In a world where passion often competes with practicality, Shrinidhi Joshi, Curator of Nrityashri Creative Space, stands as a refreshing reminder that dreams built on dedication can truly flourish. Starting her dance journey as a young girl inspired by Kathak classes, reality shows, and the sheer magic of movement, Shrinidhi transformed her love for dance into a vibrant creative space that welcomes learners from ages four to sixty. In this candid conversation with Sanjay Jadhav, Editor, PuneInsight, she opens up about her early hesitations, the courage it took to start her academy at just 20, the milestones that shaped her, and the philosophy that drives NCS to train dancers not just in steps, but in expression, honesty, and artistry.
Let’s start with your journey — how did your love for dance begin, and what inspired you to pursue it professionally?
All dancers who start young will say that it was mostly destiny. My parents put me in a Kathak class, I watched Saroj Khan’s dance show, I watched the first season of DID, and so many factors made me love “Dance” unknowingly.
Yes, I always wanted to do something in Dance. I didn’t know how I was gonna achieve it, but I always wanted to. That’s when, around 3.5 years ago, my dad suggested starting a dance class. I was skeptical in the beginning, as I was barely 20 at the time. I won’t say it was a smooth journey; nothing new ever starts is difficult. But today I can say I am proud of starting Nrityashri Creative Space, aka NCS.
What were some of the defining moments or milestones in your dance journey that shaped you as a performer and teacher?
As a performer, performing at Abhivyakti City Art Festival in Ahmedabad in a show called “Baisa’s Podcast” by Anushkha Chandak was one of my biggest achievements to date. The craze of performing on the stage met its peak here for me.
As a teacher and as a curator of Dance Class, there are two achievements that I think are closest to me. Firstly, as a teacher, I am happy that people look at our classes through a lens that they will get to learn a proper style instead of simply choreos, and that is so important. Secondly, I understand that this might be the most materialistic answer, but as a Dance Class curator, when I started gaining financial stability, it was the best feeling ever. I won’t say I have completely made it financially, but it feels good to not be at the bottom.
How did the idea of starting Nrityashri Creative Space come about? Was it a long-time dream or a spontaneous decision?
Every dancer has a dream of starting their class or academy at some point in their career, and so was mine. However, the way Nirtyahsri Creative Space was conceptualized was very spontaneous. It was a suggestion from my father to start the class when I was still in my last year of college. As said earlier, no one was as skeptical about this as I was. But, never looked back since, and I am grateful for having NCS.
What was your vision behind creating Nrityashri Creative Space, and how is it different from other dance academies?
I will be honest, I had no vision when I started. It was as raw as one thing can be. The vision was molded by the principles and morals that I had gathered through both good and bad experiences that I had on my journey. One thing I was laser-focused on was to be a very honest and genuine teacher. I am a human; I literally cannot know everything, and it’s okay for students to see that side of you. I will try to give all my futile knowledge to the students and take a stand for them whenever necessary. Not every student will appreciate it, nor every student deserves it, but it’s my responsibility to do so. I think that is one thing that separates us from certain classes. Another factor about us is that we are very style-focused. We train students for the styles we mentioned and do not just focus on choreographies in every class. You grow exponentially when you do style-based training.
Your academy welcomes dancers from all age groups. How do you design your sessions to cater to such diverse learners?
Yes, our students range from 4-year-olds to 60 year youngsters. And each one of them comes with a different expectation from the class. Our batches are constructed according to different age categories. We have a Hip Hop Beginner’s Batch for 4 to 8-year-olds. An intermediate batch for high schoolers, college students, and working individuals. A Semi-classical Batch that wants to learn something different. We also provide private classes for various events. Yes, not everyone can be catered but this way we try to give our best services to most of them.
What are some of the key dance styles or programs offered at Nrityashri Creative Space?
At Nrityashri Creative Space, aka NCS, we offer training in multiple styles. We offer regular classes where we train in Hip Hop (Beginner and Intermediate), Semi-Classical, and Waacking (Beginner). We also offer private and semi-private classes in styles such as Bollywood and Folk dances for different types of events. As we are still in our infancy stage, we don’t have any structured 3-month or 6-month program yet. Maybe in a few years, such a program can be developed, but I think we have to evolve more before stepping into such a venture.
