Best Indian Dance Classes & Studios in Bay Area

As a student of six years at Archana Nrityalaya, I can proudly say that getting the opportunity to learn from Archana Tai has been one of the greatest blessings of my entire life. In fact, the impact of her tutelage, both in and outside of the classroom, cannot be quantified into the five stars of this rating. I highly doubt that it could be counted in thousands of them either. When I began learning with Archana Tai in sixth grade, I wasn’t very happy. Kathak dance had so many guidelines, so many rules. The dance required so much effort and discipline, and with Archana Tai as my guru, I had to strive for perfection. And I definitely was not disciplined or motivated enough to do it at that age, and it was because of my drawbacks that I almost considered quitting my tutelage. Today, I proudly say that continuing was one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made. The rules that I eventually internalized define my character today, in both dance and society. Every single lesson in her studio is test of the decorum she has taught and continues to teach me: Do I appear confident and strong every time I move my body to the rhythm? How about my hair, my attire? Have I dressed to succeed in class? And lest we forget, how am I reciting poems and compositions? Is my performance acceptable, or exemplary? Most importantly, how do I respond to my critiques? Do I dare to retaliate out of sheer impulse, or accept my mistakes and respect both my progress and my teacher’s wishes and try again? I face the questions every single day when I return, and try to make the right decisions as Tai has taught me. Yes, Tai can be strict. She pays attention to the nitty-gritty details, and strives for intense perfection. She may break down her students to begin, but rebuilds then into future dancers and leaders. Her endless care for her students is reflected in every single conversation she has with her students. These attributes that distinguish her from other teachers and academies. The schooling that we students receive here is arguably beyond any other Kathak education we can receive. Here, we learn to push the boundaries the boundaries of ourselves and dance, so that we can do the same in life. Thank you, Archana Tai. For everything you have taught me and will continue to to teach me both inside and outside of your classroom.

I love the way Archana tai teaches… she has a warm attitude towards all her students and spends a great amount of time focusing on each and every one of them. Truly the best kathak teacher running one of the most prestigious kathak academies.

They say your Guru is your ‘Marg Darshak’, so for a classical dance form like Kathak, it was an obvious choice for us to go to Archana Tai. This is the perfect place for letting your child’s childhood flourish while they learn this beautiful dance form. Each child is given individual attention to make sure, they have the right pronounciation, Bhav, posture etc. We are seeing our beautiful little girls turn into graceful dancers with each passing year. And you know that you made the right choice when your child is begging you for summer camp after a full rigorous year of the Kathak. Archana Nrityalaya is not a dance school but an extended family for us.

I have been associated with ArchanaTai and her dance school for over 10+ years through my daughter who learns Kathak with her. Typically, I am a person of few words but feel compelled to write this review as my daughter is planning to finish her B.A. in Kathak soon. I have no doubt that Kathak and especially association with Tai is a big reason behind my daughters confidence, self-identity, musicality and pursuit of excellence in whatever she undertakes. Tai doesn’t just teach kathak, she imbibes in her students values of hard work, attention to detail, consistency and diligence. She takes effort to explain history of Kathak, meaning behind each lesson and shared stories of our cultural heritage. Tai uses the right balance between tough love and tenderness to ensure her students achieve their full potential. It is no surprise that the learning in her classroom goes beyond Kathak and makes its mark in academic, physical and spiritual worlds. If you are looking for serious Kathak training, you cannot find a better teacher and human being that you want your child to associate with and learn from. THANK YOU Tai for your wisdom and heart, and all the sweet things that you do. We are thankful to have you here in NJ!

Archana Nrityalaya has been an absolute godsend for us; my daughter has been learning Kathak for the past four years under the tutelage of Guru Archana Joglekar, and absolutely loves it. Tai, as she is fondly called by all her students, puts her heart and soul into making sure that all her students learn this beautiful art - she will continually challenge the students to stretch and improve their dance skills. Serious students only!

