I am a Kathak dancer and dance teacher who loves telling stories through dance. I am also a Registered Massage Therapist certified in medical acupuncture, and am completing training in hot stone massage. I am originally from north-eastern Ontario and have spent many years in Toronto, Ontario. I have also lived in India and Pakistan. I am excited to be relocating to Whitehorse, Yukon in January 2020.
In addition to my professional interests, I have many passions, including: cycling, hiking, backpacking, learning languages, travel, yoga, cooking, and gardening.
I am a performer and teacher of kathak, a classical dance form originating in the north part of the Indian subcontinent.
As native of rural north-eastern Ontario with a background in the sciences and a love of stories, I fell in love with kathak’s rhythmic, mathematical and nature-mimicking aspects. I also love its ability to directly engage with audience members through movement-based storytelling. I began formal training under the guidance of Joanna de Souza, disciple of Pandit Chitresh Das, in 1999. Passion inspired by this training lead me to study tabla (drums) with Ritesh Das, during which I became a member of the Toronto Tabla Ensemble. It also led me to begin graduate studies, which allowed me to study pakhawaj (drums) and the Urdu language during an eight month immersion in Lucknow, India. Furthermore, graduate studies gave me the opportunity to spend time with inspiring Pakistani kathak dancers and study their work in the context of the difficult circumstances in which they live as classical dance artists.
Kathak is a life-long study and I continue to learn under the guidance of my teacher Joanna de Souza. I continue to develop traditional and new Canadian repertoire and to work toward increasing the understanding of Hindustani classical arts in Canada. As a soloist, contract dancer and member Chhandam Dance Company, I have performed locally and across Canada. In 2018, I performed as part of an Indian tour of the acclaimed show Bardo. Until December 2019, I taught kathak with M-DO/Kathak Toronto, headed its Brampton branch and assisted with school programs.
I love working with poetry; my favourite solo story piece to perform is a rendition of “the Cremation of Sam McGee.”
In addition to kathak and Indian classical drumming, I have enjoyed dabbling with other performing art forms to enrich my understanding of our wonderful dance and music world. These include: flamenco, bellydance, dumbek and Hindustani classical singing.
As an active individual, I believe that everyone should feel the best they possibly can in their body to enjoy life to the fullest, no matter what their age, body type, occupation or passion.
I was a valedictorian for my graduating class at Sutherland Chan School of Massage Therapy in Toronto, Ontario, where I learned exercise science and the traditional techniques of western massage. I have experience treating athletes, seniors, people living with cancer, people living with spinal cord injuries and patients with a wide variety of other soft tissue conditions. Until January 2020, I practiced at Toronto Bodyworks. I will be practicing at Takhina Therapeutics in 2020.
While I gravitate toward deeper pressure in massage treatments, I am equally effective at more gentle treatments aimed to calm the nervous system to allow people to just relax. I also have experience with sports massage, lymphatic drainage and massage during pregnancy.
I have many other passions and life experiences that inform my clinical practice. In addition, I am certified in medical acupuncture and have Master’s degree training in movement analysis. I believe that manual therapy and movement therapy can and should work together for optimal performance and life enjoyment. I am also currently completing my hot stone massage certification and I intend to become certified in aromatherapy and as a yoga instructor in the future.
I am a member in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, and a member of the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario and the Canadian Contemporary Acupuncture Association.