Virtual Diwali Tour
We are so excited to announce the 2022 Virtual Author Tour.
With three Maya/Neel books on Diwali, now is the perfect time to schedule your Author Visit!
Let Bestselling Author and Presenter, Ajanta, take over for an hour and engage your students’ or coworkers’ imagination by sharing an inspiring presentation on Diwali, the festival of lights of India.
Using a combination of Joyful Movement, Indian music, and Stories, Ajanta will create an ultimate exciting and engaging experience!
Ajanta is the co-founder of Bollywood & Culture Groove and for the past 10 years, has endlessly worked towards spreading the joy of culture! She is the award-winning co-author of Maya/Neel book series. Her work has been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, Elle Magazine, Neilsen Media, Sun-Times, Univision, Al Jazira+, and more.
Explore Maya/Neel Diwali Books
We hope to bring the magic and excitement of Diwali to your School, Library, or Organization.
Happy Diwali!
What People Say
Ajanta is AMAZING! I booked her at my public library for both a family dance and culture program and a short workshop for tweens through adults. She has unstoppable energy, is excellent with all age groups, and really brought the fun. The addition of her books and introduction to Indian language and culture was fantastic. It really opened a door for kids, teens, and adults in my community. Couldn't recommend her more!
We had a group of young kids. Ms. Ajanta's energy was infectious. Even the reluctant one stayed for the whole program. Her way of describing Indian culture was simple, highly visual, and bubbly. She was very good at engaging the kids. Even the parents got into the dancing.
Today Bollywood Groove & Culture Groove was at the West Englewood Library and it was an amazing experience. They explained Holi, The Festival of Colours with music and dance. It was interactive keeping the attention of a room of preschoolers for an hour while providing new information. Fun & learning was done by all.
I attended a dance class at the public library and it was an absolute delight! Ajanta had great energy and I learned a lot about Indian dance, culture, and history.
Ajanta came to do an Indian Dance & Culture Workshop for kids at my library. She had so much energy that I was tired just watching! She was able to keep the kids engaged the whole time while teaching them about different aspects of the Holi Festival. In the process the kids learned a dance that they put together at the end. We would love to have Ajanta back in the future!
Ajanta was amazing. The kids loved her. They were super engaged throughout the whole lesson. Very educational and entertaining!
We organized a virtual party for my daughter Sarah during the lockdown. Ajanta was amazing and the party was a great success! Children and families connected through Zoom and learned a traditional dance and it's meaning. Thank you for the great experience!
We no longer live in Chicago but my daughter and I both love the kids and adults Bollywood groove classes! The adult classes are a fantastic workout and I have not found anything as good in Atlanta. The kids dance classes are perfectly paced for this age group, interspersed with story telling and culture and a virtual recital at the end. Love, love, love Ajanta!
I'm not sure how I haven't written a review here before. I've been taking these classes for a year and a half now. I've never stuck with a workout that long. I love Ajanta. Somehow after dancing all day she still has more energy than I have when I wake up. I work out harder in BG than I do in any other workout I do; it's probably because I'm having so much fun that I don't even realize how hard I'm breathing. I highly recommend these classes.
My four-year-old daughter loves dance classes with Bollywood Groove! She has been taking classes for eight months - first at her school and now online. I highly recommend this program for kids and adults! It's a great workout with catchy music and awesome dance moves. Class also has a bit of education regarding India (the language, culture, etc). Truly a wonderful experience.
We had a virtual 5th birthday party last week put on by Bollywood Groove. The organization of the event was taken care of and we were provided simple instructions as to how to manage the party. The party itself was full of energy, perfectly themed, and fun for all! the birthday girl loved it, as did all of the attendees!
Wonderful Bollywood birthday party for my eight year old grandson via Zoom. Friends and relatives from all over the country were able to participate. And they DID because of the excellent example, enthusiasm, and creativity of the teacher! One party goer said that it was the most fun he'd had since COVID-19 quarantine began. I went all out and felt accomplished after the exercise.
By far the most energizing virtual workout I have been to all year! Ajanta was such a lively instructor and amazing at engaging the group. Such a fun way to get a workout in!
This place is so much fun. It doesn't even feel like you're working out because the music is lively and everyone is so into it. Definitely give it a try. You won't regret it.
This is a review for the zoom kids class. Love the choreography, music selections, your style of teaching. Ms Ajanta you are energetic, and we love your manner of explanation to the kids. We also love how you've incorporated story time regarding Indian culture during your breaks. My son doesn't know any Hindi but is able to dance to the songs and has learnt some awesome moves! This class has been enriching at so many levels but most importantly the kids love you and they have fun! You make the parents want to sit in and dance as well! I often find most Bollywood song choreographies very redundant but yours is unique and fun!
Bollywood Groove helped my company celebrate Diwali virtually with employees from across the country! The class was the perfect blend of cultural learning and dancing. Ajanta was able to tie in different parts of Diwali with each of the dance moves. Everyone who joined the virtual dance class loved Ajanta's high energy and how engaging she was. I definitely recommend Bollywood Groove for any parties/corporate events/etc. as a fun, lively, and educational event - that can be done virtually!
By far the most energizing virtual workout I have been to all year! Ajanta was such a lively instructor and amazing at engaging the group. Such a fun way to get a workout in!