Hi Tai, It was a wonderful performance at the Rhythm of Life 2022as always.... You never cease to surprise me, rather amaze me ,and every time I come back impressed with the depth and breadth and range of your performance and talent. You outdo yourselves every time we all see you, in many respects. I remember the annual show of 2019, as I remember other shows of yours that I have attended and watched. I could go on and on about the artistic talent, the creativity, the choreography, the attention to detail and the combination of originality and choice of compositions that you have taken from the legends. You would have heard about all this from others too.. What impressed me also are the steps that you are taking to build the next level of talent for your academy and laying foundations of a lasting institution that can scale and grow to multiple levels.. I particularly liked the gesture to honor all faculties and PareshJi in particular. It is rare that an individual who is an excellent performer in his or her field is also good at managing, organizing, and institution building. This combination of multiple talents within you, along with organizational capabilities, and the teaching and institution building abilities is an exceptional combination seen rarely in creative artists. We feel thankful and blessed to have you as Guru for our kids... Our prayers for the continued growth of your art, craft and for the growth of this wonderful institution Archana Arts is promising to be

The show was amazing! Hats off to Archana Tai for working so hard to put this show together and to make it the best it can be. I had a guest from India who thoroughly enjoyed the performances and following are her own words: I would not have imagined to witness 3 and 1/2 hours of a pure classical show in the USA, which I have not even seen in India. The show was fabulous.

Year after year, the level of the performers keeps getting better. It is enthralling to see the progression of the little ones blossoming into such a fine dancers. But it would not have been possible if they had not find the Guru like Archana Tai. These kids are so blessed to have such Kathak legend like her in their life. And as the parents we are fortunate too. She and her faculty show students how far they have to go and what life long commitment to the art form means.

When you cannot decide which one of your favorite from an evening full of classical dances, you know that its an evening thoroughly enjoyed. Be it the little girls just stepping into Kathak or the beautiful girls who have learning this beautiful art for years. Of course, the cherry on the top is the back story presented behind each composition and your relationship to it.

I have seen several recitals over last 10 years thanks to my daughter's involvement. Archanaji's commitment, dedication, involvement in every single detail and the effortless ease with which you seem to make it all come together (though I know it can't be easy at all) is tremendously worthy of appreciation.

The annual show, 'Rhythm of Life' is just REMARKABLE, DISTINCT, MESMERIZING and it was so much more that few words cannot describe it. All of my family who came to see the show were just amazed to see such professional level performances by all the girls. Especially some of the short stories and your philanthropy towards Kathak came out good through your

Archanaji's passion, knowledge and art really shows as you watch every student as they perform! Coal needs to be put under pressure to become diamonds and the kids and their parents really get it!! The structure, the sequence, the pace, the selection, your performance and the culmination pieces - everything was outstanding and a visual treat.

Ranjani garu has lots of expertise in teaching dance to kids. She has lots of patience and the right ways to teach kids. My daughter loves to dance and after joining Aerodance he has improved her skills a lot. She is very encouraging and my kid love her. Highly recommend anyone looking for bollywood or semi classical dance classes.

Ranjani is an amazing choreographer and teacher. Both my daughter dance journey has started with Aerodance. I cannot stress enough how persistent she is when it comes to tapping the best out of each kids. Aerodance has always provided so many platform to each kids to showcase their dance talent and i can personally see the confidence building up in my kids due to this.

Great school! Ranjaniji is a great teacher!

I was recommended to Aerodance by a friend of mine and have been sending my now 5 year old daughter to miss Ranjani for a year now. She is very passionate and professional. She invests her time on kids , observes their behavior and tries to mould them in a way they can adapt and understand. Within this year’s span my kid has overcome the fear of public while doing performances. She likes miss Ranjani a lot and is always excited to go the class. Ms Ranjani gives feedback after class and discusses what can be done or what needs to be done. She teaches kids the dance moves by making them understand the lyrics. If you are interested in Indian dance and shows then aerodance is the place you need to be at. I would highly recommend ms Ranjani and Aerodance.

Very talented Ranjani runs this place. She is very committed and looks after every aspect of classes and events like AeroVeganza. This is super demanding and I am amazed how she manages everything so well. My daughter and wife both are her active students for last many years.

