Parul Gupta

Parul’s love for dance started at an early age. Her training began in Bharatha Natyam (South Indian Classical Dance) and Indian Folk Dance at the age of 7. As a teenager and young adult Parul expanded her vocabulary to include Ballet Jazz, Hip Hop, House and Yoga. Almost 20 years after she began learning dance, Parul decided to train in Kathak (North Indian Classical Dance) as this dance style spoke to her heart in a way no other art form every has.

Since 2008, Parul has been dedicated to her study of Kathak. Her early training in Kathak was initially under Sudeshna Maulik, and soon after also under Sandhya Desai. For her advanced studies in Kathak, Parul has learned from Pandit Jai Kishan Maharaj & Ruby Mishra, and the renowned Kumudini Lakhia. Parul continues to seek guidance and training from her Kathak teachers, in Canada and in India.

Parul is the founder, principal teacher and artistic director of Infusion Dance Studios www.infusiondance.ca. Her choreographic works are part of 3 Cirque du Soleil productions: “Love”, “Kooza” & “Totem”. Parul is committed to continually advancing her dance technique by studying with Kathak masters in both Canada and India. She has given performances and workshops across Canada, in the U.S.A and in India. Her recent performance credits include full length solos at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto and the Sivananda Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas. In November 2016, Parul presented her first self-produced Kathak show “Zakha”, which featured 6 Kathak dancers.

Parul’s scholastic degrees include a Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business (Western University) and a Bachelor degree in Molecular Biology from Concordia University. She is a certified Yoga Instructor in the Sivananda Yoga tradition. As well, Parul sits on the Board of the Dance For Life Foundation – a non-profit organization that uses dance as a medium to raise funds to donate to those that need it most.

Other than dance, Parul loves to travel, cook and read – basically anything that inspires her creative side. She believes that dance should have instinctive expression and strong technique. Going forward, Parul hopes to share her passion and continue to grow to new heights in her art form.