Ajanta’s energetic workshop received nothing but positive exclamations from our Dell Team members! She makes diversity and inclusion through culture sharing engaging, fun, interactive and absolutely refreshing against our typical day-to-day.
Bollywood Groove has been AMAZING! We have been joining the virtual classes over the past month and the level of instruction is unmatched. My 3yo is blossoming!
Take Up Space, You Belong!
It was July of 2011. I was standing in front of 2,000+ people at Grant Park, Chicago. As I looked around, I could barely see the crowd that had now overflowed into the grassy area beyond the dance floor.
I put on a brave smile, nodded to my team of dancers, and began our show. For the next hour, we took the participants through a completely joyful immersion into Bollywood dance. We got their hearts racing and their faces smiling. The next morning, someone sent me this picture. We had made it in the Chicago Sun-Times!
If you had asked me 6 months prior to that date if I would get such an opportunity, I would have probably said no. I had moved to Chicago the year before and knew exactly, wait for it… ZERO people in all of Chicagoland. I had no friends, network, or connections.
While I was trained in classical dance, that’s not what I taught or performed. So not only was I unsure of my status in the larger artist community in Chicago, I wasn’t even sure of it within my own. I remember stopping dead in my tracks the first time I was called an *Artist* and then again a *Cultural Educator”. I was a computer scientist, a dancer, a fitness instructor but an artist and a cultural educator? Wasn’t that meant for other folks doing elevated and refined artsy stuff?
I was watching a TV show the other day where a dance studio owner said these two sentences: “You Belong” and “Take up Space” (This is Us fan, anyone?). And I remember that some incredible people around me had conveyed the same message to me all those years ago. They helped me feel that this Brown, barely-30, Woman from a small city in India Belonged and it was OK for me to Take Up Space.
On this International Women’s Day, I hope you feel the same. No matter the color of your skin, pedigree, or your status as a minority, YOU BELONG. So go ahead and TAKE UP THAT SPACE!
March 2022 Newsletter
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For your School, Library, or Corporate
Beyond the Colors – 6 concepts of Holi celebrated through 50 activities!
You might have heard about Holi, the famous festival of colors from India. You might have seen stunning images of people covered in color from head to toe, celebrating with joyous abandonment!
But is there more to Holi than colors? And if so, how do you explore them with your kids in a fun & engaging way? In our latest book, we provide you easy ways for you to do just this!
Other than the usual RECIPES, GAMES, PUZZLES ETC. Let’s explore these 6 sub-concepts of Holi!
1. Bravery
The story of Holi is steeped in bravery. Imagine a little boy who defies an evil king and actually perseveres?
This little boy’s name was Prahlad and Holi is celebrated to honor his bravery. You can find the entire story in our Maya/Neel story book.
So Holi is a perfect time to talk about bravery and what it really means to be brave – no matter the age. Activities are great conversation starters and our new activity book provides you just that including a very cool Prahlad Bonfire Lamp!
Template & Instructions
2. Friendship
It is no hidden secret that every society has some way of classifying and separating people. And Holi acts as one of the best equalizers in Indian society!
The day of Holi is meant for people to put aside their differences and celebrate together. The easiest concept of such an equalizing factor for kids is to look at it from the lens of friendship.
So have a conversation with your kids about what makes someone a good friend and how to show appreciation for their friends. Aiding you in the process can be some very fun activities including helping Chintu, the pet squirrel and the most popular character from Maya/Neel books, climb up the friendship ladder!
3. Dances
No Indian celebration is complete without the beautiful songs and dances! Bollywood has made its own mark on Holi by coming up with upbeat songs with infectious beats that still capture the essence of Indian folk music!
Our book provides you with SEVEN different dance & movement experiences that you can learn and enjoy and are completely kid-friendly.
4. Flowers
Flowers have always been a favorite topic in Indian art. Whether its ancient literature, paintings or music, flowers have been fervently explored as being equallly associated with the divine to the mortals.
Holi is a spring festival and the book gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about flowers of India and introduce some fun facts about them.
Did you know that long time ago, Palash flower, also called flame-of-the-forest, was used to make Holi colors?
5. Moon
Moon is similarly popular topic in India. It is associated with romance, kinship, and so much more. Did you know, moon is referred as Mama or the maternal uncle?
Like most other Indian festivals, Holi is followed according to the lunar calendar. And every year, Holi is always celebrated on the full moon day.
There is no shortage of fun activities to explore moon and we offer you a few in the book as well including your very own Moon countdown tracker to Holi.
6. Colors
And of course, the most important one – Colors!
Colors are the essence of this festival and the joy of being covered in and splashing them on your friends is indescribable!
So explore colors while talking about Holi but also look for other ways to connect them to India e.g. the Hindi words of common colors. We offer many such ways of exploring colors in the activity book.
bG for Ukraine – Virtual Workout Fundraiser
Tuesday, March 1 and March 8, 6 to 6:45 pm CST
Join us for a BollyGroove Cardio workout as we raise funds for Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund by GlobalGiving. Amazing news: the donations will be 100% matched via a corporate donor.
Your donation to this fund will support Ukrainians in need, with a focus on the most vulnerable, including children.
All donations to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund will support humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where Ukrainian refugees have fled. GlobalGiving’s local partners are bringing relief to terrified and displaced communities, and they need resources to continue their life-saving work.