Shivani Thakkar

Shivani Thakkar is an Indian actor, dancer, choreographer, and performing artist. Born on 22nd December 1982 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she has an outstanding career as a freelance dancer and choreographer spanning for almost two decades. She did her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Film production from the University of Southern California in 2005. She received her Arts Study Fellowship from Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. She is also the recipient of many grants from Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, USA. She has been working as the Associate Artistic Director of Manu Kala Mandir Dance Productions and Academy since January 2003 and, she has been a part of the talent management company The ESI Network since 2019. She also founded a dance company called MKM BollyStars in 2010.

She has worked with notable Bollywood celebrities like Shahid Kapoor Shahid Kapoor also identifies as the name Shahid K >> Read More... , Akshay Kumar Akshay Kumar was born on 9th September 1967 and hi >> Read More... , and choreographers like Ganesh Acharya Ganesh Acharya is an Indian choreographer, who is >> Read More... , Jamal Sims, Mary Ann Kellogg, Marty Kudelka etc. She has been a part of several film and tv productions like Melons, which premiered at the Cleveland International Film Festival, Four Samosas, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022 and Sharpie Hands, etc. She also appeared in CW’s television series Valentine (2008-2009), and CBS’s BBQ Bill. She is a part of the teaching faculty at AMDA LA and Occidental College. She works as an actor and teaching artist at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum and has appeared in numerous theatre productions like Cinders with L’Chaim Theatre Ensemble, Blood Wedding directed by Stephanie Shroyer, Lady Windermere’s Fan, etc.

Her journey as a choreographer encompasses several projects including, working with dance companies like Karmagraphy, Dakshina Dance Company, and Alberta Dance Alliance. Along with Bollywood, Shivani is professionally trained in Bharata Natyam and Western dance. She has made many appearances as a performer in shows at venues like the Smithsonian Museum, New York’s Downtown Dance Days, and Alberta Dance Alliance Feats Festival of Dance among others. As a lead in Dvaya: a confluence of male-female spirits, she toured Canada and India. Besides this, she also works as a Voice Over artist for commercials, children’s book narration, and animation.