Shivani Thakkar
Bio
Shivani Thakkar is a versatile dancer, choreographer and instructor. With a specialty in Bharata Natyam (Indian Classical Dance), Bollywood, Tap, Jazz, and Ballet, Shivani is able to create and work in a multitude of dance styles and produce layered innovative cross-cultural fusion choreography.
She has gained international recognition for her artistry and has worked with choreographers Marty Kudelka, Jamal Sims, Mary Ann Kellogg, Ganesh Acharya, Yogen Bhagat, and the Bellytwins, to name a few. Her highly acclaimed performance credits include being the Lead female dancer in the Cross Canada production DVAYA: A Confluence of Male Female Spirits, various live shows and film shoots in India, Canada, and the US, and successful artistic, festival, and commercial work in North America. She was the 2008 winner of the National US Dance Competition “Bollypop” sponsored by Verizon Fios and Saavn Media Entertainment, is a recipient of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute’s Arts Study Fellowship, grants from Alberta Foundation for the Arts (Canada) and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation (USA). She was a nominee for the 2010 Enbridge Emerging Artist Award from the Office of the Mayor, Calgary, His Worship Dave Bronconnier.
Shivani is the Associate Artistic Director of Manu Kala Mandir Dance Productions and Academy, is the founder and choreographer for the MKM BollyStars – Canada’s Premiere Dance Troupe, and is a company member with Bellytwins International. She is a regular Guest Artist with Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company performing with both their Bharata Natyam and Modern divisions.
In addition to performance and choreography, Shivani has a wide range of teaching experience. She has taught at Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center and Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles, Manu Kala Mandir Dance Academy in Canada, assists veteran tapper Greg Poland, has taught master classes for various dance companies, has been a guest lecturer at Howard Community College and annually at the University of Southern California, and has taught in various summer dance intensives for pre-professional and Professional dancers.
Shivani has been featured in various magazines and News shows including interviews on Omni Televisions’ Bollywood Blvd, the covers of Desi News and Starbuzz Weekly, and regular full page coverage in the Calgary Herald. In addition to dance, Shivani is an actress and writer. She is a company member of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, was part of the CPAF celebrity staged reading of the Vagina Monologues, and is a dance beat writer for Buzzine Magazine.
Resume
Film & Television Col 1 | Film & Television Col 2 | Film & Television Col 3 |
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Big Time Rush | Featured | Nickolodean |
Bollywood's Best Top 10 | Choreographer/Dancer | Omni TV |
Step Up 3D | Featured | Disney/Buena Vista Pictures |
Chance Pe Dance | Featured | UTV Motion Pictures |
Dance Can Do All That | Lead | USC Graduate Thesis Film |
Deewana Huye Paagal | Featured | Base Industries/UTV Motion Pictures |
Valentine | Featured | CWTV |
BBQ Bill | Featured | CBS |
Bollywood Blast: Workout DVD | Dance Director | Bellytwins Productions |
Let's Dance Bollywood | Choreographer |
Music Videos Col 1 | Music Videos Col 2 | Music Videos Col 3 |
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Free to Love Me | Mae Moore | Cracker Productions |
"Wow, I can get Sexual Too" | Say Anything | Red Van Productions |
Industrials Col 1 | Industrials Col 2 | Industrials Col 3 |
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Ethno-Cultural Dance Studies | Dancer | Alberta Dance Alliance |
Choreography Col 1 | Choreography Col 2 | Choreography Col 3 |
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CLIMAX! | Jazz Number | John Britto Senior Dance Company |
Play: Naga Mandala | Choreography/Movement Direction | USC School of Theatre |
KRIA/Kriya US Tour | Choreography/Concept Development | Induz Org |
Fresh Feats | Bollywood | Feats Festival of Dance |
CAPL Spring Ball 2010 | Bollywood | CEO Productions |
MKM BollyStars | Company Repertoire | MKM BollyStars Dance Company |
Dvaya: A Confluence of Male Female Spirits | Fusion Pieces (Canada Tour) | Manu Kala Mandir Dance Productions |
DC Dance Festival @ Dance Place | Bollywood | Dakshina Dance Company |
Christmas Around The World | Bollywood Number | Vinok World Dance |
Let's Dance Bollywood | Instructional Dance DVD | |
Bollywood Top Ten | Opening Credits | Omni TV Canada |
National Intel Print Ad | "Our Superstars" | Intel |
Dance Col 1 | Dance Col 2 | Dance Col 3 |
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Dvaya (Canada Tour) | Lead | Manu Kala Mandir Dance Productions |
Bombay Bellywood (Japan Tour) | Lead/Soloist | Bellydance Superstars |
Kria/Kriya (US Tour) | Lead/Soloist/Choreographer | Various |
Hooray for Bollywood (US Tour) | Lead | Bellytwins Productions |
Teaching Col 1 | Teaching Col 2 | Teaching Col 3 |
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DB Dance Studio | Tap | |
John Britto Dance Company | Guest Instructor | Jazz Technique |
University of Southern California | Guest Lecturer | History of World Theatre |
Dakshina Dance Company | Bollywood | |
Dance Dimensions | Bollywood | |
Dance Dimensions | Jazz/Ballet Combo | |
Feats Festival of Dance | Summer Dance Intensive | Bollywood |
Stage Col 1 | Stage Col 2 | Stage Col 3 |
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POP! A Michael Jackson Tribute | Principal | Musical Theatre Los Angeles |
Vanitha Malayala Manorama Film Awards 2011 | Principal | Kerala, India |
Bharata Natyam Margam Series (4 shows) | Lead/Soloist | Chennai Music & Dance Fest., India |
Naughty Noah's Calendar | Principal | Highway's Performance Space |
CLIMAX! | Principal/Choreographer | John Britto Dance Company, Chennai, India |
Jambination with Abhishek Basu | Lead/Soloist | Los Angeles, CA |
It Takes a Village | Principal/Soloist | ACFCLA |
Carnival: Choreographers' Ball | Principal | Karmagraphy Dance Company |
CAPL Spring Ball 2010 | Principal | Calgary, Canada |
Dance Through India | Lead/Soloist | Int. Medical Health Org. USA, Toronto, Canada |
The Art of Movement | Principal | Dance Fusion LA |
One Love | Principal | Dance Fusion LA |
Dance Divas, Feats Festival of Dance | Lead/Soloist | Alberta Dance Alliance, Edmonton, Canada |
Glimpses of India | Principal | Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada |
Shakti | Principal | Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada |
Manu Kala Mandir Dance Productions | Principal | Complete List Avail. Upon Request |
Other Col 1 | Other Col 2 | Other Col 3 |
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Nominee - Enbridge Emergin Artist Award 2010 | ||
Shastri-Indo Canadian Institute | Arts Study Fellowship | |
Saavn/Verizon Fios "Bollypop" Champion | National US Bollywood Dance Competition | |
Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation | Special Initiatives Grant | Joint Recipient |
Alberta Foundation for the Arts | Arts Study Project Grant |