Ms. Elina Wisung – Ballet Teacher , Choreographer, Soloist
Elina Wisung, Ballet Teacher
Elina Wisung, from Sweden, started dancing at the age of 6 training in Sweden, Malaysia and later with Yana Lewis in India from the age of 15. After graduating from high school in Bangalore, Elina studied Theatre Dance at London Studio Centre, UK in 2004/2005. She received her B.A.Hons in Dance Education from the Royal Academy of Dance in London in 2008. Since then, she has worked both with The Lewis Foundation of Classical Ballet and with several vocational and recreational dance schools in Sweden. In 2014, Elina received her introductory II Iyengar Yoga certification from the Ramanmani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, and is an ISTD Associate teacher since 2019. She conducts ballet and jazz classes at all levels and general and beginners yoga classes at The Lewis Foundation of Classical Ballet. She also choreographs and assists in managing the bi-annual shows.
“Watching new generations of dancers emerging through the school and seeing them continue out into the world with the benefits of their ballet training as a solid foundation in life is a constant source of inspiration for me.”
Ms. Sushmitha Margad – Ballet Teacher , Choreographer, Soloist
Sushmitha Margad, Ballet Teacher
Sushmitha Margad started her professional career in dance when she joined the Yana Lewis Dance Company (YLDC) in 2003 as a performing member. Under Yana’s continued guidance and training, 2012, Sushmitha attained a distinction in the Intermediate Vocational Exam in Imperial Classical Ballet from the Imperial Society of Teachers for Dance ( ISTD) in Athens, Greece. In 2015, she received the Associate from the ISTD in Rome, Italy mentored by Yana. Sushmitha is also trained in Bharathnatyam under Guru Nirupama Rajendra. As a core performing member of YLDC, she has performed in national and international events for MNCs, award ceremonies, cultural festivals and advertisement. Sushmitha’s training and experience in other art forms such as western classical voilin, kathak and contemporary dance drives her to study and understand dance in a deeper sense, fueling her passion for dance and teaching. Sushmitha holds an engineering degree from the Visveswariah Technology university and an MBA from the Ohio University. Sushmitha currently teaches ballet, jazz and callanetics at TLFCB and is a soloist with our performing company. Sushmitha has a clear methodical approach to teaching. She is naturally graceful which transfers to her students.
“Three things that I have always loved the most are dancing, teaching and being around children. Here at TLFCB I get to experience all three at their most beautiful to their most challenging forms and I absolutely love it!”
Mr. Peter Mani – Soloist, Assistant Teacher
Peter Mani, Assistant Teacher
Peter Mani is a soloist dancer and assistant teacher at TLFCB. He has been dancing since he was 8 years old, and has performed lead roles in several of the foundation’s classical productions as well as in shows around the country. Peter’s most recent roles include the Prince in Sleeping Beauty and the Beast in Belle & the Beast. He received distinction in his Grade 5 and Grade 6 Imperial Classical Ballet examinations in 2016 and 2018 respectively, and is currently training to take his Intermediate and Associate examinations.
He is a graduate with a BA in Economics, Political Science and Sociology in 2019 from St Joseph’s Arts and Science College in Bangalore, India. Peter spent many years performing in live shows across India, performing fire stunts, stilt walking, Chinese Lion dances, and as a Mirror Man. It is this diversity that enables Peter to embody the roles that he has portrayed. His varied experiences bring an original and creative perspective to teaching at TLFCB.
One of his ambitions is to work with our outreach programme, spreading the art of ballet across communities that do not normally have access to it.
“There are a few things that make me truly happy, and dancing is one of them. I am happiest while I am dancing – it is a way for me to express myself. I am sure there are others who feel the same, and when I teach, I can share that joy with them.”
Ms. Pooja Mehta – Ballet Teacher
Pooja Mehta , Ballet Teacher
Pooja began her training at the Lewis Foundation of Classical Ballet in Bangalore in 2009 at the age of 19. She trained for 3 years with Yana, and in 2012 Pooja achieved Distinction in her ISTD Imperial Classical Ballet Intermediate Vocational examination in Athens, Greece.
She continued her training at Laine Theatre Arts in the UK specializing in classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, commercial, musical theatre, acting, singing, and tap, graduating with a Diploma in Performing Arts in 2015. Pooja is the first Indian to graduate from Laine Theatre Arts in its 45 years of existence.
She specializes in jazz dance, incorporating lyrical, musical theatre, Broadway, street and modern styles into her repertoire. As a dancer she has performed in television and movies, and worked with the Love Rudeye Dance Casting Agency in London, UK.
Pooja also holds the ISTD Diploma in Dance Instruction in Imperial Classical Ballet since 2014, and in Modern Theatre since 2015.