Ms.Ranjani is a wonderful dance teacher. My daughter learnt many forms of dances here and the variety is not something that any other dance school can offer. The kids learn to respect all different dance types and also understand the nuances of each type. Ms.R herself teaches all dances and she treats kids as her own. The kids love her and enjoy her classes.

My daughter has been with Ms Ranjani ever since kindergarten and now she’s a high school student. Ms Ranjani has taught various styles of dance like classical, Punjabi, Garba, Raas, Yakshagana, Bollywood and many more. Ms Ranjani teaches dance with a lot of passion and perfection to get the best out of the student. The annual recital show ‘Aerovaganza’ says it all. When we shared the dance videos to our grandparents, family and friends this year, they were simply amazed by the graceful dance moves, creative choreography and finally on how well the show was executed. We are very thankful to Ms. Ranjani for nurturing and developing student’s passion to the ultimate level.

My daughter has been going through Aerodance from past 7 years..Ms Ranjani is amazing choregrapher..It is not all about teaching and focusing on dance but also develop kids attitude to acknowledge and accept all kind of challenges and develop competitive spirit. My daughter made amazing friends and all her batch mates are continuing from past 7 years. The thing that need to be appreciated was when my kid joined the competition team, the emphasis was very much on developing themselves and not about competing against anyone.No Doubt- My daughter's self-confidence and self-esteem has soared at Aerodance. Kudos to Ranjani...

My daughter has been going to Aerodance for the last couple of years. We have had absolutely the best experience. Ms. Ranjani is really good balance of softness and discipline for her students. My daughter loves going to her damce class and really looks upto Ms. Ranjani. I am not sure how she manages to put amazing shows out of these 3-5 years but she raises the bar every time and the kids rise up to challenge. Her annual Aerovanza is one of the best dance production I've seen. The creativity is mesmerizing.

Aerodance has been a great experience for my kid for the last two years. He joined the class on a whim but has grown to love it, thanks to Director Ranjani’s creativity and motivation. She constantly changes up the routine and teaches new techniques and infuses her students with energy. They also get plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents.

LOVE, LOVE this SCHOOL...My daughter has been a student for over 6 years, and she loves it. Wish I could give it a 10 star.....Director Ranjani works hard to empower her students to succeed in dance and instill good self practice routines for their students I have watched how Aerodance treats each and everyone of their students with the same amount of respect and encouragement over my last 6 years. At my daughters young of 5 she taught her to dance and practice on her own at home. And it has been a great joy to see what a wonderful and graceful Indian semi classical /Bollywood dancer she is becoming. She has learned her own self-discipline, what a great trait that she now uses in her homework and other school work...I truly enjoy Aerodance school style of teaching and the way she makes sure your child is placed in the best class for the child's growth in dance and learning.. The fact that Areodance does not promote only winning competition's but more about the road to success, learning to preform and achieving the child's best, and when my daughter wins an event all the more rewarding. I'm also thankful for all the great opportunities the school has given my daughter over the last 6 years. We are Aerodancers ......

Ranjini Teacher is awesome. She connects to kids so easily and makes dance so much fun. Boys are really having ton of fun in her dance class. Love the dance steps that she choses and the songs are amazing. Aerovaganza is the best part.

Love Aerodance. Ranjani is an amazing choreographer and has an eye for talent. This is a unique place where you or your kid will learn the difference folk forms of dance with semi-classical component. Would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn dance and get better at it! Also the annual event, Aerovaganza is AMAZING!! If you are interested in Indian dance and dance shows, it's a must see! So much variety of folk, Bollywood and semi-classical. Every year they try to partner with some other form of school like hip-hop, jazz, etc and give an out of the world performance!

My daughter has been going to Aerodance for the last 12 years and Aerodance has become a second home and family for her.Ms.Ranjani gives exposure to different dance genres and also gives an opportunity for the child to learn more about the rich Indian heritage through various dance genres including but not limited to semi classical, various folk dances from each state of India alongwith the western styles.The child is assessed every year and Ms.Ranjani awards the student at the school's annual show with the level mastered boosting the child's confidence.My child was extremely shy and Ms.Ranjani pushed her to overcome her fears and build confidence over the years and graduating from the Academy.There is no limit to opportunity if the child is interested and you will get an abundance of it at Aerodance through competitions, performances , Warriors games, dance with celebrities and shows.There is never a dull moment and I highly recommend for anyone interested in advancing in dance!

