Spreading The Joy of Dancing

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Aanya Gupta. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. 

High school senior Aanya Gupta has trained in dance for many years. One of her favorite styles is Bollywood, and her participation in one the Bay Area’s largest Bollywood dance troupes has also led to her work teaching young students the art. At school, she’s made friends who love the style as much as she does through leadership of her school’s Bollywood Dance Club.  

Shared passion connects people, as it did with Aanya and her grandparents, inspiring her to extend the joyful experience to other seniors. Through The Dancing Hearts Project, Aanya and other teachers lead senior dance classes both in person and online. They meet students where they are, both geographically and physically, including those with Alzheimer’s.  

Dancing to familiar music can unlock memories and inspire smiles, singing and laughing. What began as small workshops at local memory care centers, has become weekly classes in 46 centers across five states. More than 25 volunteers from elementary through high school participate. 

The Dancing Hearts Project adds a little something to brighten the days of communities that are often lonely and in need of some good fun. Students can thank Aanya for that. And, of course, her grandparents. 

What inspires you to volunteer in general, and particularly with this initiative? 

I’ve been dancing since I was 3 and have had the chance to learn several styles: ballet, Indian classical, Bollywood. Dance is one of my passions, and it’s part of the reason why I started The Dancing Hearts Project. I started teaching younger students near the end of ninth grade and realized I could scale it up.  

The other part is due to my grandparents. I’m lucky to have all four live with me. When they moved here from India, dancing was one of the activities we used to do together. None of them are professional dancers, but they love to watch me dance, and they love doing it with me. Whenever they had their friends over, we’d have a dance party, or I’d teach them some moves. It was a really special way for me to connect with them. 

I saw how much dancing could help seniors, despite being something you don’t typically associate with them. Many are hesitant. They don’t even see it as a form of exercise and sometimes think, “Oh, I’m old. I wouldn’t really be able to do it.” But seeing how much joy it’s brought my grandparents to move to their favorite songs inspired me to take my teaching to the next level just before summer of last year. 

Tell us about your volunteer role with The Dancing Hearts Project. 

We’re an organization of youth volunteers of all ages. We do flexible routines that can be modified for whatever community we work with. It can be seated, so it’s gentler, or it can be more active and standing.  

Our sessions cover a variety of styles with songs that seniors know and love. That makes it more fun, even for those in memory care. People with dementia may not be able to hold a conversation with you, but can sing along to the music, remembering it from decades ago. 

I go to three or four centers a week. We do in-person sessions in the Bay Area and online sessions nationally. They’re mostly live, but we put some of our routines on YouTube.   

As the founder and CEO, I build partnerships with other organizations. For example, we’ve worked with Ekal Vidyalaya for their annual fundraiser, donating proceeds to their programs building schools in rural India. I work with our advisory board made up of physical and occupational therapists, whom we typically approach for advice on connecting with seniors and feedback on choreography. We’ll send them videos and clips to get their take on if it’s working and if there are any moves that could injure someone. 

Overall, the vision for the organization, its growth, outreach and more all fall under my role. And I lead an officer team of three that helps me run things smoothly.  

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work? 

It’s connecting with the seniors. You can see the difference on their faces when they hear one of their favorite songs, or even just recognize it. Their smile is huge, and they love the movements. In the first session, they’re usually a little hesitant, but every time we meet, their confidence grows.  

I’ve learned so much about them beyond just their dancing. I’ve heard their life stories. I’ve also gotten to know the amazing activities directors whom I coordinate sessions with, and of course, the volunteers. I’ve built strong friendships. 

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer? 

It’s taught me about working with different people and leading an organization. There’s been a lot of growth over the last year and a half, so I’ve learned a lot through that, too. It’s allowed me to grow creatively by brainstorming new ideas and strategizing ways to grow it even further.  

Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about. 

We’re hoping to offer our classes as a resource for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia through the Alzheimer’s Association. 

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about? 

Getting involved in helping others is rewarding in and of itself, but you learn so much through it. You learn unique lessons through different causes, but I’ve also learned larger life skills applicable outside my work with the organization.  

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering? 

Find something that resonates with you and figure out what you can do with it. It might be joining an initiative that already exists or starting something, like I did. If you’re doing the latter, don’t be scared. It’s going to seem hard, but start small. It’ll grow if you keep working at it. Just go for it and learn along the way. 

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Aanya? Find local volunteer opportunities.