collaboration
skip to:
kumari suraj
lauren cox/humans collective
carlos neto
house of duende
phil orsano
g.wilson activewear
justin conte
derek mitchell
ashlé dawson
innovation artists
ali koinoglou
subhasis das
gowanus arts
maria panina
ria dasgupta
Coming Soon!
-Arielle Rosales
-Amanda Castro
-SOLES OF DUENDE
-House of YES
-Pendulum People
-ALMA NYC
-Omari Mizrahi
-Andy Blankenbuehler
kumari suraj
Kumari Suraj, coined as the "The Queen of Whacking Nuevo" by the dance media, is also the Queen of many historical firsts. The first whacking choreography videos on youtube, influencing everyone in the industry the world over.
If there is a Whack in a routine, guaranteed it's impact can be traced back to Kumari, one way or another. She is the first whacking choreographer to explicitly introduce the dance style to mass media by creating dance content for the FOX reality hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance.
Kumari is the founder and CEO of the LA's International Waack/Punk/Pose Festival (Waackfest), which is the first and only festival in the world solely devoted to the cultural education and preservation of Whacking, Punking, and Vogue. She is considered as the “go-to” expert for this underground dance from the 70's, serving as an international ambassador of its history, culture and technique.
Brinda Guha & Kumari Suraj collaborate in DESI HUSTLE, a fun collaboration video with #contemporaryindian & #bollywhack
follow kumari suraj
lauren cox
Lauren Cox is a San Francisco born, New York-based performer, teacher, choreographer, and philanthropist. Her diverse and extensive training has lead her to perform with Alicia Keys, Pharrell, Joey Yung (Hong Kong), Cary Nokey, and more. She has also appeared on Saturday Night Live and America's Got Talent.
Lauren has worked closely with choreographers and master minds such as Rhapsody James, Maria Torres, Fatima Robinson, Nappy Tabs, Luam, Joanna Numata, Dyane Harvey, Jim Cooney,Jermaine Browne, and Cecilia Marta.
Starting out as a competitive rhythmic gymnast, Lauren has since traveled the world studying Ballet, Modern, Jazz Contemporary, Hip-Hop/Street Styles, Street Jazz, Samba/Afro-Brazilian, Haitian Cultural dances, and is currently studying under the infamousSheila Barker as her apprentice and assistant.
Lauren is on staff at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School in the Jazz & Contemporary program and is on staff at Millennium Dance Complex Philadelphia. Her choreography has been showcased in venues around New York such as Broadway Dance Center, Joffrey Ballet School, Funkbox NYC, and Broadway Underground at BB Kings in Times Square. She is also the founder and artistic director of Humans Collective. www.HumansCollective.com
Brinda Guha was featured as a guest artist in Humans Collective's original production of SYMBIOH (staged in multiple NYC locations)
follow lauren cox
carlos neto
Carlos Neto started performing at a young age. In 1998 he was part of a primetime TV series in Portugal, his home country, and had several appearances in the film industry. Looking to achieve a dance qualification he moved to the UK in 2004. During this time Carlos pursued a BA and Masters Degree in International Journalism at Cardiff University.
Since 2004, Carlos has focused his training on Hip-Hop, Locking and House Dance in America, the UK and Scandinavia; learning from choreographers from all over the globe. After moving to London in 2009, it didn’t take long for Carlos to start making a name for himself in the choreography industry. He has choreographed for Warner Brothers, George Sampson, winner of Season 2 of Britain's Got Talent, Goldie Looking Chain, Trevor Nelson, Russian celebrity Sergey Lazarev, the Broadway and London productions of Circolombia, The Fringe in NYC, Ivyrise, ITV’s Got To Dance and adverts for brands such as Samsung and L’Oreal.
