Omega:  In a world that demands so much of us, it's easy to lose touch with the body's wisdom. How do we reconnect to it?

Nandini: Yes I agree! We move through life in our heads, juggling work, family, and expectations, and forgetting what it means to feel truly alive. But what if the key to reconnection, presence, and joy has been within us all along?

It has been. It is dance. Dance shifts us from thinking to feeling. It releases stagnant energy, boosts confidence, strengthens our intuition, and unlocks joy. Opening ourselves to global dance forms—from Kathak to belly dance to African dance—enlivens our senses, enriches our minds, and deepens our connection to the world around us.

When we dance, we remember. We remember that we are not just minds racing against time, but living, breathing expressions of joy, beauty, and fierce vitality. We remember that movement is our original language—a way to pray, to play, to heal, and to celebrate life itself.

Omega: How did your relationship with dance begin?

Nandini: From the moment I could move, I was dancing—standing on chairs at my uncle's parties, swaying to ABBA with abandon. I grew up in 1970s London, the daughter of Mauritian immigrants who held culture, community, and ceremony close to their hearts. And every weekend, as a nod to my Indian roots, I attended Kathak dance classes.

As an overweight, self-conscious child, I was terrified. But the moment the music began, something shifted. I forgot how I looked and remembered how I felt: powerful, present, and alive. I now understand that moment as Moksha—a spiritual liberation through embodied rhythm.

Years later, dance continued to shape me—not just traditional Indian dance, but sega on Mauritius beaches, salsa in London nightclubs, and '80s aerobics in my living room with my aunties, leg warmers and all. Kate Bush, Chaka Khan, Grace Jones—they were modern-day goddesses, owning their bodies, their weirdness, and their power.

Omega: What inspired the creation of Global Dance Fusion?

Nandini: I have always struggled to find a fun way to exercise. I didn’t love sports growing up, and I never was a big fan of the gym. I felt like the gym was punishing, not liberating. Dance was the one thing that always lifted my spirit, raised my vibration, and provided community. 

When I left Brooklyn for the Hudson Valley after the birth of my child, I started to feel isolated during COVID. I was carrying the baby fat, and felt like there was nowhere to take dance class. No matter how much I walked, ran, or rode my bike, I was not burning the calories. I spoke to a friend who said “Dance like nobody's watching.” So I did.

Isolation turned into inspiration. I found myself dancing in the snow. Movement pulled me out of my head and into my body. I finally went to a dance class, 30 minutes from home. When the teacher didn’t show up for a class, a voice in my head said, "I can do it." I stepped in with my playlist—and led my first impromptu session. 

That was the birth of Global Dance Fusion, where I seemed to channel my ancestors, blending my passion for dance with my Ayurvedic teachings, drawing from my global travels and experience as a classically trained Kathak performer.

Omega: How did Ayurveda play a part in your life’s path?

Nandini:  I tried countless diets, which never worked. When I discovered Ayurveda, it allowed me to change the lens on how I viewed food, eating, and health. I began to understand that being healthy is not only about food, but also movement, and sleep, and other lifestyle practices. It taught me about how to work with my digestion, view the body as this sacred temple to be loved and adored—not loathed—and I began on my path to self-discovery.

Through Ayurveda, I was able to see my imperfections perfectly, and accept my body for what it is and feel grateful for it. During this time, I became certified as an Ayurvedic consultant and began supporting my body with things I loved (like dance).

Omega: How was Temple Goddess created?

Nandini: It was born from my Ayurveda consulting practice, where I met hundreds of women with body confidence issues, and led them to their journey to wellness and a radical acceptance of themselves. My passion revolves around helping women return to their sensing bodies, to joy, to their sacred feminine essence. The Temple Goddess is a program where we are reminded how our body evolved as the sacred container. It’s not just about movement—it’s about remembering. 

Before I spoke of doshas, digestion, or divine feminine energy, I danced it. Long before I studied Ayurveda and its sister science, yoga, I knew the body was sacred. 

Omega: How is Temple Goddess different from a typical dance or wellness experience?

Nandini: Temple Goddess isn’t about “perfecting” anything. It’s about celebrating everything. In modern life, we have been conditioned to move only with purpose — to burn calories, to perform, to impress. We've forgotten how to move for ourselves, to listen to the natural rhythm of our bodies. In Temple Goddess, dance invites us back to this place.

We blend Ayurvedic wisdom with global dance traditions—Sega, Kathak, belly dance, Afro-Caribbean, and Bollywood disco. We activate the senses with essential oils, breathwork, goddess rituals, and music that spans the globe.

You’re not learning choreography. You’re remembering your power. You’re shedding shame, releasing stress, awakening sensuality, and yes—reclaiming your weird, your wild, your wisdom.

Omega: Tell us about how dance can protect immunity?

Nandini: In Ayurveda, movement is essential for sustaining "ojas"—the vital essence that governs our glow, immunity, and deep resilience. Without knowing it, many of us deplete our ojas by constantly giving, rushing, and worrying. Over time, we feel foggy, fatigued, anxious, and ungrounded—signs of excess vata (air/ether energy).

Dance and movement can nourish and protect our ojas in profound ways, including:

• Cultivating rhythmic, steady movement to ground scattered energy
• Awakening joy and creative flow, which builds emotional resilience
• Strengthening the body’s vitality through circulation, flexibility, and breath
• Creating embodied rituals that honor pleasure, connection, and gratitude

Omega: How do you help women move beyond fear or self-consciousness around dance?

Nandini: By making it fun. I tell women, “This isn’t about being good. It’s about feeling good.” I create a no-judgment zone where everyone can dance like nobody’s watching—and feel safe doing it.

We play dress-up. We shimmy. We stomp. We laugh. We channel deities and disco queens alike. It’s powerful to be witnessed in your truth—even when that truth is messy, sweaty, and gloriously weird.

Omega: What’s the deeper purpose of Temple Goddess?

Nandini: It’s a legacy of embodied healing. A rebellion against burnout, perfectionism, and disconnection. Temple Goddess invites women to honor their vessel, protect their energy, and reclaim their joy. Dance is medicine!