Meet The Founder

Clair Kuriakose, also known as Shingari, is a well-known artist in the South Asian community. She took her first dance step at the age of four in Kerala, India. After immigrating to Houston, Texas with her family, she continued her classical dance training in Bharatnatym with Nritya School of Dance and Sreepadam School of Arts. Shingari began teaching dance when she was just thirteen years old and was teaching fifty students each week before she graduated from high school.

She entered the Physician Assistant program at St. John's University in New York after high school. Her passion for dance did not cease and while going through her rigorous academic program, she still managed to teach weekly dance classes and serve as Captain of RAAZ - the University's South Asia dance team.

Shingari moved back to Houston after receiving her degree and opened Shingari's School of Rhythm in 2008. It was her life-long dream to own a Bollywood dance school and share her passion for dance. The school has expanded across the country, and her award-winning choreography is brought to life on stages around the world. Her dance specialties include Bharatnatyam, kuchipudi, folk, Bollywood, modern, jazz & hiphop. Shingari received her Bharatnatyam Arangetram in 2013. She currently resides in San Francisco and manages the national dance school's operations and its online dance portal, BollywoodTrainer.com

In addition to being an accomplished performer & choreographer, Shingari is an emerging actress & model:
www.shingarimakkora.com