empower through movement

647 444 7151

Artistic Director, SAE

Toronto Based dancer, choreographer and teacher, Puja Amin established Sanskriti Arts in Toronto in 2003, bringing together students with a passion for dance and extreme drive to explore their potential. Puja Amin has the distinction of receiving the Kesri Youth Award 2005 in Canada for appreciation of support and help, to impact and make a difference in the lives of youth. She is a veteran of TV & film; an internationally renowned Bollywood, Folk and Kathak dance performer and educator; Owner and Director of Sanskriti Arts in Toronto and President of Bollycore!

Media has featured SAE in the Toronto Star, Vaughan Citizen, Brampton Guardian, Toronto Sun, CMR and TVi, Snap, Gujarat times, Gujarat Abroad, the Voice, That Channel Canada AM, City TV, CBC news and Television Omni TV and CHCH. Puja was featured in the Toronto Star article for So You Think You Can Dance, Canada.

  • Global TV 8 Best stories of 2014 on 'Make a Difference'
  • DD Women Achiever 2015
  • Woman Hero ICACI 2015
  • International Dance Challenge- 'Inside Out' Award
  • Presenter; Naach Meri Jaan - Indian Reality Dance Competition
  • Presenter Chak De Bhangra Dance competition in Partnership with Harbourfront Centre
  • Presenter Dance Diaries featuring 'Saroj Khan' in Partnership with Imagebuilderz

Instructor, SAE

Shreya is a young member of our Senior Ensemble. She is currently in grade 10 at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School and aspires to pursue a career in the medical field. She describes herself as an outgoing and positive person. Her journey in the broad field of dance began at the early age of 3 and ever since, dance has been a major part of her life. She is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer as the disciple of Guru Ravi Sharma and she successfully performed her Arangetram in 2013.

Shreya began training with Puja at Sanskriti Arts a few years ago and since then she has been exposed to numerous dance styles; including both Indian traditional and western forms of Dance. Bollywood, Kathak, Garba and Rajasthani are a few of the Indian dance forms that she has been practicing over the past few years. She has also received training in dance styles such as Hip Hop, Belly Dancing and swing and continues to strive and refine her dancing abilities.

  • Shreya, as a member of our Senior Ensemble, has participated in a wide range of dance performances and events across the GTA
  • finalist in the South Asian dance reality show- Naach Meri Jaan which was judged by Jaaved Jaffrey

Instructor

Mrigank started dancing at the age of four and since then continues to pursue his passion in dance and drama. He is currently a dance major at Cawthra Park Secondary School. In addition to Bollywood and Bhangra, he also competes in Latin, Jazz, Musical theatre, Hip Hop, Ballet and modern dance. He does voluntary coaching at a Latin and Ballroom studio as well as at a martial arts studio.

He was fortunate to share the stage with Bollywood stars such as Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, and Lara Dutta at a very young age.

In addition to dancing he is also a brown belt in martial arts, plays guitar and loves to scuba dive, ski and motocross.

  • Powerhouse Performance Award- Naach Meri Jaan, Bollywood Dance Competition- Toronto, 2015 Area
  • First Prize- Dance Showcase - IMTA, New York, July 2014
  • Gold Medal - Bedazzled dance competition musical theatre - Blue Mountain, 2014
  • Gold Medal in Bronze category - Open Youth Latin Dance - La’Classique Intl., Montreal, 2013
  • Silver Medal in Amateur Category - The Falls Premier Ball, Niagara Falls, 2013
  • Silver Medal in Open Youth Latin Dance - La’Classique Intl., Montreal, 2013

Assistant Instructor, SAE

Sanjana started learning ballet and jazz in 2006, then moved on to gymnastics in 2007, and since 2008. She has been learning various dance forms from Puja Amin. Dance forms include Bollywood, Bhangra, Kathak, Rajastani, garba and Hip hop.

  • Participated in number of dance performances at various venues in Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto, Vaughan and Hamilton. *Performed for charity events and at senior homes.
  • Lead interactive tutorial session at fantastic fair
  • Live television appearance on tvo kids.
  • Participated in Naach Meri Jaan competition and am finalist for the Grand finally in San Jose.
  • Part of the senior ensemble for Sanskriti arts.

Instructor

Akanksha has had a passion for dance for as long as she can remember. She danced and choreographed competitively for the University of Waterloo South Asian dance team. She also taught dance to many students for cultural programs through the school year.

In 2015, she started her channel on Instagram and YouTube - @Aka_Naach. She uses this channel to share her dance choreographies, free-lance performances, acting skits, modeling, and everyday life adventures.

After graduation, she started teaching dance classes to young children (Ages 5 - 15) in her hometown.

She has been working with Puja Amin as a free-lance dancer for the past year, and is now very excited to join the Sanskriti Arts family as an instructor!

  • Bollywood Choreographer - University of Waterloo SAA Team, UWIC (University of Waterloo Indian Connection).
  • Bollywood/Hip Hop Dancer - NACS Competition.
  • Miss India Canada 2015 Finalist

Instructor

Bharatnatyam Visharad Sanskruti started her Kathak training at the tender age of 4. She began formal training in Bharatnatyam at the age of 9 in India with her Guru Sonali Surve. Continued her training in Canada with her Guru Ms. Prabha Raghavan of Sri Sanskriti Dance Academy as well as the formal education in Ballet and Jazz with Mississauga school of Dance.

She has innate dancing talent in Indian folk dances, Lavani from Maharashtra and Ghoomer from Rajasthan. Sanskruti has been instrumental in coming up with unique performances like choreographing and dancing on live Hindi poem recitals and has been privileged to take part in an intense dance workshop by Bollywood’s ace choreographer Ms. Saroj Khan organized by Sanskriti Arts in Toronto recently. She also had an opportunity to shook legs with Boogie Woogie fame Actor Choreographer Mr. Javed Jafree as a finalist of Naach Meri Jaan dance competition organized by Sanskriti Arts.

  • The Miss Indo Canadian Princess – 1st runner up Title.
  • Recognized by New Comer Center of peel and was honored with “Youth Entrepreneurs award” 2015 -16