- Tell us about your experience with Ragini Bhajanka.
Ragini encouraged my tiny little flame of getting back to dance with open arms and warm-hearted soul! It couldn’t get more easier to get back to dance after about good 4 years! Once she speaks to you, you connect with her instantly! She is open, interactive, caring, and to be honest—a friend in the shape of a mentor! Ever since I started training with her, it’s been a journey of growing while dancing and truly special to an extent that at times you feel like joining the class purely to hear her talk. Her classes are a very seamless and subtle combination of dance and life coaching I would say.
- What makes Ragini different?
What was most touching about my association with her is that she never left my hand even when I couldn’t attend her classes for a while. She was empathetic, friendly, and very much there to have heart-to-heart conversations with me. When I decided to do private sessions with her and go for long-term association—apart from giving me time and space, she had deep conversations about my needs, my aspirations and encouraged me to dream bigger. Sometimes her interest in your dreams can be more than your own interest in your dreams—one of the few things which would amaze you after you start associating with her.
- What is your biggest takeaway from Ragini’s Program?
Dance being the core, her programs talk about life, healing, re-building confidence, dreaming bigger than you ever have, and learning how to have the freedom and control of your own life—These are valuable lessons that I now carry everywhere.
- What skills did you gain as a result of being with her?
Learning rhythm and having the space to explore my movements while still being clear and technically correct, and being creative not just with my movements but with my emotions too. I am still learning, and it’s a long way to go. I’m doing the Yearly Cohort Program with her and so looking forward to an ocean of learning from her.
- What is your advice to people on the fence?
There is no perfect age to begin learning or resuming dance. It’s a lifestyle where you get to express, move, be fit, interact, and heal—all while having a little fun. For me, it altogether changes my purpose of my otherwise mundane life. I know the importance of a right mentor or a right teacher when it comes to dancing, cause if you don’t have the right person to lead you, you wouldn’t feel secure enough to let go of your apprehensions and give in to learning any skill. So, it’s only so long that you can keep waiting at the fence, it’s important to start from somewhere and this place is everything you need, especially if you have any kind of apprehensions. Just before I formally joined Ragini’s classes, we were discussing as to which program might be the best for me and she said, ‘Please just start. Start with anything. Start with something. It’s important to start training from somewhere.’ That hit me and helped me make a quick decision. Life passes by quickly. A passion and a right teacher is all you nee. So just dive in guys.
- Where would you be today if you hadn’t joined Ragini’s classes?
Life would go on, I have a decent lifestyle and have the necessary things for survival. But life is not just about surviving. It is much more. This association with dance and perhaps with Ragini as a life-coach too, is greatly needed for a quality lifestyle that I aspire to, for my mind and body.
- What makes her student community special?
It’s a safe place. We learn from each other. The students are in different stages of life and belong to varied groups. However, diversity never felt like an issue. The students make an effort to make you feel at home, no matter what. Different personalities—different dreams—we all fit together beautifully.
- Anything else you’d like to share – a personal anecdote or story.
Well, to be very honest, anything Ragini says hits you on another level–She talks deep, and I personally love people who have that ability. She said to me, ‘Everyone dances when they are happy, but it’s when you fall hard, you actually need dance the most because that helps you heal and fix yourself’.
I would like to share to everyone who is either on the fence waiting for a magic or going through a hard time, come and join us, we are all in it together!
Ragini Bhajanka 