We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nandita Bajaj. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nandita below.

Nandita, appreciate you joining us today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

Our belief in people and everyone deserves a chance and an opportunity – a second chance. A chance for everyone to be themselves, a space to explore the arts without judgement.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

We started teaching in 2014 and have been featured on Fox 2 News, we have been invited to perform at the MGM Grand Detroit Casino, at The Henry in Dearborn, we have also been members of the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade, have performed at the Detroit Institute of Arts during diversity festivals, and at the pre-game show for Detroit Pistons Primetime.

We are a multi cultural center located in the Metro Detroit Area – offering various art, music, language, creative expression, aerial arts and dance classes. Our sessions span across cultures and age groups, Diversity Defines Us. We are a non competitive performing arts center. Our classes are for all ages. Our classes are for everyone. We pride ourselves on creating a safe space for all.

The idea for our place took foundation when we started teaching in various locations across Metro Detroit. While visiting and having a chance to perform and interact with the social strata in various locations we sensed and realized the division that existed between the various cultures, the styles, or the mindset of a Studio versus just a space to explore Arts and learn and develop a hobby and follow a passion.

Our value proposition is to break the mold, we want to exist in a cohesive environment instead of behind a wall, we are aiming to have a community that has a high sense of love for arts and culture, bringing in people to be themselves, exist as their own person, and feel successful in a trial, making sure age, background, ethnicity is not a factor. We want to fill the void created by the suspension of some the cultural aspects through regular education. We want to bring people together.

Mission Statement: Bringing people together through Dance Arts and Culture

Vision Statement: Center for Performance Arts and Learning strives to bring people together through dance, music, arts and culture. Creating and fostering an all-inclusive environment dedicated to building a strong culture of acceptance, empowerment, and collaboration, spanning diverse cultural communities.

Providing a center “A Room” to Learn, Reflect, Collaborate and Thrive

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Like many businesses we were severely affected by the Covid shutdown! Mar 2020 we went from a client and traffic base of 350 people per week to 35 students for online classes. Income dried instantaneously. A thriving business looked like a deserted island. Talking to screens, teaching screens instead of a live audience. Trying to pivot to an online model. We managed. We did our best. Even better we ran food drive, we turned our business to a community favoring (caring) space. We raised $10,000 in food drives and helped the local food pantries. We helped donate over 5000 masks to various special needs organizations across the country. All the while we were aiming to help people we were a dwindling business on the back end. We were not a viable business entity by July 2020. A 2 YEAR OLD BUSINESS, dealing with the shutdown and revenue resources drying very quickly. Thinking outside the box and keeping safety in mind We Launched An S.O.S – Save Our Studio campaign. A fundraising performance event to be held outdoors. We planned, we prepped, we got the acts ready and hoped for the best, because at the stroke of midnight on the night if August 19, 2020 we had all but a $100 in our account! We borrowed money to keep our account from going delinquent from a private lender. Our fundraiser was successful, we raised enough money to be able to pay the back rent and be able to support ourselves for at least one more month. We realized the community had seen what we do, what we did and what we stand for. We were there for people through hard times and they were there for us. Our goal to create camaraderie and create a connected community was well on its way and we are still in the process. We are talking the talk and walking the walk. We are for here for people.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Our business model and goal has always been to be people centric. We work towards creating an honest workspace and a space fueled by the passion for Arts. Our reputation was preceded by providing quality education in a culturally diverse segment before our brick and mortar space came to be. We have stayed true to our Vision and Mission statement – an organization for the community, working for the community and being there for our families in their time of need. We have stayed true to building people up and helping people find themselves (again sometimes), our staff and instructors believe in the student’s ability to learn and are invested in the student’s ability to succeed. We are here for our community – grandparents, parents and kids alike.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cen4pal.net
• Instagram: Cen4PAL
• Facebook: Cen4PAL
• Linkedin: Cen4PAL
• Twitter: Cen4PAL
• Youtube: Cen4PAL
• Yelp: Cen4PAL

Image Credits
Center for Performance Arts and Learning. Lifetime Photos and Video