Attending Storytellers School of Dance has been an incredible journey, all thanks to my hardworking and passionate Guru Ms. Ekta 

Popat who makes every class a joy. As someone deeply passionate about dancing, I found my second home here. 

Being a part of SSD has not only refined my dance skills but has also played a significant role in my personal growth. The rigorous training and encouragement from Ekta Didi has taught me discipline, perseverance, and the importance of teamwork. These lessons extend far beyond the dance studio and have positively impacted my life in every aspect. I am grateful to Storytellers School of Dance for helping me not only become a better dancer but also a more confident and disciplined individual. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to nurture my love for dancing.

As we celebrate this milestone, I want to take a moment to thank our Guru Ekta Popat ji for guiding and helping all the students see the world in a new light, through the lens of movement and expression. 

Guru Ektaji strikes a perfect balance of kind but firm, instructional yet encouraging, disciplined but fun. We appreciate you and thank you for another amazing year of learning, didi!

My daughter has been a student at SSD for the past 3 years. As a parent, it has been a great pleasure watching her grow and thrive as a dancer under Ms. Ekta Poppat. Ekta-ji’s approach to teaching and molding young dancers is a treat to watch. Her dedication to Kathak along with her creativity and attention to detail is a big influence on her student’s progress year over year. 

The monthly Riyazz sessions were a special opportunity for my extended family to meet and enjoy the SSD family. These sessions were planned and hosted beautifully to the delight of the whole community. 

This care from Ekta-ji and camaraderie from her classmates has helped my daughter in Kathak and other arenas. We are excited to see our Daughter grow and glow under her guidance.

Finding the right environment for our daughter to grow, learn, and express herself has always been a top priority for us. Ektaji is not just an instructor but a mentor and role model for our daughter. Her passion for dance is infectious, and her dedication to her students’ growth is unparalleled. She not only focuses on perfecting dance techniques but also instills life skills like discipline, commitment, and teamwork. Under Ektaji’s guidance, we’ve seen a transformation in our daughter’s confidence, and her love for dance has blossomed. The yearly recitals are a highlight, allowing us to see firsthand the skill and artistry that Ektaji instills in her students. We couldn’t be happier with Storytellers School of Dance and are incredibly grateful for the positive influence Ektaji has had on our daughter’s life.

Our daughter Kavya has been a student at SSD for the past 2 years. SSD is an excellent institute for learning Kathak. Mrs. Ekta Popat, her guru, is a wonderful teacher who always pays close attention to her students. The fact that SSD provides certification through Bharti Vidyapeeth School of Performing Arts adds a lot of value to Kavya’s training. We are immensely proud of our daughter Kavya’s two-year journey as a student at SSD. During this time, she has not only developed remarkable Kathak skills but has also grown as a person. Under the guidance of Mrs. Ekta Popat, Kavya has achieved significant milestones, including several outstanding performances and recognition within the Kathak community. What sets SSD and Mrs. Ekta Popat apart is their unwavering dedication to their students. Mrs. Popat’s exceptional teaching style and personal attention have truly nurtured Kavya’s love for Kathak. Moreover, the certification offered through Bharti Vidyapeeth School of Performing Arts adds immense value to her training and opens up new opportunities for her future. As parents, we are excited about Kavya’s future in Kathak, and we are grateful to SSD and Mrs. Ekta Popat for providing her with the guidance and support she needs to excel in this beautiful art form.

Being a dedicated student of SSD since its inception, the journey has brought me a multitude of invaluable experiences and personal growth. It has not only enriched my life with a beautiful dance form, but also allowed me to preserve and perpetuate my rich cultural heritage. The highlight of my time with SSD has been participating in various dance competitions which have helped me with discipline, teamwork, confidence, and the joy of settling and achieving goals. Furthermore, the patient guidance and unwavering support of our dedicated guru has been instrumental in my development. Her nurturing approach encourages an environment where the students feel encouraged to explore their potential. I look forward to creating more Kathak memories and celebrating the beauty of Kathak.

I stumbled upon Kathak as an adult and haven’t looked back since. The journey has been nothing short of inspiring and having a guru like Ekta Di is the best part. She is knowledgeable, dances with grace and etiquette, and is an excellent teacher. I am so happy to be learning Kathak alongside my childhood friends. I recently received my Pink Dupatta and feel so proud of myself. I look forward to the upcoming years of Kathak education and I am hopeful to always stay dancing.

