• Ashley Kumar  is the Founding Artistic Director of an 11 year old community arts organization, the South Asian Arts Movement Society.

• She is a certified Life Coach, Yoga Instructor and Personal Trainer.

• She has been featured on all the local network television news shows for her work in either philanthropy, yoga, fitness or dance (City TV, CTV, CBC, Global News, ShawTV).

•  She has been dancing since 1988. 

• She has choreographed guest performances for Bollywood shows including Heart Throbs in 2002, Miss Diwali Canada Pageant in 2003, and has performed on stage with actress Karisma Kapoor in Toronto in 2003.

• She was a Choreographer for the short film Breakout of the Masala Kid that was shot in 2008 in Edmonton.

• She is a trained Actor who received training in Mumbai with special acting classes from veteran actor Mr. Anupam Kher.

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Awards & Honours in the field of performing arts:

 

-Awarded Avenue Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40 (See Profile)

-Recipient of 2014 CIP Travel Grant

-Recipient of 2013 CIP Travel Grant (See Page 30 of the 2013 Annual Report )

-Recognized by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the Inaugrual Diwali celebration at the Legislature in October 2013

-Nominated in 2012 for the John Poole Award for Business Promotion of the Arts (Sharara Dance & Fitness Studio) and recognized at the 25th Annual Mayor's Celebration of the Arts.

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Other FUN Facts
 

• She appeared in several print and television ad campaigns to raise awareness of Domestic Violence (See Here & Here)

• She was a regular columnist for the Mill Woods Mosaic Newspaper

• She was one of the collaborating artists for the Living Heritage of Mill Woods Project Workshop-Presentations in November 2013 & May 2017 and she worked with an Aboriginal Chicken Dancer.

• She played the role of Godess Sita in an Edmonton based production of the Ram Leela for 4 years (2008, 2010-2012).

• She volunteered in the slums of Mumbai for 1 month to teach children Bollywood Dance (2009)

• She speaks Hindi, and can read and write the basics of the language.

• She has lived in India twice (2008/2009) (2009/2010)

• She is an all-the-time mother, and a fun but tough-loving Aunty!

• She Co-wrote, produced and directed a successful dance-drama called Bollywood Dreamzzz... in 2008

• She was the head choreographer for the short film Breakout of the Masala Kid

• She likes to upcylce and make jewellery and accesories

• She delivered pizza for Panago when she was in College (!)

• She worked in the Financial Services industry for 5 years (!)

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