Deepa Bajaj began her dance and theatre career with The Danceworx Academy of Performing Arts in New Delhi, India as a jazz and contemporary dancer. Her desire to take the next big leap took her to Fontys Dans Academie in Tilburg, Netherlands and from there to the Limon Dance Foundation and Peridance International Dance School in New York where she pursued the Professional Studies Program with a partial scholarship & also became a certified teacher in the Limon Dance Technique. Over the span of her career, she has worked as an artist, a teacher along with arts management.
Deepa Bajaj served as the Marketing Manager of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in London between 2017 – 2019. She was a Director of the non-profit trust Friends of Art in New Delhi from 2014 – 2016.
In 2015, she co-directed, conceptualized, choreographed and performed the production Under The Poplars at Contemporary Arts Week, based on the poetry of Cesar Vallejo and supported by Instituto Cervantes. The 19th edition of the Indian government sponsored biennial International Children’s Film Festival of India invited her as the choreographer to hold a workshop with the invited attendees. She was invited as an emerging international choreographer to International Choreographers Week by Tilburg Dansstad in the Netherlands in 2014. During this time, she has also been the resident expert for Pilates and Contemporary Dance on the Dance With Madhuri App (by Mrs Madhuri Dixit-Nene) and choreographed for films between the years 2012 – 2015.
Blemished Light | Unfreedom (2015)
Choreographer
In 2013, Deepa Bajaj opened the arts festival Contemporary Arts Week in New Delhi with her duet Chimera with Ram Pradeep, which was based on a poem she had written. The same year, she was invited with a full-scholarship to the Goa Contact Festival, where she interacted, created and performed with dancers from over 30 countries.
She was one of the core visiting faculty members for the Terence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company and Diploma in Dance Program for professional dancers in 2011 – 2012. In 2012, she choreographed for the Godrej Idols Awards by Godrej Family, which were held at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA and got to perform a contemporary piece ‘Living Within The Ocean’ at the coveted Celebrate Bandra! Festival in 2011 in Mumbai along with Auritra Ghosh and Mehneer Sudan.
Previous to that, her favourites performances included those with Limon Dance Foundation at the Barishnikov Arts Center, City Center, Peridance Center in 2009 and 2010, EcoFestival 2008 at the American Centre, Hungry Hearts Festival 2007 at Indian Habitat Centre with the musical ‘About Nothing‘, the Godfrey Philips Bravery Awards 2007, The Military Games 2007, International Film Festival of India 2006, Commonwealth Games 2005, Indian Navy Ball 2004, and the DD Metro Awards 2004.
Her most memorable choreography for stage includes two musicals in the year 2008 with kids aged from 8 – 16. The musical SNAP! produced by Malvika Poddar and Shweta Bachchan Nanda was highly appreciated with full-house runs at the Kamani Auditorium. Her choreography even got a mention on Mr Amitabh Bachchan’s blog! The musical Theatre Express was produced by Kids for Kids Foundation, and also ran successfully at the Kamani Auditorium. Both of these were directed by Vivek Mansukhani and Varun Narain. She was also the personal dance trainer to Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Navya Naveli Nanda in 2008 – 2009.
Between 2002 – 2009, she had been a teacher and choreographer at many premiere schools in New Delhi including Sanskriti School, Bluebells School, Cambridge Primary School, St. Michael’s School, St. Paul’s School and the Elite Modeling School, other than working with The Danceworx Academy of Performing Arts. She also has a significant body of work conducting workshops and projects for corporates.
CORPORATE WORK
Deepa moved away from dance as an artist starting 2016 as she worked full time in digital technology for entertainment. She hopes to welcome dance back into her life soon. As Marie Kondo says, we keep the things that “spark joy”.
CHOREOGRAPHY AT VIPUL AMAR STUDIO OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS
© Deepa Bajaj, 2022. All Rights Reserved.