Inside the colourful world of Mahadaw

MEET Suvina Mahadaw, a vibrant force on and off the dance floor. At 34, this Durban-born dancer, instructor and lifestyle content creator is living out her childhood dream, sharing the joy of Bollywood dance and South Asian culture with audiences across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond.

- LUTHO PASIYA

We caught up with her to chat about her journey, passions and the meaning of dance in her life — fittingly during a year when more people than ever are looking to celebrate and connect through culture and movement.

Mahadaw currently resides in the scenic coastal town of Ballito, but her story begins in Phoenix, Durban.

“I am originally from the beautiful Phoenix,” she said with pride. It’s there that her love for Bollywood dance first took root. “Growing up with Bollywood movies and music, my dream as a kid was to be like the Indian Bollywood actresses I saw on screen — watching them dance and wear all those beautiful outfits. That inspired my love for dance from as young as six.”

Encouraged by her mother, Lekha Mahadaw, she was enrolled in dance classes where her journey officially began.

Interestingly, Mahadaw’s foundation spans two very different styles. “I started learning ballet and Indian classical dance — Bharatanatyam — at the same time,” she recalled.

Later, she expanded her repertoire at university to include jazz, contemporary, salsa and belly dance.

“I left ballet just before my pointe work, graduated in Bharatanatyam under Kumari Shiksha’s Dance Institute, and even completed a one-year teacher's diploma.”

Today, Mahadaw’s choreography reflects this wide-ranging training.

“My choreography is a combination of various dance styles. Every form is beautiful in its own way. You will find belly-bolly (a mix of belly dance and Bollywood), hip hop Bollywood and salsa Bollywood for partner dances.”

She also teaches a variety of classes tailored to different levels.