Today we’d like to introduce you to Sagnika Mukherjee.
Sagnika was born and raised in Siliguri, West Bengal India. Siliguri is a vibrant cosmopolitan City known for its tea, transport, tourism, and timber. It is a fast developing city with enviable growth potential. Her parents were quick to spot her passion for dancing, so enrolled her in a local dance academy. She began learning at the age of three and is trained in Indian classical dances- Bharatnatyam, Odissi, and also in Bollywood and Bengali folk dances.
She won many trophies in a dance competition at the school level, and she represented her school in the ‘Inter School Dance Competition’ and stood 1st in 2004 and 2006. She blossomed into a self-assured and confident dancer and participated in the Talent hunt show, organized by Tollywood industry, in West Bengal, India named ‘Ekti Tarar Khonje’(Search of a Star). She won all the stages of grueling auditions and represented Siliguri/North Bengal in the Grand Finale of the show, held in Kolkata.
After graduating from College, she got married and with her husband, left for Atlanta in June 2012. Today Sagnika is an established dance performer, teacher, and choreographer and also have been pursuing in acting and modeling industry. She is the winner of “Dance Fever 2017” contest held in Atlanta organized by Anand entertainment and judged by famous Bollywood choreographer Gita Kapoor.
Her YouTube channel has around 300 thousand subscribers. Most of her dance videos have over a million views, and her dance was praised and shared by Shahrukh Khan, the king of Bollywood (Indian Film Industry) in his social media. She has held successful dance workshops in the US and India and is a sought after artist in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Sagnika has worked in movies as well. Her latest release is the English movie-“Upshot” directed & produced by “Freeze Frame Media” & “Cumulus Creations.” Sagnika is the proud founder of Sagnika Dance School, located in Dunwoody. She teaches Indian classical, Bollywood & Zumba dance.
Sagnika doesn’t think it as it’s a job, in fact, pursue it to bring joy, happiness & fitness in one’s life. She volunteered as a choreographer at “Vibe,2018-Dancing for a cause” fundraiser organized by “Vibha” a non-profit organization, which supports the education of underprivileged children in India & USA.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I graduated in English Honors from Siliguri College, India. My family wanted me to pursue higher studies. But I had chosen to follow my dream & making career into “Dance.” It was challenging to convince the family, but I somehow managed.
In 2012, I got married & with my husband relocated to Atlanta, GA, USA. A completely new country, new people, new life. My husband Panchajanya a doctor by profession is my biggest support system. With his support & encouragement I continued my passion & Since then I have performed in various events in & around Atlanta.
I always felt passionate about acting too. I remember, In my childhood days after coming back from school, I used to pose and act in front of the mirror. I was always the director’s favorite for lead roles in plays & dance dramas at school and college. My most favorite dance drama was “Snow White & seven dwarfs” that I was chosen as Snow White in school.
Later, I had worked in local T.V channels as well. I wanted to take acting further and was getting ready to audition for roles in National T.V. My family was hesitant to support me for taking acting as a profession. With lack of support & encouragement, I had to discontinue it there only. But the passion was still inside.
In 2017, I got an offer for the English suspense movie “Upshot” and said yes to the team. I was referred by one of my actor & model friends Satrugna Rayapati. The movie was directed by Trivikram & produced by “Freeze Frame Media” & “Cumulus Creations.” Enjoyed the shoot. It was a dream come true.
I got excellent impressions about Atlanta. USA is a land of opportunity, and I feel happy to be here. Atlanta is a vibrant city but less hectic than say New York or Chicago. In winter thankfully we do not have snow or ice. People are friendly here. I have met many people here who have helped and supported me.
Today, Sagnika is an established dance performer, teacher, and choreographer.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sagnika Dance School – what should we know?
Sagnika is the proud founder of “Sagnika Dance School,” located in Dunwoody. She teaches Indian classical, Bollywood & Zumba dance. She is the winner of “Dance Fever 2017” contest held in Atlanta organized by Anand entertainment and judged by famous Bollywood choreographer Gita Kapoor. Beside teaching & business shows, Sagnika likes to devote her time in charity shows for “Puja” (Worship) as well.
Sagnika doesn’t think it as it’s a job, in fact, pursue it to bring joy, happiness & fitness in one’s life. She volunteered as a choreographer at “Vibe, 2018-Dancing for a cause fundraiser” organized by “Vibha” a non-profit organization, which supports the education of underprivileged children in India & USA. She also has performed for “Ekal Vidyalaya” a non-profit organization dedicated to educate the underprivileged girls in India.
Sagnika has a huge fan following in social media. Her YouTube channel has around 300 thousand subscribers. Most of her dance videos have over a million views, and her dance was praised and shared by Shahrukh Khan, the king of Bollywood (Indian Film Industry) in his Twitter account. She has held successful dance workshops in the US and India and is a sought after artist in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
As I mentioned before as well, my husband Dr. Panchajanya Paul is my greatest supporter, My in-laws Mr. Pratul Paul & Mrs. Kshama Paul wholeheartedly supported me in all endeavors, otherwise, it wouldn’t have been possible for me with a 3-year-old baby boy.
Grateful to my mother Mrs. Manika Mukherjee for being there with me. Can’t thank enough for having them in my life. In addition, I have been fortunate enough to meet kind people who have supported me. I would like to thank Mr. Mahadev Desai, Subhankar Nath, Pinky Girdhar, Bhavana Anand & Hetal Mehta.
Contact Info:
- Email: isagnika@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isagnika/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sagnikadanceschool/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/isagnika?lang=en
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWEVnae6XcbwDEXAA0HjG8A
Image Credit:
Kishore Tatikonda, Venkat Kuttua, Niraj Sharma, John Gladson, Vinod Kumar Bijayakumar
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