ABOUT US: – KHYATI AND SANJEEV MEHTA

The Man – Founder & Director

Sanjeev Mehta, Founder & Director of S.M.E.D.A. [Sanjeev Mehta’s Elegant Dance Academy], he started learning dance at a very small age and has been one of the known performers of his times, winning more accolades for himself as well the schools & colleges he has been associated in past. Dance as an art has always been a true passion for him, Sanjeev himself was born and brought up in middle class business family, with a mix of traditional, cultural, moral & conservative background. Coming from a conservative business family he knew he would have never explored his Artistic Vision and Creative Mindset to start dance as his career. But some hope was always there. He knew he would make his dream come true & where there is a will – Sanjeev believes god walks with him, Family saw his talent and toil, which started with 4 students in a small workshop at Dahanu. He moved on to his next journey of growth and expansion from there he moved to Vapi, Umergaon, Sanjan, Valsad, Palghar, then he stretched his wings to Mumbai. He made his mind & knew his next destination was Bollywood – big dream, which he always aspired for in life. Shifting his family and business both, he knew he was heading for a new journey. His first studio in Mumbai was at Kandivali. He knew everything was perfect and then there was no looking back for him. As he set the fire on, he started his Dance Studios at Borivali, Malad, Goregaon, Vashi, Panvel, Bandra & then he was in line of starting Dance Studios all over.

One of the most dreadful things happened to Sanjeev was an accident while traveling to Gujarat for a Raas Garba performance. It was terrifying for him, cause he could see himself struggling for life at that point in time, but theres always an answer to what we think and what we don’t… He took life in a bright way. He conceived whatever happens in life is always an indication for change. Life completely changed for him then. He now saw Dance as a subject to heal human mind & bodies. He did a lot of research on Dance & Fitness and studied subject like pilates which helped many dancers recover from injuries. To understand the connection between Mind & Body, he started a special Dance Workout program, which was a turning point in his life. He started serving people with a new vision to combine Dance & Fitness and create a healthy Mind & Body connection. He started sharing his technical & artistic skill to many Doctors, Celebrities, Institutions & Corporates. His Vision has come true and now he sees life as bliss in the form of Dance & Dance fitness. Very few people follow their dreams and passion but Sanjeev Mehta trusted in himself and followed his vision for this beautiful art form. Dance & Fitness as a profession for Sanjeev Mehta has been a Artistic vision.

This young man who means Business and who is constantly on wheels to meet his work schedules, has moulded young and not so young people of our times with true dancers. He has been professionally involved as Dance Director, Fashion Choreographer, Event Organizer & Fitness Instructor since the year 1996.

Now, he is all set to open his Academy all over Mumbai after training over more than 15,000 students. He is specialized in training Western, Folk & Filmy Dance styles. His training workshops are held every 3 months with a special course structure from Basic to Advanced levels. He has been professionally associated with the Films, Ads, Promos, TV serials, Shows, Schools and Colleges training copiously in Dance Choreography, Body Fitness, Aerobics, Bhangra Workouts, Garba Workouts, Salsa Workouts, Hip-Hop Workouts, Belly Dance Workouts, Acting and overall Performing Arts.

His resume speaks of the Creative and Technical background, which he possesses and hopefully presents him as a ideal Creative Media figure.

Artistic Director for S.M.E.D.A.

Mrs. Khyati Mehta is working as an Operational & Artistic Director with S.M.E.D.A. She has completed her B.F.A. in Indian Classical (Bharatnatyam & Folk) Dance. She has taken her dance training from various traditional gurus like Indumati Lele and Roma Benerjee for Folk Dance and Revathi Srinivasan for Bharatnatyam. Khyati is herself a Dance Choreographer, Performer and an Instructor since last 10 years being associated with different schools, colleges & events. She has been a winner at many Inter-School and College Competitions.

Curently she is totally involved in the growth of the Company & her research on Dance continues. She has organized many stage-shows and events. She has been honoured as judge for many competitions & has been an Examiner for Gandarva Dance examination.

History of S.M.E.D.A.

S.M.E.D.A. – Sanjeev Mehta’s Elegant Dance Academy – was founded in 1996 by Mr. Sanjeev Mehta who is an IFDDA Member [Indian Film Dance Directors Association] and also a Fitness Trainer, an Event Organizer, and a Fashion Choreographer. Purpose behind this establishment was to serve different forms of dance in a artistic ways for students to learn the technicalities, with an approach to serve fundamentals and choreographic methods.

Initially Academy was started with a bunch of students in small town. It started blooming with dedicated commitment towards art. It expanded into many branches after that. S.M.E.D.A. by 2002 had establishments in Kandivali, Malad, Dahanu, Umbergaon, Vapi. Dancers were trained technically about various aspects of Dance forms and the selected few pursued their profession and became professional instructors under this Academy. Different School and Colleges started taking training with the guidance given by this Academy. S.M.E.D.A. – has trained 1000s of students at various renowned Institutions.

As you all know… any ART FORM has no boundaries……!!!

As a founder of this Academy – he always diverted himself and his followers to perform, be creative and innovative. He studied a subject like Body Fitness, Ancient Dances and kept undergoing with his research on it. Finally he found out a connection between Dance and Body. The idea conceived in his brain was executed as a beta test for his batch of students at new branch in Mumbai(Kandivali). Many people started coming in his studio to learn Dance as Body Fitness got excellent and positive results. Apparently professionals, doctors and media people got involved into this new form of Dance to Fit Program – a body fitness with dance routines.

Now a days Academy is associated with Schools, Colleges, TV, Films, Ads, Stage Shows, Celebrity Training and Corporate Events teaching different Western, Indian, Contemporary, Classical, Standard and Latin Ballroom Dances.

“S.M.E.D.A. IS THE PLACE WHERE THE TRADITION MEETS TECHNOLOGY TO BREAK DOWN BOUNDARIES OF ART AND LIFE, WHERE PERFORMERS WORK TOGETHER TO OPEN MINDSCAPES THROUGH DANCE”