Life Beyond TikTok [Dance Workshops & Conversation Series]

Event Details
Date: Monday, March 8th
Time: 6pm PT / 9pm ET
Duration: 1.5 hrs
Location on the Festival Map: ‘Pavilion’
Instructors: Heena Patel
In partnership with MELA Arts Connect

This Session
You've gained amazing traction on your social media platform as a dance or music artist and maybe are even getting requests for sponsorship from brands, but how do you continue your work in the world beyond the Internet? Are you someone that wants to bring your art from behind a phone to stages across the world? Join this masterclass about skills and steps to build a career in the world beyond TikTok, including booking gigs, getting agent-ready, and more.

Instructor Bio: 
Heena Patel is cultural strategist, creative producer, coach for creatives, facilitator, and gathering designer. The founder and CEO of MELA Arts Connect, her work has focused on nurturing the ecosystem around South Asian performing arts and community. Over the years and through MELA, she's assumed the roles of booking agent, manager, dancer, musician, teaching artist, and diversity and equity advocate. Recent credits as a producer and artistic director include the multidisciplinary stage show Bollywood Boulevard, immersive dance experience Garba360, and desi:NOW - a showcase of hyphenated South Asian identities. Heena Patel has facilitated the commissioning and/or presentation of numerous South Asian productions and artists such as Kathakaar, Raghu Dixit, Indian Ocean, Mystic India, Shilo Shiv Suleman, and more at venues such as Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, NJPAC, Wolf Trap, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and the MET. As a cultural strategist and consultant, she supports organizations in developing long-term strategies for community building with the South Asian diaspora. She also works with South Asian creatives as a coach around strategy and mindset to build a careers in the arts. Heena was an ISPA Fellow and APAP Leadership Fellow. She serves on the board of NAPAMA (North American Performing Arts Agents and Manager) and is a member of CIPA (Creative & Independent Producers Alliance) and WOCA (Women of Color in the Arts).

About Mela Arts Connect
MELA Arts Connect is a cultural consultancy and production company for South Asian performing arts. MELA's mission to amplify South Asian performing arts and culture, particularly within the mainstream performing arts sector and build cultural equity within the sector. Founded and led by Heena Patel, MELA Arts Connect has facilitated the commissioning and/or presentation of numerous South Asian productions and artists such as Kathakaar, Bollywood Boulevard, desi:NOW, Raghu Dixit, Indian Ocean, Mystic India, Shilo Shiv Suleman, and more at venues such as Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, NJPAC, Wolf Trap, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and The MET. 

About Product of Culture
Product of Culture is a WOC founded and funded collective that amplifies brown brands and creatives with strategy, content, and experiences rooted in culture. We build opportunities for brown brands and creatives to connect and collaborate with each other and elevate their work through culture-forward spaces, stages, and stories. Our brands include The Founder’s Summit, the South Asian Film Festival of America and Product of Culture Shop.


***This event is included in the following ticket:

Dance Workshops & Conversation Series

In partnership with Mela Arts Connect - The Dance Workshops Pass provides you with access to all dance workshops and discussions.