As a dancer, Carlos was one of the performers in the first cast of the Dutch show BLAZE that toured around the world. He was also cast in the role of ‘Sudsy’ in the recent Zoonation West End hit showSome Like It Hip Hop. Carlos was also one of the dancers chosen to perform motion capture for John Travolta’s character in the Nintendo video game ‘Grease’ and also PS3 Sony Dance Star Party. To add to that Carlos also danced for London-based companies such as Avant Garde, Dance 2xs and Sophistafunk. He has taught around the world, from New York to Russia and extensively in Europe, including the renown London Pineapple Dance Studios. Carlos was also the Creative Director for the World Of Dance UK in 2011, one of the biggest dance competitions in the world. He recently won the “Outstanding Choreography and Movement” award by The New York Innovative Theatre Awards 2014 and was featured in the new Bloomingdales commercial in the USA.
Carlos Neto & Brinda Guha taught Indian Street Jazz at Broadway Dance Center. Filmed by Zurisaddai Corona Jr.
follow carlos neto
house of duende
Welcome to House of Duende™! A new dance studio & creative space in New York City. Our goal is to foster creative and spiritual liberation through collaboration, while educating and honoring cultural history and tradition through the lens of the Millennial. Through the universal languages of Dance, Music and Art, we offer classes, workshops, panel discussions, collaborative jam sessions, as well as arts education and community outreach programs. All with one goal; to learn, share and celebrate each other’s Culture, Humanity, and Self. Our dance classes range in numerous styles from a roster of inspiring and renowned artists, including (but not limited to) Flamenco, Kathak, Tap, Hip Hop, Vogue, Salsa, and African Diaspora. Whether young, old, professional, or novice, House of Duende™ has something for you!
Brinda now teaches on faculty at the newly-launched HOUSE OF DUENDE and is so happy to be a supporter of this mission!
follow house of duende
phil orsano
Phil Orsano was born in Queens, NY, and studied dance at Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA). He went onto recieve his BFA in Dance Performance at Southern Methodist University.
Phil has danced for Mia Michaels' NYC company, "Mia Michaels live", and is currently in workshop for her Radio City Spring Spectacular. He has had the honor of dancing with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, OUI Danse, Dana Foglia Dance, Derek Mitchell, and the Peridance Ensemble.
Commercially, Phil has worked with artists such as Madonna, Debbie Gibson, Jennifer Love Hewitt (The Client List), Jimmy Fallon, Howie Mandel, Lisa Vanderpump (Bravo's Vanderpump Rules), on two seasons of Maria di Filippi's AMICI (Italy), Law and Order SVU and more.
Phil is currently teaching at Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, and is on faculty for Quest Intensive. He is represented by CESD in NYC and by MSA in Los Angeles. As a choreographer, Orsano has been featured in Dance Teacher Magazine for "Video of the Month", for his concept video entitled "One.". This piece was also presented at the showcase EMERGE, hosted by Gotham Dance. His BDC AIM piece "There." was chosen as a Choreographer's Pick by Brian Friedman at The Pulse, and will be presented again at The Pulse Gala in NYC.
Phil was fortunate to set the full length work, "Marionette.", at the Booker T. Washington performing arts high school in Dallas, Texas. His piece "Fusion", set on Moba Dance Academy, achieved the highest score at Sheer Talent competition. His work, "Stop.", choreographed onto BDC's Professional Semester students, recieved rave reviews. He has choreographed for various AIDS charity events, and for Pride Fest in NYC.
Phil is excited to continue his journey as a choreographer, fusing technique and groove into the contemporary world.
Phil Orsano & Brinda Guha team-taught at BDC and presented their original piece "inevitable" at Symphony Space in 2016.
follow phil orsano
g.wilson activewear
Expressive activewear for inspiring individuals, created in Brooklyn by choreographer Gwen Potter and fashion designer Laura Wilson.
Website & brand launched - shop now!
Brinda is a brand ambassador for G.Wilson Activewear - find her modeling their incredible gear on their website!
follow g.wilson
justin conte
Justin Conte was born and raised in NY. He began dancing at the age of 15, soon realizing he had found a safe place to learn and grow. Over the past eight years he's been teaching and choreographing around the United States as well as internationally.
After training in technique for six years, Justin was exposed to a variety of Street, Freestyle and native movement, sparking inspiration. He began training with world-renowned movers and choreographersDana Foglia, La Jon Danztler, Joanna Numata, Brian Friedman, Sheryl Murakami, and many more. Shortly after meeting Dana, he joined Dana Foglia Dance.