Learning Kathak from EKta di was the best decision I made in my late 40’s. What started off as a search to inspire my daughter that she can learn dance anytime she wants, quickly became part of my life. I wanted to include dance as part of our life. EKta di has been the anchor of my journey. She is a great dancer, very patient, kind and understanding of my crazy travel schedules. She is a wonderful teacher, down to earth and very passionate. She is a perfectionist and puts her heart and soul in everything she does. Thank you EKta Di for all you do

Hello everyone, 

I am one of SSD SK Shishya. 

I just want to say there was a time when Ektaji was my daughter’s Guru and now after a quarter century how fortunate I am to have Ektaji as my Guru for the past two years, whose dream to have us also be a participant of SSD Recital w/her patience & motivation & believe in us to offer such a lifetime opportunity at our age in mid 70s

My daughters have been learning Kathak at Storytellers School of Dance for the past 3 years. Their passion for dance has grown with each year and I would attribute it to the patience Guru Ekta Popat has with each one of her students. She provides the kids with multiple opportunities to perform and grow their skills, it has helped my twins with their overall personality which has resulted in well rounded tiny human beings.

Guru Ektadidi is a Goddess in all aspects. Her graceful performances and expressions take your breath away and inspire you to want to follow. To top this talent is her heart of pure gold. Her energy, patience, and devotion to giving the gift of Kathak to each and every student exemplifies the 

unconditional love of a Guru. My daughter is blessed to have such a profound teacher to model in her Kathak journey!

My daughter had been learning Kathak from Guru Ekta Popat for nearly two years. Ektaji is an incredible Kathak teacher! She is kind, patient, inspiring, and fun! She is so dedicated to her students and is always available to help anytime students need extra instruction between classes. I highly recommend Ektaji, anyone would be lucky to learn Kathak under her guidance.

Namaste, My daughter is learning Katthak from Guru Ekta Popat at Storytellers School of Dance since past two years. She absolutely loves the dancing environment here and of course Guru Ekta. I got highly inspired by Guru Ekta’s dedication and commitment towards Kathak and have also started my Kathaktraining since last year at the Storytellers School of Dance. I am enjoying my journey as becoming a Kathak Performer. This school gives opportunities to perform Kathak at various prestigious events which helps in building stage confidence. Thank you.

My daughter joined Storyteller’s School of Dance in January this year. Ever since, I have seen a great amount of improvement in her dancing skills. Thanks to Ektaji’s patience and her amazing teaching skills. She has been extremely helpful in bringing my daughter up to speed with the rest of the class. Her grace, her kindness, her dedication are all inspiring. Nothing can stop her passion for dance and love for kids. She is a true role model.

Dear Ekta ji, 

Every day I see Alina’s school binder’s cover page and it brings smile to my face; There is a question – “What would you be when you grow up?” To which, my 2nd grader replied – KATHAK TEACHER! That’s what you do, inspire us!

I am writing this testimonial with immense pleasure and gratitude to express my deepest appreciation for your exceptional guidance and mentorship as my 7-year old’s Kathak guru. For Alina, it has been a beautiful, enriching, and transformative 2.5-year long journey under your tutelage. From the very first day, we all were captivated by your dance, profound knowledge, and expertise in Kathak. The way you teach with patience, the precision with which you execute every movement, your mastery over rhythm, expression, and storytelling through dance is awe-inspiring. 

Thank you for creating a warm and inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported. We appreciate the structured curriculum and the attention to detail in your teaching. Thanks to those video HomeWorks that kept all the moms and daughters on their toes all these years . Your methodical approach to breaking down complex movements and compositions into manageable segments has been instrumental in Alina’s progress. Your teachings have not only enriched her dance repertoire but have also instilled in her discipline, perseverance, and a profound respect for the art of Kathak. 

It has been a true privilege learning from you. Alina is very excited to continue her kathak journey under your guidance and to make you proud with her progress.

Dear Ekta ji, 

I started learning at SSD September 2017 and it has been amazing! Ekta didi is such a kind, warm and caring guru. Her dedication to this beautiful art form is evident through her thorough style of teaching. She is very patient with us and makes sure that we master the fundamentals of Kathak before teaching us more advanced compositions. I consider myself fortunate to be learning from such a great guru and eagerly look forward to continuing this incredible journey! 🙂 

It has been a true privilege learning from you. Alina is very excited to continue her kathak journey under your guidance and to make you proud with her progress.