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

Hi Aleena, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
An important lesson my business has taught me is to accept support and trust others with what I’ve created.

When you’re building a business from the ground up, founders do a lot of work themselves because they have a particular vision behind what they’re building. As the business grows, we realize that we can no longer do everything ourselves, even though we might really want to because we’re so attached to our company in various ways. If you can’t let go and have trust in others that they will protect your vision just as strongly as you have, it will be difficult to expand in your business because one human can only do so much before they burn out.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Sitaara is a Bollyfusion dance company that focuses on building a community and intertwining it with fitness and mental wellness. What sets Sitaara apart is that we choose to focus on making an engaging class experience for those who attend. There are absolutely amazing dance classes in lots of cities, but I noticed a trend in lately that the focus felt more on the personal brand of the choreographer/social media in those classes (absolutely nothing wrong with that!) instead of having the focus be on those who came to learn. I wanted to emphasize that those coming to our class have a welcoming and safe space to dance, especially for those who haven’t danced in a very long time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Judy Liu –  I met Judy through a mutual friend soon after I launched Sitaara and I was looking for instructors to teach. Judy has trained in Bhangra for many years! She’s a talented dancer, a wonderful instructor, and a creative writer. Judy just published her first book called “The Vending Portal.” So proud of her!

Website: sitaaradance.co

Instagram: @sitaaradanceco

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.