Exploring new movement and a deeper sense of self became necessary. Justin fulfilled his passion of teaching at Broadway Dance Center, as well as choreographing commercially for various recording artists traveling the U.S. He began his professional career understudying Tyce Diorio in the final regional production of A Chorus Line (Mike) before it returned to Broadway.
Within the past few years, Justin has traveled internationally to Japan to work with the Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka Schools of Music and Dance as well as a recent Europe teaching tour, sharing at famous studios in Berlin, Vienna, and Gothenburg. More recently, he danced on Seasons Four and Five of the hit Fox TV series Glee, and guest choreographed at The Pulse On Tour Summer 2014 Showcase. He has worked with recording artists Paula Abdul, Miley Cyrus, and Jordan Sparks, among others.
Justin's newest endeavors include creative direction, video production, and video editing for his up-and-coming production company, Pendulum Visual Art. He is currently working in both Los Angeles and New York City dancing, teaching, and sharing his movement at Debbie Reynolds, Movement Lifestyle, Millennium Dance Complex and Broadway Dance Center. www.JustinConteCreation.com
Justin Conte & Brinda Guha collaborated on some choreography that resulted in team-teaching at Broadway Dance Center!
follow justin conte
derek mitchell
Derek Mitchell is one of todays most sought out choreographers. He has choreographed projects utilizing almost every style of dance and that versatility makes him an asset to any project.He was just nominated for The 2013 Capezio A.C.E. Award for Choreographic Excellence. Derek most recently choreographed a TV Commercial for Season 5 of The Wendy Williams Show in NYC. He has also choreographed a total of 15 Contemporary Jazz and Street Jazz duets and group pieces for So You Think You Can Dance - Ukraine. In 2012 and in 2013, he choreographed numbers for Jerry Mitchell’s Broadway Bares Benefit for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids. Derek has choreographed music videos and world tours for Taiwanese Superstar Jolin Tsai, as well as Sylvia Tosun - Billboard Magazine’s #1 Dance recording artist. He has also choreographed for the House of Blues in Atlantic City with Freedom Williams, music videos for Push ‘n’ Pull, 5 Reasons and World Keeps Turning, Billboard Top 40 Dance Artist Bex (What You Are and Life of the Party music videos and live performances).
Derek has choreographed numerous Flash Mobs including one for 2-time Latin Grammy Award-winning artist Fonseca in Times Square. Additional flash mob choreography: NY Color make-up, YouTube viral sensations Wedding Proposal in Bryant Park-Flash Mob (featured on The Piers Morgan Show-CNN, The Today Show) and the Bollywood Wedding Proposal Flash Mob (featured in the NY Post, Nightline, Good Morning America). He is a resident choreographer for The Brooklynettes (Brooklyn Nets dance team) and the NY Knicks City Dancers 2009/10 season halftime shows as well as the Aldo shoes 2010 worldwide print campaign, Industrials for Clarins Cosmetics, Calvin Klein and Pepsi and choreographed/directed the Step-Up 3-D promo for Disney.
Derek has taught master classes all over the world including NIKE BLAST 2013 in Sweden, Argentina, France, Ecuador, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Austria, South Africa, Israel, The Ukraine, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and Canada. He has taught for many acclaimed dance conventions including The Pulse, MOVE NY (TOKYO The Company), Dance Olympus, Dance Masters of America, MOTIV8, Thunderstruck, Headliners, NADAA and for Dean College. His classes and choreography have been featured on Britneyspears.com, THE A-LIST, CBS, VH1, NY1 News, W Magazine, Piers Morgan, CNN, Good Day NY, The Today Show, TV Guide, Elle, Time Out, U.S. News and World Report, Women's Wear Daily and Crunch magazine.
