Richa Chandra
Let's welcome our second #HustlinKween who is full of passion, one of the finest dancers and a brilliant choreographer in our local community, Richa Chandra. Her expressions when she is dancing can make you fall in love with dance in no time.
Her modern take on bollywood choreography is very much loved within the young generation of dancers. Richa is one of the most talented and supportive individual within the local community.
She is also a co-founder for an all girls group from New Zealand known as X-Lake Dance Group.
Richa was born in Fiji and migrated to New Zealand when she was 7 years of age. Like most of the immigrant kids Richa also struggled to “fit in” especially when the two cultures she grew up in collided. She loves to identify herself as a Kiwi-indian who loves to share the best from both worlds.
“I have always been told that I was either too Indian or too white to hang out with certain crowds. I have found myself fitting in with first generation immigrants who moved to New Zealand around the same time as I did, who are all pretty much going through the same phase as me”.
Richa has always had a very strong passion for dance however it wasn't so receptive when she was growing up. Just like any other art form, dance was also considered a “time pass” in the indian society she grew up in. It took her alot of time to make herself believe that what she was doing was not only a time pass but a form of art that requires alot of practise, creativity, physical strength and mental agility. “My mum saw the passion I had for dance at a very young age and always encouraged me to push myself and ignore the backward norms of society, she is my inspiration and my backbone”.
Societies' perspectives are changing with time and communities are becoming more appreciative of the hard work that artists put towards their projects and final products.
“I am grateful and fortunate to have immense support from the community on the path I have chosen with dance. I hope to change the dance scene one day with my modern take on choreography to Bollywood songs, and hope to inspire young girls just like me that dance
is so much more than a ‘time pass’”.
Richa’s proudest moment in her dancing career was when she started doing her very own dance workshops. She always visioned to build a community of passionate dancers who are “looking for more than just dance”. Through the workshops she was able to meet so many new faces that opened about their passion for dancing which encouraged them to be brave and do more. The feedback, the growth and the passion from the people in her workshops made her realise “the value one can have on others when you wear your heart and your soul on your sleeves for the things you are passionate about”.
Richa believes that support can come from many different avenues and it can be a building block to help a business or person to thrive in their field. “I think it is so important to encourage and support the talent around us especially local talent and hustling fellow females. Whether it is sharing their content on your social media channel, purchasing their products/ services, recommending them to your friends and family or even messaging them a few encouraging words.