We started Aerodance a few months back- I was looking for a place where my daughter could learn a dance form that she enjoys & helps her develops a love for the craft. Aerodance & specifically Ms. Ranjini has been successful in doing just that. She is an amazing teacher with high work ethic, sincerity in her approach, a discipline that I was not able to find in other places I tried. Within a couple of months, my daughter [who was stage shy] has appeared & enjoyed being on the stage for 3 times. This place is not only about learning & performing on stage, its about building stamina along with life skills & for my daughter it is place she found her passion. Thank you Aerodance, my gratitude.

Both my daughters are going to Aerodance for the past 7 years. Ms. Ranjani is a dedicated and passionate teacher who is committed to helping her students achieve their full potential. She is known for her choreography and performances, which have been praised for their creativity and innovation while staying true to the traditional roots of the art form. Ms. Ranjani also incorporates elements of storytelling and expression into her classes, helping students to connect with the emotional and cultural context of the dance form. Both my daugters learned various styles of dance forms. They progressed a lot after joining Aerodance. They both love Aerodance and feel proud to be part of Aerodance. I highly recommend Aerodance for your Dance journey.

If you are looking for empowering your child's creative expression through dance, then look no more, Aerodance is the place!! My daughter has been learning Bollywood with Ranjani garu for 5 years now. Each class I have seen my child grow a little more as a dancer. Ranjani garu's innate cultural values are imbibed into each of her student. The students start out with her as amateur dancers and grow into these professional trainers, who then pass on their expertise to young budding dancers. One such feather from Ranjani garu's flock is Riya Patel. Riya has been teaching my daughter online during this pandemic. She's such a graceful dancer. The songs she choreographed for my daughter's class had some very elegant moves . She is very patient with young children. My daughter loved to be in her class. We are so happy and fortunate that we found Aerodance and can't wait to see my daughter turn into a great dancer with rich cultural values under the guidance of Ranjani garu.

Amazing! I see a lot of improvement in my daughters since they started learning with Ms. Ranjani at Aerodance. They learn a variety of styles with great choreography. Ms. Ranjani is always willing to work with the child to improve them. She puts in so much effort for the kids and the annual show. My daughters love going to Aerodance. As a parent, I would 100% recommend Aerodance for kids of any age group!

Ms. Ranjani is the only one who teaches here and owns the Aerodance with 25 years of experience. We are fortunate to find Aerodance, after trying a couple of dance schools close by, I gave up on kids not showing interest. Never in my dreams, I thought my kids would start dancing and performing on stage. My dream came true and this is just the beginning. Love Ms. Ranjani passion, dedication, and discipline; she pushes the limits to bring out the best in kids and keeps parents engaged throughout the process.

My daughter has been Ms.Ranjani's student for last 9 years and started at the age of 3 years. It has been a great experience for my child and I am comfortable that the child is in great hands. Ms.Ranjani teaches various forms of dances like bollywood, folk and semi-classical. Kids get ample of oppurtunites to showcase their skills in solo/group performances & competitions in Aerodance events and other cultural events which boosts their confidence levels. Kids and Parents will have a ton of sweet memories during this journey. Believe it or not, Ms.Ranjani make sure to get the best out of the child. I would highly recommend Aerodance to anyone who loves to dance!!

Ms Ranjani teaches dance with lots of Love and Passion. My daughter joined class recently and from first day itself she start practicing for competition and Ms Ranjani gave lots of effort and dedication for the competition, it's out of bound. Ms Ranjani is really one of the best dance teacher, she motivates kids and very easily connects with kids, which is amazing. I highly recommend Aerodance for kids. It's really awesome.

So proud of you dear. Great going. Follow your heart.

Such a talented girl and an all rounder. God bless.