trained students with in-depth knowledge of folk dances and variations associated with it.

    • Collaborations : 2013: Fogana, assisting under strict supervision of Induben Mangrola for multiple Fogana Age Groups And Categories. 3rd prize adults/sr.folk/Garbha. Video - Click Here.

• ​Bollywood / Movie Dance Trainings : Video Glimpse.

  • 2014 : Bollywood Teachers' Training Workshop of 12 hours with Ms. Shampa Sonthalia, A Bollywood Choreographer visiting Dallas. Level : Instructors Training. Understanding Bollywood Dances from Dance Forms, Creating Choreographies that cater to commercial stages & entertainment. Learned 2 Master Level Dances of 3mins.

  • Guru - Daksha V Trivedi - BA - Fine Arts with Psychology : Mumbai University, India (As stated above).

    • Non-Classical : Indian Folk, Bollywood Industry - Dances, Styles, Trends & Theatre Practices.

    • Classical : Bharatanatyam & Trends & Theater, Musical Dance Dramas.

• Non-Indian Dance Trainings 2011 to 2018 :

  • She was born In Indian Family and raised in diverse/international environment in India with half of family well-spread in USA for over 2 generations now & she has picked the best of both the worlds & trends in her own life along with performing arts. 

  • Couple Dance Instructors' Training Lessons for 6 months (Salsa, Mambo, Ballroom-learned all separately-techniques ONlY. Beginners to Intermediate, Intermediate) from Tony Gavinito (Former Arthur Murray Instructor, Plano-Texas, USA). Venue : Sundanga Dance Center, Carrolton. However, first introductions of formal couple dances were learned in 2004 in Michigan through a latin instruction for hetal's husband/nagaraj's corporate/formal parties.

  • Hiphop Journey : 2012 started journey of bollywood hiphop by teaching strength & conditioning class of well-versed break-dancers(Hritik Series/Dhoom Series) at Mustang Recreation Center for Adults(Irving), Disco - Boys Only, and then hiphop from recreational levels to pre-competitions. 2014-2015 Mastered Hiphop/Urban, Jazz, Creative Movements - Dance Council, Coppell Dance Centre - Beginners to Intermediate, Intermediate.Instructors : Keith Green, Ms Kim, Marcella. By 2016, she mastered intermediate to advance with various master level workshops, practice at dance council of North Texas. Keith Green's ALL workshops. Video : Hiphop - NEW - Uploaded!!!!

  • 2015 : Zumba Certifications. Location : Lewisville, Texas

  • Contemporary 2017, 2018 : Christopher Vo (A Broadway artist/NY). Martha Graham's/Broadway Style(New-York).Venue-Booker T Washington, Dallas-Texas. See his participations : Here.​

  • Hetal is also trained in commercial industrial requirements of japanese dance dramas, farsi/parsi/iranian folk dances and latin folk due to hetal's collabs with non-indian artists that are often performed in several industries and commercial performances in youths. 

  • Other minor trainings include 3-Nepali folk dances.

  • Non Indian Dance Collaborations : Click Here.

• Specializations, Showcases : Videos.

  • Bharatnatyam(Kalakshetra), Modern Folk-Fusions, Pure Folk Dances of India, Classical Fusions, Lyrical, BollyHop/BollyJazz/Bollywood-Folk/Traditional/Modern/Fusion, Semi-Classical, Neo-Classical-Modern(India)Categories and Contemporary (Indian & Non Indian), Bolly-HipHop/Bollyhop, Hiphop(urban), Faith Based Dances By Genre & By Religion/Culture (Hindu, Christian & Muslim). 

  • Hetal has showcased famous dances (some with trainings or some with exclusive copyright permits) of Guru.Smt.Minalben Oza, Gujarati Literature/Sahitya, Tamil Literature/Sahitya, Telugu Literature, Annamacharya Keerthis, Rukmani Devi Arundale, Guru.Smt.Mallikaben Sarabhai & Smt.Induben Mangrola's conceptual artistic dances as a tribute in various dances of her own.

  • Hetal is trained for/in Rabindra Nruthya and Katha under the legacy of Shri. Ravishankar's family (Rabindra Shonkar Chowdary) and own school as well. Hetal's entire college years had a strong influence of this legacy and several projects. Hetal's phase 1 in Tagore series were completed in 2019 successfully by inhouse students and a few external students.

  • Hetal Nagaraj is performing arts student (as subject) through out her schooling, college and later continued as paid artists to freelancer and complete 360-degree artist industry from teaching to studio setup! She is part of several studio-institutional industry-requirements in India and USA. With this, g2dancefactory is her very first own - build to use - without any partnership or collabs but otherwise her 8th remodel work and otherwise g2 is the 3rd american-studio-with full safety protocols and usage that she has led or is 99% instruction.

• Performances/Competitions/Fundraisers (India And USA): Videos/Pictures/Links

  • Group performances aired in Doordarshan Television Channels, received titles as in cash prizes/awards in Indian cultural competitions [1999-2003] held by non-profit organizations such as Ahmedabad-YMCA, Rajpath & Local Lions-Rotary Family Clubs located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India. Certificates/credentials from non-profit organizations such as Help-Age-India [1993], C.R.Y-India [2001], CRY America Inc. (2015, 2016).

  • Competition Awards | Non.Competition and Publishing Awards w/Interviews​

  • Most of the awards are won in pure Indian Folk Dances against Classical Dances of India, Bollywood (or Non-classical categories) in Indian Dance Competitions organized all over Gujarat(India until 2003) and all over United States of America(from 2004 to till date: Michigan, Kansas, and finally Dallas-Fortworth/DFW areas).Videos of these competitions-Click Here.