Derek Mitchell & Brinda Guha collaborated to team-teach at the world-famous Broadway Dance Center!
follow derek mitchell
ashle dawson
Ashle Dawson is undisputedly one of the most versatile choreographers and performers in the industry. Based in NYC, her work is in-demand coast to coast as well as internationally. True education for upcoming dancers is something she is very passionate about and she makes it an essential part of each of her classes. Ashlé shares her extensive knowledge in each class and takes her time to reach each individual and truly educate each student no matter their level. In class you will be positively challenged and encouraged to push past your limits and test your versatility. You will leave her classroom with a stronger sense of confidence, pride, inner joy and accomplishment. Understanding is learning, learning is growing, and growing builds strength & confidence.
Credits include: Top 4 on the inaugural season of SYTYCD,America’s Got Talent (background performer), American Idol Gives Back, Latin Grammys, Los Premios Juventud, Latin Billboards, Celebrity Judge on Central America’s ABDC El Reto Centroamericano De Baile, MTV’sMADE as a latin dance coach, SNL, and Cirque Du Soleil. Finishing 2013, she garnered the title of champion with her celebrity partner Johnny Lozada from the Spanish version of DWTS, Mira Quien Baila as well as choreographed for Dick Clark’s Rocking New Years Eve 2014 for Univision artists JenCarlos Canela and El Dasa. She’s danced and choreographed for artists including: Martin Short, Rachel Dratch, Mario Cantone, Anne Hathaway, John Leguizamo, Gloria Estefan, Don Omar, Victor Manuelle, Wisin y Yandel, Prince Royce, Leslie Grace, Jerry Rivera, Aventura, Fonseca, and many many more.
Ashle is the creator of “Idía” dance, director of the “Latin Fusion Dance Project” and founder of “Breaking Conformity Productions, Inc.”
Brinda danced in Ashle Dawson's second installment of "Estado Ingravitto" in Long Island, NY in 2015!
follow ashle dawson
innovation artists
Myriam Gadri was born in Lausanne, Switzerland and raised in Togo, Geneva and London. Myriam Gadri is a premiere, world-class dancer and performer. Her grace and dynamism as a dancer has been seen on stage around the globe, from Europe to the U.S. She has trained at The Brit School of Performing Arts and Technology(UK), Pineapple Dance Studios (UK), London Studio Center (UK) and Broadway Dance Centre(US), where her passion for dancing made her a versatile performer, at ease with Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern, Hip Hop, Salsa/Latin Jazz, African, Bellydance and Bollywood.
INNO’vation Artists is a collective company of International Dance Professionals each a master in their own style and craft ranging from jazz, contemporary, hip hop to latin and African.
Together they create a universal language understood by the heart, body and mind. ‘INNO’ brings awareness of society, as a message of hope to change and unite.
Brinda choreographed and danced with INNO'Artists in 2014/2015, which culminated in a curated show at Dixon Place in NYC
follow INNO'Artists & myriam gadri
ali koinoglou
Originally from Long Island, NY, Ali is now thriving in New York City. Dancing since she was a young child, Ali found the love for dance and has been training to pursue her dreams in the dance industry ever since. When she was given the opportunity to teach during her senior year in high school, Ali’s passion for educating students began as well.
After countless summers studying at Joffrey Ballet School and American Ballet Theater, Ali graduated high school and went on to attend the Joffrey Ballet School’s year-round trainee program. Ali was able to strengthen her technique under legendary teachers and be mentored in their teaching skills.
Shortly after Joffrey, Ali attended the Professional Semester at the Broadway Dance Center, where she was studying with the most prestigious teachers around the globe. While training at the BDC, Ali's choreography was chosen for the Summer Professional Semester Showcase and the International Student Visa Program Performance Project.
Since her time at the BDC, Ali has gone onto perform and train with many esteemed choreographers, as well as having her own choreography career.
Ali's company, Koin & Co Dancers (KCD), is a young blossoming company that is currently expanding and performing at numerous venues.
Currently, Ali is a member of Derek Mitchell Dance Company and Kalamandir Dance Company, as well as assistant to Derek Mitchell. Ali also works as a Programs Assistant in the Educational Department at the Broadway Dance Center.
