Hawaii’s Renaissance Woman

India’s Massive movie industry creates excitement and entertainment featuring music, song and dance. Bollywood Dance featured in movies, combines traditional, Classical & folkloric dances of India, contemporary dance, Bhangra, Hip Hop, Bellydance and “music video” moves into a unique MASALAtm of flavors.

Willow has developed a following for her up beat and lyrical Indian Bollywood dance performances and classes.  She easily navigates the dynamic changes of Bollywood dance that span from colorful high energy music to devotional gazals (poetry) that express the supreme importance of love. She also understands that Bollywood dance can be both narrative in telling a story, or simply ‘fun’ interpreting the music. Either way, she appreciates that there’s always a relationship with the music, story and the dance.

Starting in 1996, she was a regular featured dancer with Vedic Empire Productions Indian Dance parties, and has performed at the Bhangara Bashment at Indigo, Cheb I Sabbah’s Krishna Lila CD release, with DJ Rehka (NYC) and the Singh Brothers, and Mira Savara’s established Bollywood Nights Parties, private events and Hindu weddings in Honolulu.

Willow is invited annually to perform at Gandhi’s Birthday celebration in Honolulu, as well as for events with Lotus, Milun and the Taste of India fundraisers for Kapiolani Community College’s Culinary Arts Program. Recently, in 2013, she reunited with Vedic Empire Productions and presented a comissioned dance based on the Hawaiian Kamapua’a god, and a performed at India Cafe’s Diwali celebration.

2013 also made the debut of her newly formed dance group BOLLYWOOD HAWAII . Willow creates dances that are upbeat and lyrical, caputuring the beauty and energy of Indian Bollywood dance.

As a promoter, Willow’s sponsored dance and performance events for Indian and Bollywood dance artists Meera (LA), Meissoun (Zurich) and Colleena Shakti (Rajasthan) and co-produced the Bollywood and Beyond party with DJ Nocturna.

Willow believes it’s important to have a cultural foundation to build and draw from. It’s what motivates her to continue to study various forms of Classical and folkoric dances of India. She has studied Classical Indian dance with Gurus Sandra Chatterjee (Kuchipudi), Jhoti Rout and Colleena Shakti (Odissi), as well as Bharatanatyam with  Runjini Murthy and Rohini Acharya.

In 2009, Honolulu Magazine recognized her Bollywood class at Heaven on Earth Fit Studio as  the Best of Honolulu, in the category of dance. In the same year, she taught Bollywood workshops in Athens, Greece. Her approach to teaching is inclusive, stressing the importance of fun, safety, cultural sensitivity and contemporary flavors of Bollywood dance.

In 2011, Willow was invited as the guest artist for Black Orchid Danses’ Bollywood Party in Atlanta, GA,  for the Najim al Danse Festival, with guest DJ Amar Solunamar. In 2012, she was the singular Bollywood instructor for Black Orchid Danse’s Soul of Fusion Dance Festival, in Atlanta , Georgia.

In 2013, Willow had the honor of being an invited artist as performer and instructor at the 1st Bollywood Dance Festival in Athens, where she also performed at the Gala concerts held at the historic Dora Stratou Theatre at the foot of the Acropolis.

Currently, Willow continues to share the beauty of Bollywood dance, teaching at Punahou School, Queen’s Womens Center and the Still and Moving Center, where she leads attendees in classes, Bollywood dance parties, Bollywood movie nights and Henna/mendhi parties!

For performance bookings, workshops and classes, please check the home page menu for more information.