Whiz Kid: Andover Student Fuses Passion for Dance and Heritage

Each week, Bloomfield Patch features students doing amazing things in their schools and in their communities. This week's Whiz Kid is starting a unique fitness and dance class for younger students.

Jasmine Sharma

Age: 15

School:

Achievement: Sharma is taking her life-long love of dance and her Indian heritage and fusing them together in a unique way to expose younger children to both. Her "Bollyfit" classes begin Feb. 2 and will run each Tuesday and Thursday until Feb. 16 from 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. at the dance room. She intends to teach students a dance routine that will be performed for parents at a recital on Feb. 21. The effort is part of her Middle Years Programme project, which is designed to offer an approach to teaching and learning that transcends the focus on traditional school subjects.

Key to Awesomeness: Sharma has danced competitively in Indian, hip-hop and jazz styles since she was 5 and is borderline fanatical about fitness. She's also passionate about her Indian heritage and wants to expose people to both.

"Working out and fitness is really important and if I don't dance for a day or two, I have to work out," she said. "It's a release for me but it's more like a passion."

"I'm more connected to Bollywood because I know the meaning of the music. If I don't know what the song is saying it's more difficult to know the right expressions," she explained. "I want to inspire people and educate people about the traditions while getting fit."

Spots in the free class are available. Contact Sharma by email at cooljazzy96@gmail.com to find out more information and register.

Do you know our next Whiz Kid?

Bloomfield Patch welcomes suggestions for students, youth groups and even sports teams who wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about amazing children and teens and select one each week as Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or email the information to editor Art.Aisner@patch.com. Please include all these details:

• Nominator's name
• Whiz Kid's name and age
• Whiz Kid's school
• Whiz Kid's accomplishment
• What makes him or her successful