Koin & Co and Kalamandir Dance Co split a bill in 2015 and presented work at Dixon Place. Video coming soon!
follow ali koinoglou & kcd
subhasis das
Subhasis is an energetic experimental theater practitioner. He has been trained in different forms of theater from his childhood in Santiniketan, India. His theater practice found a new avenue of expression when he started working with the legendary playwright Badal Sircar. Subhasis was then introduced to the “third theater movement”—a theater that defied the notions of a structured space or the proscenium stage and reached out to the audience, making the audience an integral part of the theater. Subhasis was trained in different workshop techniques and methods and has been putting them into practice in the many plays that he has directed, to much critical acclaim, in India as well as in the USA. His systematic workshop process helps explore the body, space, sound and the mind. Through unique theater games and improvisation techniques, Subhasis likes to unravel the layers of characterization and situation. Subhasis attempts to provide a true alternative theater experience.
Brinda recently acted in Subhasis' latest short Bengali play, Ami Chitrangada, at the South Asian Theater Festival 2015
contact subhasis das
gowanus arts center | spoke the hub
Based in Brooklyn since 1979, Elise Long and Spoke the Hub Dancing have been hailed by the local press and public as “neighborhood treasures” and “cultural pioneers”, creating the Living Room Performance Space on 9th Street (1980 – 84); the Gowanus Arts Exchange on Douglass Street (founded in 1985, relocated and renamed the Brooklyn Arts Exchange/BAX, now active as a separate organization); and the Spoke the Hub Re:Creation Center on Union Street (1995- present).
The Gowanus Arts Building, the original home of the Gowanus Arts Exchange, was a derelict soap factory bought and renovated by Long with partners David Wolfe, Marc Eichen, Mary Ann Banerji and Jonathan Stewart in 1985. A thriving 15,000 square foot, multi-dimensional artists “habitat,” the Gowanus Arts Building now offers affordable workspace to over a dozen performance, visual, musical, architectural, and multi-media artists, including Spoke the Hub.
In addition to spawning Park Slope’s most vibrant community art centers, Spoke the Hub has also presented over 100 of Long’s original small, medium and extra large dance/theater works in the States, Canada and abroad. These “folk dances” involving performers, newborn through octogenarian, have appeared in wildly diverse settings including pizza joints, beer halls, protest marches, and weddings as well as on ferries, across bridges and at the World Trade Centers, and at more upscale settings such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center.
Kalamandir Dance Company won Director's Choice at Gowanus in late 2014, which led to several 2015 produced shows and a final showcase in Brooklyn!
follow spoke the hub
maria panina
Born in Russia and having traveled throughout the years, Maria is now living her dream being a photographer in New York City. She combines different cultural and educational backgrounds using the language of a photograph to capture the essence of her subject in a single shot. She enjoys working with other creatives. She has immense respect and admiration for dancers and hopes to show the profound effort and discipline it takes to use one's body as an artistic medium.
Maria is currently based in New York and available for assignment work throughout the country.
Maria shot Brinda's promotional dance photographs when she collaborated with INNO'vation Artists in 2015.
follow maria panina
ria dasgupta
Ria DasGupta is a co-founder and principal dancer of Kalamandir Dance Company, and one of its lead choreographers. She trained in classical ballet and modern dance for 14 years with the Academy of Dance Arts in Red Bank, NJ before starting classical and creative Indian dance with Malabika Guha. Since then, she has studied Bharatanatyam under Guru Chitra Venkateswaran and Kathak under Malabika Guha and more recently with the Chhandam School of Kathak. She is trained in capoeira and other Afro-Brazilian arts under the guidance of Contra Mestre Maranhão.
A lifelong resident of New Jersey, Ria moved to the Bay Area in August 2014, and is in the primary stages of building a West Coast branch of KDC. She is the Studio Manager for Studio 8 – The Tea Dancers/Ballet de la Compasion in Berkeley, where she teaches the Kalamandir Technique of Contemporary Indian dance. Ria has an MA in Women’s and Gender Studies from Rutgers University and is pursuing her doctorate in education from the University of San Francisco.
Brinda & Ria have been dancing together for 15 years. They co-founded Kalamandir Dance Company in 2009.