Dance is not just about movement but also emotion and expression. How do you help your students connect to the art form beyond steps and rhythm?
For me, movement is something internal. If the feeling is not correct, then the movement doesn’t feel correct. For kids, it’s difficult to make sense of their emotions and pick out the distinctive shades of emotions. I have seen emoting more while dancing and teaching, as well as making them listen to a wide variety of songs, helps them to bring out expressions on different songs. For grown-ups, listening to music is also the key. Another thing that we do is to conduct regular expression exercises where we differentiate between lip syncing and forming a story. From my personal experience, story building is the strongest tool to bring out expressions.
Many people see dance as a hobby, not a career. What’s your take on that perception, and how do you inspire your students to see its deeper value?
I have no problem with people who enjoy dancing and still don’t wish to pursue it. Their choice, isn’t it? But it’s only fair when others’ choice is equally respected. If anybody looks down upon any profession, that comes from a place of privilege. As long as you are honest and hardworking, the profession is always worth it.
Talking about reinstating these values and pov in my students, I try to pass down the same ideas to them. I show them and take them to different types of events so they can understand that there are many branches available in this field. No longer is it limited to teaching and performance.
Tell us about some memorable performances or moments from your students that made you feel proud as a teacher.
In September of 2025, Nirtyashri Creative Space, aka NCS, performed at Durga Pujo organized by Biswa Bharati Mandal at Kali Mata Mandir, Indrayaninagar, Pune. I was extremely happy because, along with me, 18 of my students performed with me. It was magical because so many people adjusted and made that performance happen. To find a tribe that will love what you love is a blessing.
How do you stay inspired and continue evolving as a dancer and mentor?
I simply love dancing, and I honestly don’t need much outside inspiration. But yes, there are low days, and in such situations, I like to watch videos of my favourite artists and know their journey. And sometimes, just take a break and come back to dance with a fresh perspective.
Social media has become a big platform for dancers. How do you see it influencing today’s dance culture and learning experience?
Social Media is a tool at the end of the day. It is neither good nor bad. How we make use of the tool determines whether it is good for us or not. Yes, social media is a big platform. It has helped me to meet many artists and helped me to show my art to the entire world. So yes, I am all team Social Media. But, you have to be careful, otherwise the social media game may consume you, slowly leaving you hollow from the inside.
What message would you like to share with aspiring dancers who dream of making their passion their profession?
Before saying anything, I would like to clarify that I am still figuring out, and each journey is different. We all know that. But would not sugarcoat. It is a tough journey because the route is not fixed. I was privileged enough not to have a job and start classes. I understand not everyone can manage that. However, one thing I know and I can say with grit that hard work does pay off only when it’s consistent. Maybe you are taking only one class, but if consistent, it will grow. Maybe you are practicing only for an hour, but daily, you will become better. Aim to do your best in the time you have.
Also, I would urge all the enthusiasts to take proper training in any style if they want to play this game in the long term. Trends are meant to be for a while. Do them, but don’t only do them.
What’s next for Nrityashri Creative Space? Any upcoming shows, collaborations, or future
We are organizing the second edition of our Annual Dance Showcase Event called “NCS Abhivyakta 2.0” on 15th February 2026. It is an opportunity for the students of our class or for any person who likes to dance and wants to perform on the stage. We have batches for kids, teens, college students, ladies, moms, and couples. We have Special batches which will be conducted only on Sundays. So low commitment but better dedication. All batches will be focusing on body language improvement and stage confidence. We will be training for the months of December and January. And will perform on 15th Feb at Ga. Di. Madgulkar Auditorium, Pradhikaran, Pune.
For those who wish to join or learn more about Nrityashri Creative Space, how can they get in touch with you or the academy?
We are available on Google. You can search for Nrityashri Creative Space, and you will find our details on our website. You can call us for details and join in for a free demo class. Our classes are also available on Instagram. You can DM us over there. We are also available for private training and event choreography. We are into Wedding Sangeet Choreographies, School Annual Event choreographies, Corporate event choreographies, and other such events.
Thank you so much. As our NCS motto is always Create, Learn, Teach, and Live to your fullest.