  • Mrs. Hetal Nagaraj takes it as her honor for the wins as the judges of these competitions had Masters In Fine arts from Indian Universities or had completed at-least 2 types of classical Dance Forms (Bharatnatyam+Kathak) with detailed knowledge of Indian Folk Dances as their main theory or practical paper in their degrees. These judges had further inspired Mrs. Hetal Nagaraj to take degree in master’s in fine arts along with family influences which she completed in 2018 with similar curriculum and specialties as in exams and practicals.

  • Hetal has performed on several works of Hema Maalini ji - Natyavihar Kalakendra, Mumbai,  Rama Vaidyanathan ji, several production dances of Darpana Academy-Ahmedabad and artistic works of Parshwanath Upadhyey and several others.

• Family & Inspirations : 

  • Inspirations of performing arts from own family & various legacies, her own schools, universities, established training centers such as Darpana, Mudra/Ahmedabad with very strong influence of varied cultures.

  • She is settled with family of 2 beautiful kids and loving husband. Her passion is to provide not only quality dance education but also teach her students to respect culture and its values. Her students take home in-depth knowledge and love for dance/performing arts as lifelong lessons with awards from well-respected competitions. She performs regularly. More than 6 students have received international scholarships of various programs and successfull programs in 5 countries.

  • Outside Family Inspiration from Darpana Academy Performing Arts, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

• Success Ratio & Graduates By 2020 : 

  • Hetal Nagaraj's students are celebrating their 250th, 450th hour Bollywood, 350th or 400th hour in Indian Folk Dances (once week), 60th hour Hiphop, 30th hour Contemporary, 150th hour in Kalaripayattu, for some the journey has began and are about to touch their 100th hour & some at 500th hour in Bharatanatyam(some twice week) & the history continues.

  • Several Students are at National level and made it International NEWS in 2021-2024. That is just our own owner's Hetal contribution and capacity with results + Choreographers teach.

  • Graduate Students : Hetal Nagaraj has 150+ of Graduates just in USA and has instructed / taught 3590+ students all over in India and USA by 2023 Dec by curriculam, genre and by programs.

  • Workshop Students : Hetal Nagaraj has taught workshops to 50 - 2500 students - at a time, in DFW-Texas, USA and upto 400-800 students technique workshops in Indian Folk, Festival Folk Dances, Bharatanatyam Introduction, Fusion Classical Dances Work, Yoga & Dance Projects, Kalari & Bharatanatyam, Chau & Bharatanatyam, Kalari & Bollywood/Tollywood as well as Bollywood/Tollywood in DFW areas of North Texas.

  • Hetal's other statistics of all these activities other than regular programs.

  • Statistics of social media and records.

• Performance Record as of 2024 Feb in all performing arts specialities: 

  • More than 320 solo/group performances with a key participant.

  • More than 312 programs or events successfully delivered.
  • 222 total workshops conducted exclusively u/leadership + exclusively w/more than 99% involvement.
  • 28 non profit programs exclusively led with full involvement.
  • 12 sponsored programs exclusively handled and led with full involvement.
  • 178 private packages sold, taught and led exclusively with full involvement.
  • 80 workshop delivered successfully to clients.
  • 21 lecture demonstrations delivered successfully.
  • 14 fitness and wellness workshops delivered successfully
  • More than 21 projects mentored & successfully delivered under me with full involvement independently by my grads.
  • More than 36 minors (3 to 13 years) launched successfully by Hetal Nagaraj exclusively.
  • More than 21 successful launch of In-house Elites / own grads.
  • More than 57 successful independent projects delivered by my teams, mentored with full involvement under me.
  • More than 14 non-dance professionals launched under me for diperforming arts services/products.
  • More than 8 external artists launched independently
  • More than 14 successfull brands launched in various countries.
  • More than 7 international workshops successfully delivered of other artists under me.
  • More than 14 Gifted artists were trained to be skilled in variuos products/services.
  • Successfull launch of 13 external choreographers with full involvement.
  • More than 57 exclusive shoots by me and with full involvement with more than 116 best shots delivered till date for variuos gigs.
  • More than 18 skilled professionals launched in USA, India, Canada.
  • More than 25 makeup hair gigs sucessfull delivered per request of client or shoot.
  • Straight wins for all curriculum competition - 2007 to 2023 in all genres, in DFW itself.
    • India/Michigan/Kansas - Wins from 2000.
  • Myself and Students Culture Awards - more than 10.
  • Total students taught as of Dec 2023 - 3590+ | Total Grads more than 150+ in 8 genres and this count does not include workshop students.
  • Number of Arangetrams exclusive margams - 8 as of 2023. Hetal dances margam.
  • Highest number of Indian Folk Workshops, highest number of Bollywood workshops and highest number of Bharatanatyam(in DFW) workshops as of 2023.
  • Number of successful brands 39. All the pic relevance. | Part Time until 2019 | Define part time.
  • Social Media & Fun Facts for all of this activities by playlist 

• Awards :

  • Winner of 5 International Awards from culture, leadership, upbringing of women/youth, entrepreurship, educator and 28+ Competition/Students Awards/ ALL Non-Voting Events.

  • News & Awards  |  Awards & Nominations with International Publishings

  • Her recognitions & award nominations are published in newspapers such as Times Of India, India Today, Divya Bhaskar, Aamtek News, Vatsalya News, Hello Gujarat TV Channel and many others.

• Education : www.hetaln.com | Business Linkedin : ​Click Here | Social Media(s): Dance Linkedin: Click Here.

• Hetal Nagaraj's Artist Collaborations Outside Grace And Grooves LLC - Click Here.

• Hetal Nagaraj's Artist Collaborations with own team - Click Here  | Video Clips.

• Social Media Links : Facebook, Youtube.

• Nicknames : Often known to her friends as hets, hetvi, hetal, heetal, hethal, heta or hetu, or Ms. hetal.