Meet Soumya Gogula | Creative Director & Founder Denver Dhadak

We had the good fortune of connecting with Soumya Gogula and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Soumya, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Growing up in America, Bollywood dance has been a way for me to stay connected with my Indian heritage and culture. As a young child, I performed at cultural events with friends and enjoyed sharing our passion for dance. As a student in high school and college, I continued to be involved with dance through cultural organizations and events. As a working adult, I found ways to incorporate dance into life and enjoyed sharing it with the community.

I moved to Denver in 2022 and looked for a dance organization that offered Bollywood dance and shared it openly with the community. Not finding a group that I aligned with, I started my own Bollywood dance company. It started as a group of friends who all shared a love for dance and has now grown into an organization that strives to share Bollywood dance with the greater Denver and Colorado community. ‘Dhadak’ means ‘heartbeat’ and Denver Dhadak strives to be the underlying Bollywood heartbeat of Denver. We were founded with the purpose of sharing our love for Bollywood with the community and strive to do so with performances, classes, social media, and more.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s been a long journey to get to today but the journey is what has made Denver Dhadak the Bollywood dance company that it is today. I have enjoyed dance and Bollywood dance since a young age and I knew I wanted to continue to dance as I grew older. After starting a full-time career in IT, I kept Bollywood dance as a hobby and attended classes and performed with groups at community events and showcases. I continued to dedicate time to this hobby and was given the opportunity to teach Bollywood dance and fitness. I jumped at the opportunity as it was a way to continue to grow my passion and share it with others. Through the years, I grew as a dancer and instructor and slowly friends/family asked me, “What’s next? This seems more than a hobby…” I always brushed off the questions as Bollywood dance was a hobby and I could not imagine taking it to another level.

When we made the move to Denver, it was a big step as we were leaving the comforts of a community we were part of for almost 8 years. Denver was a fresh start and I didn’t see anyone offering the Bollywood dance and community that I was looking for… It wasn’t easy, but with lots of encouragement from friends/family, I took the leap and started my own company. Denver Dhadak started as a small passion project and has grown into a community of dancers all looking for a way to share their love for Bollywood dance. It’s been rewarding to see how our Denver Dhadak community has grown and how eager folks are to share their passion for Bollywood Dance.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the natural beauty of Colorado! I’d love to show off the typical tourist sites — Red Rocks Amphitheater, Garden of the Gods, and Rocky Mountain National Park. A week in Colorado with me would involve a lot of walking outdoors and enjoying the nature!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be where I am today without the support of my family, my friends, and my dance mentors! Everyone has supported my journey in growing as a person, a dancer, an instructor, and creative director. It is only through the encouragement of others that I have been able to find confidence in myself to pursue Denver Dhadak and create an organization that can showcase Bollywood dance and allow others to join and share their passion with the community.

Website: https://www.denverdhadak.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denver.dhadak/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denver.dhadak

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@denver.dhadak

Image Credits
Sarthak Bal
Rutwik Shinde
Tarang Hundiwala