Divya Virmani Interview
“I quit my job during the pandemic with no backup plan—dance was the only thing I trusted.”
1. Divya, how did your journey in dance begin?
If someone wanted to find me as a child, they simply had to follow the music. Bollywood songs were my GPS—they always led straight to me dancing in front of the television, trying to move like Hrithik Roshan and recreating steps from shows like Boogie Woogie. Those moments are incredibly precious to me even today. They were some of the happiest memories of my childhood, grounding me in the present and making everything else fade away.
To explore my love for dance further, I went on to train for nearly 12 years. I began formal training at the age of ten, starting with jazz at Danceworx, where I trained for four years and even became the youngest student in my batch to assist the instructor. Over time, I gravitated towards hip-hop because it gave me freedom, identity, and a voice that felt unmistakably mine. It became my way of showing the world who Divya truly is. I continued training in hip-hop with leading academies like Big Dance Centre and Shiamak Davar, constantly refining my style.
During the pandemic, I founded my dance venture, Mad Over Moves. Over the last six years, I’ve taught more than 10,000 students across multiple cities in India and built a community of over 150K followers on Instagram. Most recently, I was featured on Amazon Prime’s reality show Hip Hop India Season 2—a milestone that feels surreal, considering this journey began with a child dancing freely in front of the TV.
2. As the founder of Mad Over Moves, what makes it different from other dance studios?
Unlike traditional dance studios, Mad Over Moves began as a completely digital-first dance academy. This allowed us to reach students across multiple cities in India and even internationally, creating a close-knit community without boundaries. Today, we function as a hybrid model—both online and offline—based out of Bangalore, collaborating with various dance spaces while maintaining the same teaching philosophy in our in-person sessions.
What truly sets us apart is our approach to teaching. We break down even the most complex steps in the simplest possible way, ensuring students never feel intimidated. For many beginners, walking into a traditional dance studio can feel overwhelming—but at Mad Over Moves, everyone feels welcome from the very first class. That sense of belonging, combined with learning in a fun and supportive environment, is what makes us truly different.
3. Every dancer has a moment when they realize it’s more than just a hobby. What was that moment for you?
That realization came in 2020, during the pandemic. At the time, I was working in marketing, and my company asked me to relocate to another city. In the middle of a global crisis, I wasn’t ready to move, so I quit my job. Looking back, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise—it gave me the space to start online dance classes, and that’s when everything began to click.
Through these classes, I discovered my superpower as an instructor. Students would often tell me, “You break down the most difficult steps in the easiest way possible.” Imagine a complete beginner learning shuffle footwork without feeling intimidated—that’s not easy to achieve. Hearing this feedback consistently made me realize how much I enjoyed breaking movements down to a microscopic level. It wasn’t just about teaching dance; it was about building confidence, helping people move freely, and making them believe they could do it. And the best part? It didn’t feel like work—it felt like play. That’s when I knew dance was more than a hobby; it was my calling.
4. As an instructor and founder, what has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
“The real challenge wasn’t building a business—it was learning where the artist in me ends and the entrepreneur begins.”
My biggest challenge was navigating the constant conflict between the mindset of an artist and that of an entrepreneur. As an artist, I wanted to teach freely and share my knowledge of dance without limitations. But as an entrepreneur, I had to think about how to add value to people’s lives in a way that could also translate into a sustainable business.
When I started Mad Over Moves, I focused on the audience I felt most connected to as an artist and taught the dance form I excelled in. That’s when I hit a roadblock—there was a gap between what I was offering and what my students actually needed. To overcome this, I had to temporarily take off my artist’s hat and step into my students’ shoes to truly understand what was missing in their lives.
Through customer interviews, I realized that dance wasn’t just about movement or technique—it was about joy, confidence, and restoring a sense of normalcy. Keeping this in mind, I introduced confidence-building modules, rewards, and community-driven activities. Dance became a medium through which I could create real impact. Some students even shared that their mental health improved and physical vitals got better through dancing with me. That realization became the point where art met impact—and that’s how Mad Over Moves was truly built.
5. What has been your biggest lesson as both a dancer and a founder?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to be impatient with actions but patient with results. As a dancer, this means showing up every single day, practicing consistently, and experimenting with new techniques. I’ve faced multiple injuries, but I’ve always bounced back stronger and never stopped moving. Progress is gradual—it happens step by step.
As a founder, it’s meant relentlessly trying new ideas. I started with just 5,000 Instagram followers, and some tutorials barely crossed 500 views. But through constant experimentation and persistence, I grew close to 150,000 followers and reached millions of views. Many strategies failed initially, but today we run profitable dance classes in Bangalore. It all comes down to resilience, consistency, and giving ideas the time they need to grow.
6. One tip for anyone who wants to turn their passion into a career?
Ignore other people’s opinions and stay focused on why you want to do this in the first place. Ironically, the first hundred doubts often come from your closest friends and family. You have to be thick-skinned enough to stay unaffected by that noise and pursue your passion for the joy it brings you and the impact you want to create. Stay consistent, trust the process, and let your work speak for itself.
7. If you had the chance to choreograph a dance for any Bollywood star, who would it be and what kind of song would you choose?
I would absolutely love to put Hrithik Roshan and Nora Fatehi together on the dance floor for the most electrifying dance-off imaginable. Hrithik has always been a trailblazer—he introduced Western dance forms and hip-hop to India, and I’d love to choreograph a high-energy hip-hop routine for him with lots of shuffle moves. Nora, on the other hand, is exceptional in her own style, and I’d choreograph something that blends belly dance and Afro dance to truly highlight her strengths.
The song would be a Bollywood fusion track with trap beats, hip-hop rhythms, and the powerful drum sounds of belly dancing—a track designed to make every move shine. This collaboration is a dream for me because Hrithik is the reason I started dancing, and Nora is living proof that you can turn your passion into a full-fledged career. She started from scratch and continues to push boundaries. Imagining the two of them together, and having the chance to create something unforgettable, honestly makes my heart race—it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of as a dancer and choreographer.
Bio:
Divya Virmani is a hip-hop dancer, choreographer, and the founder of Mad Over Moves, a modern dance community known for its inclusive, confidence-driven approach to movement. She began her dance journey at the age of ten, training for over 12 years across styles including jazz and hip-hop with reputed institutions such as Danceworx, Big Dance Centre, and Shiamak Davar.
During the pandemic, Divya took a bold leap of faith by leaving her corporate career to build Mad Over Moves, a digital-first dance academy that has since evolved into a thriving online–offline hybrid model based in Bangalore. Over the past six years, she has taught more than 10,000 students across India, helping beginners and non-dancers feel confident through her signature teaching style that breaks down complex steps into simple, approachable movements.
With a community of 150K+ followers on Instagram, Divya has become a powerful voice in the Indian dance space, using movement as a tool for joy, self-expression, and mental well-being. She was recently featured on Amazon Prime’s reality show Hip Hop India Season 2, marking a major milestone in a journey that began with a child dancing freely in front of the television—and grew into a mission to change lives through dance.
Interviewed by: Tanya Rawat
Edited by: Shantanu Singh
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