Inspiring Conversations with Dr. Disha Shrivastava of Sai Art Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Disha Shrivastava.  

Hi Dr. Disha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
For a little bit of general background, I used to be a chemistry professor in India before we came to the United States, but I always had a passion for dance. I played 11 nationals in basketball since I was 9 years old and continued into college, going to collegiate nationals 5 more times – I have been generally really athletic. 

Post-college, I pursued a double master’s – chemistry and education. My studies continued through my marriage and I finished my Ph.D. in Education. I have always had a passion for teaching, and before moving to the United States, I was teaching in a training college, where I would instruct other students and professionals who were making teaching their career. 

When we moved here to Ohio, I found that there were almost no Bollywood dance choreographers here, and I knew I really wanted my daughter to learn Bollywood alongside Western dance styles. I started off teaching her and a few friends in the basement of our home, and we would dance for the local temple and donate there. I started to get more students and business began rapidly growing with a lot of hard work. I bought a studio in Lewis Center and also taught classes at the Dublin Community Church, where I am deeply involved with the charity community and regularly help fundraise for different initiatives. This includes helping fundraise for Deep Griha, a charitable organization working to better the lives of low-income, informal communities in India. Charity and giving back are key aspects of my life, and I regularly donate to temples, communities, nonprofits, and others doing good in India and US, especially during COVID when many people were struggling financially. 

I have been in business for 16 years and have taken my students all over the country to perform and compete – my students have won local, state, and national dance competitions, and I take great pride in pushing my students to be the best, and to make them all feel included as part of the extended dance family. 

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?
When I started the business, I started by taking some classes out of the local temple. This however was not the best place to hold a business due to many reasons and I needed to find someplace different to host my students as the dance academy kept growing. Through a trusted friend, I was introduced to the Dublin Community Church and their community hall, which was the beginning of a great relationship. I was able to host several classes there and work with the Church to give back to their charity initiatives such as Deep Griha. 

Thankfully, the business kept growing and I needed to again find another location so I could host more classes and set up a more permanent location with mirrors and a dance-built floor. After searching for quite a while, I bought a property in Lewis Center, OH (close to my home) which I converted to a dance studio and is the main office for Sai Art Group today, we kept getting more students, and my daughter Vidushi also started teaching with me to help handle the growing demand. 

As I keep learning more and helping start more students on their journey to loving dance, developing their confidence and social skills, critical thinking and creativity, and having fun, we are looking to keep expanding the family, and I have been fortunate to find other instructors that work with me to handle the growing influx of students and I’m looking forward to finding even more! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We teach Bollywood, Folk, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Semi-Classical Dance, etc. Teaching since 2007, we are the oldest and most experience Bollywood Dance academy with hundreds of awards, competitions, and wins, and an extended family of students, parents, and teachers who love dance with over 2000 performances under our belt. Classes available today – Dublin and Lewis Center. Come join the family! 

8716 Cotter Street, Lewis Center OH 43035 

saiartgroupoh@gmail.com 

614 218 3862 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0LK5KNijOMio0YLRSNaiwsDC2SDNOTDJMNbE0MjIytDKosLRMSzIzSUlMTDJNNjZKTfTiLU7MVEgsKlFIL8ovLQAArC8UkQ&q=sai+art+group&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS863US869&oq=sai+art+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46i175i199i512j0i512l2j46i175i199i512l2j0i512l2j46i175i199i512.2483j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saiartgroupdanceacademy/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saiartgroup/