Name: Mahati Sridhar
Hometown: Raleigh
Major: Business and Public Health
Year: Freshman
Mahati loves to dance.
When she was five years old, she began taking rhythmic gymnastic classes that heavily emphasized jazz and ballet. Later, she started participating in and eventually choreographing dance exhibitions held during festivals for Indian holidays like Diwali and Holi.
Now as a freshman, Mahati has embraced the opportunity to dance with a local fusion dance group — the Chapel Hill Chalkaa.
“Fusion dance allows me to both celebrate my heritage as well as bring it together with other cultures,” she said. “It lets me celebrate where I come from as well as who I am today.”
The Chapel Hill Chalkaa effortlessly combines hip hop and other modern forms of dance with more traditional styles like Bhangra and Bharata Natyam. Chalkaa is known for using movement to tell elaborate stories through short, intricate sequences. This year, the 16-member group has re-imagined the fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood.
Chalkaa will perform Saturday at The Manhattan Project, a prestigious fusion dance competition held in New York City which also serves as a qualifying round for Bollywood America—a festival that holds the largest South Asian fusion dance competition in the country.
While Mahati said she is nervous about performing in New York City, she knows her fellow “Chalkies” have her back.
“We’re not a team — we’re family.”
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
