Why Dance

I have been dancing since the age of three, embracing jazz, ballet, Bharatanatyam, and Bollywood. I became enamored of the way dance enables me to preserve my cultural heritage, fuse the sounds and beats of India with the west, and tell stories that empower.

ABOUT ME AND DANCE. GET TO KNOW ME AND MY WORK

Kavya Parikh,
Founder of WhyDance,

Kavya, founder of whydance.org and Tampon Express, is a high school Junior from Marlton, New Jersey. A devoted fine artist and dancer, Kavya is known for having created A Lexicon of a Novel Virus, the acclaimed map of ink and gel that represents the lexicon of fear and hope stretching across the United States at the start of the pandemic in Spring of 2020. “A Lexicon of a Novel Virus” is presently on display at the Evesham Township Library. She is also the composer of Generation Misinformation. Currently on display at Medplus Drugs and Surgicals, Generation Misinformation is a collage of New York Times headlines, images, and snippets which encompass the major news stories of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kavya has a deep passion for helping the world and empowering girls and women to reach their greatest potential.

MEET OUR TEAM

Erika Chiommino

Whydance Board Member

Erika is a high school sophomore from Mount Laurel, New Jersey. She has been dancing for 12 years now, engaging…

Shannon Keane

Whydance Board Member

Shannon Keane is a sophomore who is in her 5th year of dancing. She currently does hip-hop, tap, ballet, lyrical,…

Natalie Jones

Whydance Board Member

A native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Natalie Jones is a sophomore in early college. Her journey as a dancer began…

Rebecca Cui

Whydance Board Member

Rebecca Cui is a high school sophomore located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. With childhood experiences in Chinese heritage dances…

Sarah Joseph

Why Dance Board Member

As a young child, Sarah Joseph has always been more artistically inclined, actively participating in various arts and crafts projects…


Our Mission

I have been dancing since the age of three, embracing jazz, ballet, Bharatanatyam, and Bollywood. I became enamored of the way dance enables me to preserve my cultural heritage, fuse the sounds and beats of India with the west, and tell stories that empower. For me, dance is freedom. For me, dance is energy. Through the choreographed steps of Bollywood to the elision of bodily movements in Bharatanatyam, I open my body and spirit to create a bridge to someplace in my past: a place where my grandparents and great grandparents dwell; a place where gods and goddesses come to life.

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