You gotta moooooove to the music
Founder Vidya Mahtani’s studio Power to Yu offering dance classes for kids and adults is a mirror reflection of her inner creativities and eccentricities and talent, lots of talent.
After climbing the steep wooden staircase familiar to all shophouses, you will come across a narrow corridor, walls adorned with giant flower lights, leading to her office cum wellness space. Ed Sheeran’s Shape of you was appropriately playing in the background. Because what other song would characterize a dance studio better than this?
Retro acrylic plastic chairs surround a long table while a smaller coffee table showcased several books with titles like Unstoppable Me and Incredible You. While we were in the midst of the interview, a little 6-year old girl confidently entered the room and walked up to Vidya whispering something in her ear. Promptly Vidya got up and settled little Arianna at the table complete with a colouring book and a box of color pencils. As the interview continued, several other girls of a similar age walked in and made themselves comfortable around the table. Easy conversation flowed between the girls as they discussed favorite songs and dance moves. This mindfulness scene embodied Vidya’s Power to Yu. And we haven’t even gotten to the dance bit yet.
Step on over to her adjacent dance studio that stands pretty with vibrant jewel toned curtains specially designed to curtail the volume of both the music and the delighted shrieks of the little dancers.
Just to be clear, Power to Yu does not just promote Bollywood dancing but more of what is called Creative Expression dancing or Lyrical dancing. Various dance classes are offered to kids aged 3-15 years where a mix of Bollywood and Hollywood songs are intertwined with semi-choreographed routines. Older kids are able to choose their own songs during the class while younger kids’ requests are taken into account before and after class. Vidya begins every session with 5 minutes of breathing exercises, then a 10-15 minute Zumba routine follows to loosen up the muscles and the rest as they say is history. Kids are encouraged to participate in performances held twice a year either during Diwali time or an end of the year extravaganza.
Soon we had to take our leave because the little group was getting very antsy to begin showing off their moves. As we got up, Vidya summed it all up in the end beautifully, “Dancing is a mindful activity”. Well, we will be sure to keep that in mind!
17 Mohammed Sultan Road,
2nd Floor (Above The Organic Grocer),
Singapore 238966
Browse our directory for more dance classes for kids!