Shivani Khatri Joshi has made her mark in the field of choreography with years of experience in garba, semi-classical, and event choreography. Balancing motherhood and passion, she inspires women to pursue dreams with confidence.

Shivani Khatri Joshi is a Dance Choreographer who has been associated with this field for the past 5–6 years.

Shivani Joshi belongs to Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, but for the last three years, she has been working as a choreographer in Udaipur where she choreographs various events such as Garba events, Navratri Mata Aradhana, and also organizes workshops for semi-classical and freestyle Bollywood dance forms. Apart from this, she choreographs multiple other dance forms and also teaches dance to children at summer camps.

Shivani Joshi mentions that she does not own a dance class. She is an independent trainer and has been actively working in this field for the past eight years.

When asked about her mode of teaching, she shares that she teaches dance choreography only offline and not online. According to her, dance has no age limit, so she teaches everyone—from children to adults and even elderly people—by designing easy and comfortable dance steps for them.

During Garba events, especially at the time of Mata Aradhana, people of all age groups come to perform Garba. Keeping this in mind, she choreographs Garba in a way that everyone can perform easily. She also mentions that most youngsters, especially girls, are highly interested in learning semi-classical dance forms from her.

She explains that semi-classical dance is not pure Kathak or Bharatanatyam. It is comparatively easier than classical dance forms, which makes it comfortable for her students to learn and perform confidently.

When asked about how her interest in music and dance developed, she shares that she received inspiration during her early childhood, but at that time, she did not pay much attention to it.

She recalls an incident from her school days when her seniors used to choreograph dances for the school’s annual function. Teachers usually assigned seniors to prepare performances, but once the seniors passed their 12th standard, her teachers appreciated her dancing skills and gave her an opportunity to teach and choreograph dances for school students. From there, she began choreographing dances in school and college. Her mentors and teachers recognized her talent, appreciated her skills, and encouraged her to pursue choreography as a career, believing it would be good for her future.

She believes strongly in the saying that a teacher’s advice takes you a long way and shows you the right path. Listening to her teachers’ guidance, she has now built an eight-year-long career and experience in choreography.

She shares that the heart of Madhya Pradesh- Jabalpur is famously called Sanskardhani, and she deeply misses her birthplace. She describes it as a land of rich culture, purity, and spirituality, known as the land of great ‘rishis’ and ‘tapasvis’. It is also considered the ‘Udgam sthal’ of cultural values. She believes that in Jabalpur, no poor person sleeps hungry, and even the smallest festivals and functions are celebrated on a grand scale. According to her, after Kolkata, the best Navratri and Dussehra celebrations happen in Sanskardhani or Jabalpur.

Talking about her education, Shivani Joshi shares that she completed her schooling from Tribhuvan Das Malpani School, a Hindi-medium school. She completed her 12th standard in Biology from the same school. After that, she pursued a paramedical course as an OT Technician from Global College, Jabalpur. Alongside this, she worked part-time as a Dental Assistant, gaining five years of experience. She also worked in the pharmacy and medical field for 3–4 years, which gave her additional professional experience.

When asked about her role models, she shares that she has deep faith in spirituality and her role model is Lord Bholenath, or Bhagwan Shivji. She says that chanting his mantras fills her with a different kind of energy.

She also shares a belief that Lord Mahadev’s Third Eye symbolizes ‘Vivek’ (wisdom). Humans have two eyes, yet sometimes they are unable to distinguish between right and wrong. The third eye represents ‘buddhi’ and ‘vivek’, which allows one to see beyond appearances. She gains immense knowledge, strength, and inspiration from Mahadev, his mantras, and his teachings, which is why she considers him her role model.

Being from the Dance field, she says it is said that Bholenath is the God of Dance and that dance itself is a form of worship. Dance can be expressed in any form. She is also inspired by Nataraj Bhagwan, a form of Lord Shiva, and she deeply connects with shlokas related to dance. She believes that while there are many ways to find happiness, dance is one medium through which one can express sorrow, emotions, and energy. She gives the example of Ganpati celebrations, where people express devotion through dance. She beautifully mentions,

“खुश रहने के बहुत तरीके हैं, और नृत्य उनमें से एक है।”

When Shivani started choreography during her school days, she did not even know what choreography actually meant, even though her teachers asked her to choreograph. Initially, she participated simply because she got the opportunity to stand at the center during performances. However, during annual functions, when she choreographed dances, she received small mementos, which made her extremely happy.

When she joined college, on her very first day, her teacher appreciated her dance skills. There was a competition where she was asked to choreograph, and she received a memento and bouquet. These small achievements motivated her deeply. These moments created a strong desire within her to continue her passion alongside her studies.

Later, she started choreographing Garba events, where she was invited to big stages and honored with mementos and gifts. From there, she moved to Udaipur, where she choreographed Rotary Garba events, attended Garba workshops, and gained both financial stability and recognition.

For her, money has never been the primary goal. What mattered more was the name and respect she earned as a skilled choreographer. Over time, she received many shields, certificates, and recognitions. Today, she has built a strong reputation and goodwill in Udaipur for choreographing weddings, Garba events, and cultural programs.

Choreographer Shivani Khatri Joshi mentions that she has never formally learned dance from any institute. Though she always had a strong desire to learn Kathak or Bharatanatyam and earn a formal degree, she does not hold any professional degree in dance. She holds only experience. For new aspirants and students, she shares that if someone is unable to learn dance due to financial or life-related problems, they should never lose confidence. Confidence allows a dancer to perform fearlessly in front of everyone.

She clarifies that she is not criticizing dance degrees, as proper training is important, but experience also holds immense value. She mentions that people in the dance field often try to pull others down, criticizing them for not having degrees. She emphasizes that confidence, experience, and passion can take a person forward, just as it did for her.

As a mother, balancing looking after her child, profession, and passion has been extremely challenging. She faced constant discouragement, taunts, and emotional pressure from people who believed she could not do it. Despite this, she remained determined and continued her pursuit. She often took her child along while teaching dance. Through her story, she gives a powerful message to all women—that they can do it. As a woman, even the smallest step taken with courage can bring a big change in life.

Popular Choreographer Shivani Khatri Joshi concludes by sharing that anyone who wants to learn choreography for weddings, events, school or college annual functions, or Garba choreography can connect with her through her contact number and meet her personally.