Sneha is widely credited with putting the Indian Salsa scene on the world map by being the first Indian to represent India and win at many International Salsa Championships. Living in Mumbai, she began her career in dance with Lourd Vijay’s Dance Studio in Bangalore, six years ago. It was the beginning of a meteoric career that embraced different dance forms like Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Jive, Hip-Hop, Adagio and Bollywood. Passion drives Sneha to give it her best every time she puts on her dancing shoes.

Sneha Kapoor was a talented athlete growing up but dancing happened by chance. She didn’t realize she had two perfectly good dancing feet till LVDS spotted her star quality in 2006 and planted the idea in her head that she could be a professional dancer of caliber. Richard Tholoor (who later became her dancing partner) saw the potential in her to go big and he wasn’t wrong. She won her first international salsa championship in 2007 and several more national and international competitions with him as a partner. They are now established A listers on the international dance circuit.

But 2008 was to be a cruel and fateful year in the life of the rising salsa star. A road accident broke her right leg in 3 places and took her out of dancing for three years. Her doctors cautioned her not to expect to be able to compete ever again. What might have been seen as the end of a career for any other dancer, was for Sneha, only a spur and a grim motivation to overcome.

A dogged determination, an iron will to succeed and unwavering belief in herself has marked the years since her accident when she has pushed harder and harder, against all obstacles in the pursuit of excellence. And she has been an inspiration to dancers who struggle.

She cherishes an email she received, expressing gratitude, from a dancer with an injury who considered giving up dance. Sneha’s story, widely reported in dance circles, had inspired her not to give up.

Sneha takes that responsibility seriously. To be able to make any difference in someone’s life through her dancing inspires her, and she is generously rewarded by the support and love she receives from the people she meets. One evening after a show, a little girl who was a dance student approached her and said, “if I were to be born again, I would wish to be like you”.

And she is not done yet. There are still mountains to be climbed and heights to be scaled. One cherished dream is to be able to back pack around India, sharing some of the joy of dancing, with children and adults who did not think they would have a chance to learn, or perhaps couldn’t afford to. Why? Well, because as she says, “dance touched me and changed my life and I’d like to pay it forward So it can touch and change as many more lives as possible.”