Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashmi Shashi.
Hi Rashmi , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hello Everyone,
My name is Rashmi Shashi and I am the Artistic Director of Studio Mudra School of Dance in Houston, Texas.
My dance teaching journey started in the year 2002 more so as an accident. I am a graduate of Bharatanatyam, an indian classical dance form which is well known all over the world and is as old as 2000 years.
When I moved to the USA in 2001 from India, other than being a graduate in bharatanatyam I was a post graduate in Microbiology and wanted to pursue in that field.
Once during a friend’s family get-together, I bumped into a bunch of kids who needed help with a choreography of an Indian classical dance and I offered to help them. That was my first gig teaching classical dance and I totally loved it.
I always knew dancing was my biggest passion but teaching these kids brought in a new lease and satisfaction to me and thats when I decided to teach this art form to more kids and bring them closer to our tradition and culture.
I started Siri Nrithya School of dance in 2002, in South Florida.
After 10 years in South Florida I had to move to Houston and I started Studio Mudra School of Dance in 2012.
Over this 23 years of my teaching journey, our school has performed in many dance festivals all over the US, India, and Europe. We have presented many dance ballets over the years. I have trained more than 250 kids so far and over 25 of them have graduated so far from our school. The icing on the cake for us was when the ‘All India Dance Festival’ invited our school to perform at the legendry Carnegie Hall, New York on July 2nd of 2023. Ours was the only school from Texas to represent that event and it was indeed the most proud moment for me and my students. We still get goosebumps when we think about our experience standing in the middle of the carnegie stage and performing.
In 2022, the City of Sugar Land recognized me for promoting Indian Classical dance form in Fort Bend County.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was more than a bumpy ride to get to where I am today. Intially when I moved to the US, I was a young , naive 21 year old who had no idea where to begin. I remember crying everyday thinking about my family back home.
Thankfully I met few friends who trusted me and encouraged me to start my own dance school to keep myself busy.
I started of with 2 students and very soon my school grew as big as 120 plus students in 6 years. My first student graduated in 2008. Life was progressing well but suddenly I had to make a big decision to move to houston due to personal reasons. That was the most heartbreaking decision as I had to leave behind my lovely students and my school which I had really worked my soul of for so many years. I had no choice but to move. Thankfully most of my students and their parents understood my situation and decided to pursue with me online.
Moving to a new place and adjusting to the new environment was not at all easy. I had to restart from scratch as nobody here knew me and I literally had to prove myself again. I am thankful to my husband Shashi Kumar who encouraged me to start again and thus began my journey in houston with 2 students.
I have trained around 100 plus students here now. Even with all the hurdles life threw at me, I am thankful to God, my family and friends who trusted me and supported me all along. I am enjoying it to the fullest and it has been a worthwhile ride.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form. I started learning when I was 6 years old and graduated from it when I was 19 years old. I have been teaching this art form since the past 23 years in the USA.
I love dance, no matter what form, I do get lost in it and teaching dance has become my greatest passion.
I love teaching kids and adults of all age groups from 3 years to 50 plus. I am the happiest around my students especially the kids whom I call my kids so proudly.
I am known to be this dance guru who is very passionate about my work, creative, coming with out of the box ideas, hard working, dedicated, consistent and strict with my work ethics. I am known to have brought in many new dance productions or ballets over the years which has been accepted very well by the audience.
I am most proud of my students who are doing very well and also the programs we have been involved with over the years. It not only teaches you how to dance but guides you through out your life on how to work hard, stay dedicated, persevere, be creative, be confident and to think out of the box.
The most cherished one would be our carneige performance.
What sets me apart is I don’t treat dance as a business. When I am with my students I am not looking at my watch or time, I am just focused on their growth which is not only related to dance but to their overall personality of being a fine human and setting an example to others.
Another thing I do is when I choose a story for our dance productions, I go with the ones which is relevant to our real lives and passes on a good message.
For example we have done productions on water shortage, how the world can be a better place, importance of sacred chants and meditation in our lives, etc.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the multi cultural aspect of the city.
I don’t like the summers in houston.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: studiomudraschoolofdance
- Facebook: Rashmi Shashi
