Takeaways
Looking ahead, this experience has shaped how I want to approach the work I do beyond my time at USC. I want to continue creating environments where people feel comfortable learning and engaging, especially in spaces where they might otherwise feel out of place. In the healthcare field, I hope to bring this same mindset by being mindful of cultural differences and making patients feel understood and respected, while also contributing to increasing diversity in healthcare spaces. Just like in Bollywood Crew, where breaking down routines and creating a welcoming environment helps people stay engaged, I want to carry that same approach into healthcare by helping individuals build healthier habits in a way that feels realistic and sustainable. My experience showed me that learning and behavior change happen through repetition, consistency, and supportive environments, which directly reflects neuroplasticity, where the brain strengthens connections over time with practice. In the same way that students in our club gradually become more confident and improve their coordination through repeated exposure to dance, I want to help patients make small, consistent changes that can lead to long-term improvements in both physical and cognitive health. Overall, this experience taught me that lasting change does not come from pressure or one-time effort, but from creating the right environment where people feel supported enough to keep going, and that is something I will carry with me beyond USC.
Making Physical Activity Meaningful Through Culture, Dance, and Experience
Within the Classroom Experiences: Studying South Asian Representation in Media and the Neuroscience behind learning a new skill
In English 102 Rhetoric and Composition, I chose to focus on South Asian representation in media because it directly shaped how I saw myself growing up. In my essay on Never Have I Ever, I analyzed how Devi, a first generation Indian American, struggles to balance her cultural identity with fitting in at school. I especially related to moments where Devi felt embarrassed or uncomfortable with her culture in front of others. For example, when she wore a saree to the Ganesh Puja and complained that it felt heavy and uncomfortable, I thought about times when I felt out of place wearing traditional clothing in environments where no one else looked like me. I also connected to the moment when her friend misunderstood the idea of calling people aunties and uncles, and Devi chose not to explain it because she felt embarrassed. I have had similar experiences where I avoided explaining parts of my culture because I did not want to seem different or draw attention to myself. Devi’s constant effort to fit in, while also dealing with expectations from her family, reflects the same internal conflict I experienced growing up as an Indian American in the South. Watching her navigate these situations made me realize how important it is to feel seen and understood in the spaces we participate in
In my second essay for the class, I explored how South Asian culture has often been misrepresented in American media through stereotypes that portray it as foreign, nerdy, or different. I wrote about how characters were often reduced to exaggerated accents or one dimensional roles, which reinforced the idea that South Asians do not fully belong. Growing up, I saw these portrayals in shows like Phineas and Ferb and Jessie, where characters like Baljeet and Ravi were defined by these stereotypes. These representations shaped how others treated me and how I saw myself. In school, comments about being “smelly like curry” or being different made me more aware of my culture in a negative way. Instead of feeling comfortable expressing my identity, I sometimes felt pressure to distance myself from it in order to fit in. Through writing this essay, I realized that representation is not just about visibility, but about how culture is portrayed and experienced. When culture is reduced to stereotypes, it can create environments where people feel excluded or hesitant to participate. However, when representation is more accurate and respectful, it can create spaces where people feel understood and valued.
At the same time, in NSCI 300: Intro to Neuroscience, I learned about neuroplasticity and how learning occurs through repetition and practice. In my assignment on learning to play an instrument I explained how repeated practice strengthens neural pathways and improves coordination and memory over time. I also learned that even adults can develop new skills and strengthen these connections, meaning it is never too late to learn something new.
Beyond the Classroom Experiences: Cocky's Bollywood Crew
In college, I started to think differently about my cultural identity. Instead of distancing myself from it, I wanted to explore it in a way that felt meaningful and respectful and become closer to my roots even though I didn’t know much about the culture. This led me to join Cocky’s Bollywood Crew, where I now serve on the executive board as the Treasurer and assist with recruitment. Our organization focuses on teaching beginner-friendly Bollywood dance which promotes South Asian culture appreciation on campus.
One of the most important things I learned in English 102 was the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, especially in the media. In my essay, I defined cultural appropriation as taking elements of a culture without understanding their meaning or context, often reducing them to trends or aesthetics. In contrast, I defined cultural appreciation as engaging with a culture in a way that is intentional, respectful, and informed, where the meaning behind traditions is preserved and people from within the culture are involved in how it is shared.
At the time, this felt like a concept I understood academically, but being part of Cocky’s Bollywood Crew made me realize how easy it would be to unintentionally cross that line in real life. Bollywood dance is fun, energetic, and popular, especially on a college campus, but without context, it can easily turn into something that people copy without understanding where it comes from. One of the ways we actively work against this is through our Bollywood workshops, which we host about three to four times each semester. These workshops are specifically designed for beginners, and this is where I saw a strong connection to my neuroscience coursework. When we teach routines, our choreo captain breaks everything down step by step instead of rushing through choreography. We repeat movements multiple times, go over timing with the music, and build the routine gradually so that people can actually learn it instead of just memorizing it for a performance. This process felt very similar to what I wrote about in my neuroscience assignment on learning to play an instrument. I learned that the brain uses multiple regions at once when learning a new skill. The auditory cortex processes the music, the motor cortex controls movement, and the visual system helps us follow what we are seeing. I experienced this directly during workshops. At first, I struggled to keep up because I had no dance background, but through repetition, my brain started forming connections, and movements became more natural. This reflects the idea that repeated practice strengthens neural pathways, making actions more automatic over time.
What stood out to me even more was realizing that this learning process applies to everyone, not just trained dancers. I learned that even adults can develop new neural connections and learn new skills through practice. I had always felt like I missed my chance because I did not grow up learning it, but through these workshops, I realized that learning is still possible as long as you are given the right environment and support.
At the same time, we are very intentional about making sure these workshops promote cultural appreciation rather than appropriation. For example, when we teach Bollywood routines, we make sure to keep original hook steps from the songs instead of changing them too much just to make them easier. We also explain the lyrics, music, the energy, and the style behind the choreography so people understand what they are doing, not just copy movements. This was key during our mock shaadi (mock wedding) collaboration with the Indian cultural organization on campus. For that performance, we made very specific choices to maintain authenticity. We used traditional wedding-style Bollywood songs like “London Thumakkada” and “Sajana say yes” instead of just trending music, incorporated beginner bhangra steps, and had everyone wear traditional Indian outfits like shararas and lehengas. These decisions were intentional because we wanted the performance to reflect the meaning and celebration behind a South Asian wedding.
Featured Performance
The Mock Shaadi Experience
A collaborative performance with Indian Cultural Organization at USC celebrating South Asian wedding traditions through traditional choreography and authentic cultural representation.
Biweekly Workshop Series
Exploring the neuroscience of movement and the fundamentals of Bollywood dance through step-by-step guidance and cultural context.
Workshop 1: Akhiyaan Gulaab. Learning modern Bollywood Hook steps and Footwork Heavy Movements.
Workshop 2: Jai Jai Sivashankar. Celebrating Holi through upbeat fast choreography.
Workshop 3: Kesariyo Rang x Chogada. Fusing Traditional Navratri Music and Learning Key Garba Steps with Vibrant Dupattas.