Meet Priyanka Vora | Founder & Director of Rangeela Dance Company

We had the good fortune of connecting with Priyanka Vora and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Priyanka, how does your business help the community?
Rangeela Dance Company was built to create belonging through dance, culture, and community. Many of our dancers are students, working professionals, parents, or people who grew up dancing and lost that creative outlet after college. We created a space where people can reconnect with themselves, their culture, and each other through the arts across the lifespan.

A large part of our social impact is preserving and passing down the South Asian heritage to future generations. Through our kids programs, school workshops, cultural festivals, and community events, we help educate younger generations and broader communities about the richness of South Asian traditions. We regularly teach and perform at schools and cultural events during celebrations like Diwali and Holi, helping create awareness, pride, and cultural appreciation through dance and storytelling.

Beyond performances, Rangeela helps build confidence, friendships, mentorship, and representation for the South Asian community. We support our dancers’ creative passions and watch them grow into leaders, performers, instructors, and lifelong friends. For most of us, Rangeela becomes a second family.

We also strive to make South Asian culture more visible and accessible to broader communities through public performances, workshops, community events, and collaborations with organizations across the country. Whether we’re performing at cultural festivals, sporting events, corporate events, or local community spaces, our goal is always to bring people together through joy and art.

At its core, our impact is about connection, cultural pride, preserving heritage, and creating spaces where people feel seen.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Rangeela Dance Company began in Seattle ten years ago with a simple idea: there should be a space for people to continue dancing and creating long after college, even while balancing demanding careers, graduate school, marriage, parenthood, and everyday life. At the time, I did not see many structured opportunities for adults to continue training and performing at a high level while also building full lives outside of dance.

What started as one team in Seattle has now expanded into a multi-city organization with branches in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the Bay Area, along with performance teams, kids programs, workshops, and community events across the country. What excites me most is seeing how many people have found confidence, friendship, and purpose through this community.

What sets Rangeela apart is that we blend high-level entertainment with meaningful cultural storytelling and human connection. We want audiences to feel joy and energy when they watch us perform, while also experiencing the richness and diversity of South Asian culture in a modern and accessible way. Whether we are teaching children, producing dance videos, hosting South Asian film screenings, or performing at major events, we always strive to make culture feel inclusive, celebratory, and alive.

I am especially proud of the stages and platforms where Rangeela has been able to showcase our work over the years. Recently, we won first place at the Udaan Dance Competition in Seattle and have had opportunities to perform at Disney World in Orlando, Seattle Mariners MLB game, and World of Dance in Los Angeles. We have also had the honor of performing alongside Bollywood celebrities such as Hrithik Roshan, which has been incredibly rewarding for our team and a reflection of how far the company has come over the past decade.

The journey was definitely not easy. In the early years, I was managing rehearsals, choreography, administration, performances, finances, and team leadership while also working full-time in healthcare. There were many moments of exhaustion, uncertainty, and trial and error. Building a community-centered organization also comes with emotional responsibility which includes learning how to lead people, navigate conflict, create structure, and maintain trust while continuing to grow. I feel incredibly grateful to still be able to practice in healthcare while running Rangeela, and this would be not possible without the support of my family, husband, and leadership team.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that leadership is less about having all the answers and more about consistency, adaptability, and genuinely caring about people. I have also learned that growth takes patience. Many of the opportunities we have today came from years of building relationships, staying committed to our mission, and continuing to show up even when things felt difficult behind the scenes.

What I want people to know about Rangeela is that it was built with intention and heart. It exists because we all believe in the mission together and together we can create opportunities for people to express themselves, stay connected to their roots, build lifelong friendships, and feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If one of my best friends was visiting Los Angeles for a week, I would want them to experience the mix of cultures, food, creativity, wellness, and energy that makes LA so unique.

We would definitely start with the beach cities. I love spending time in Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica because they capture the relaxed California lifestyle so well. A perfect morning would be coffee by the water, walking the strand, and ending with brunch somewhere outdoors.

I would also want them to experience LA’s incredible food diversity. One of the best parts of living here is that you can eat amazing food from almost every culture in the world within the same week. For breakfast, I would definitely take them to République, which is one of my favorite LA spots. For Indian food, Fitoor in Santa Monica is always a great choice. I also love walking around Abbott Kinney for vegan eats, coffee, and the overall Venice atmosphere.

Because dance and entertainment are such a big part of my life, I would definitely take them to a Rangeela dance class or performance during their trip. I would also take them to a film screening or creative event somewhere in the city because LA has such a unique artistic energy.

I also love how wellness-focused Los Angeles can be, so I would include a slower day with a Malibu hike followed by brunch at Malibu Farm on the pier. Malibu, Palos Verdes, and the beach cities are some of my favorite places to reset and enjoy nature without feeling far from the city.

What I love most about Los Angeles is that it accepts people who have more than one career/passion. It is a city full of dreamers, creators, entrepreneurs, artists, and people from all different backgrounds trying to build something meaningful.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First, I would love to thank my dance teachers, Jothi Raghavan and Ranjani Saigal, who helped build my foundation in Indian dance and performance from a young age. Their mentorship and dedication to the arts deeply influenced my own passion for preserving and sharing South Asian culture.

I’m incredibly grateful to my parents. My mother was the one who pushed me into dance and helped immerse me in Indian culture and traditions from an early age. My father taught me all about leadership, networking, and how to build meaningful relationships within the community. So much of how I lead today comes from watching both of them.

I also owe a lot to the Jain community I grew up in. Being involved in organizing large-scale conventions, performances, and community initiatives from a young age gave me opportunities to lead, collaborate, and think big. Those experiences played a huge role in shaping my leadership and organizational skills long before I started Rangeela.

My education and career as a Doctor of Physical Therapy has also had a major impact on my journey. It has given me a deeper understanding of movement, body mechanics, injury prevention, and how to help dancers train safely and sustainably.

Finally, I want to thank the incredible leadership team at Rangeela, along with our choreographers, instructors, dancers, students, production team and families. Rangeela would not exist without their passion, trust, creativity, and hard work. One of the most rewarding parts of this journey is that I continue learning from them every single day. I am so proud to be part of this dance family.

Website: https://www.rangeeladancecompany.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rangeeladancecompany

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/rangeeladancecompany

Image Credits
Allyne Armitage, P Taufiq Photography, Soda Fountain Photo, Red Llama Media