Tiffany Persaud is a teacher and businesswoman, but first and foremost, she is a dancer who has been honing her skill since she was five years old.
Skilled in Kathak and Bollywood among other dance genres, Tiffany is one of the members of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, a dance school known for its traditional dances.
Born Chandranie Persaud, Tiffany as she is most often referred to, grew up in Kitty, Georgetown. She revealed that her becoming a dancer was a dream of her mother’s, one she never had the opportunity to fulfil so when Tiffany was five, she enrolled her at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (which has been renamed the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre and is also referred to as the Indian Cultural Centre).
Asked how she feels about her mother imposing her dream onto her, Tiffany said, “It was one of the best decisions my mother would have made for me and I’m glad she did because I’m loving every minute of it. I’m happy and I love knowing that I make her proud. She and my dad are at every one of the shows I participate in.”
Speaking of making her mother proud, the dancer enthused that her mother was elated about her most recent opportunity, which was performing at the recent inauguration of President Irfaan Ali, at the National Cultural Centre. This experience is one of a few exceptional ones that she will remember for a lifetime. “It was really an amazing experience. It was a proud moment for me,” she said.
The talented young woman described herself as an introvert but also said that once she steps onstage, all of that changes. The stage becomes her own world where she expresses a bold and different side of her.
Tiffany first began dancing with the Indian Cultural Centre. She subsequently left and joined the Apsara Dance Troupe but later returned to the Indian Cultural Centre.
Growing up, she was always fascinated by the glitz and glam. She fancied the bold makeup and the glamorous costumes and anticipated getting all dolled up every time a show came around. While she is versed in several dance genres, Tiffany especially likes Kathak. For her, this dance is more structured and requires more discipline and focus.
Aside from providing a platform for her to be expressive, Tiffany said dance has allowed her to meet some of the most incredible people.
The young woman shared that when performing onstage, she looks forward to seeing her parents seated right up front. Having their support, she said, always makes her happy. Their presence motivates her to do her best always.
When asked about the most difficult technique she has learnt over the years, the dancer said, “Bharatanatyam”. This was the hardest technique, she said, specifically because it involved a lot of squatting along with unique hand gestures throughout. It also requires a lot of facial expressions as the dancer’s eyes do a lot of talking. Bharatanatyam is considered one of the old versions of traditional Indian dances.
While Bharatanatyam was a difficult technique to perfect, Tiffany shared that her other dance techniques are not nearly as difficult and take her an average of two weeks to learn properly. For Naya Zamana shows, the dancer explained, she and other dancers would practice for hours, sometimes until nine at night. To avoid going beyond that time, they would start as early as two or one in the afternoon. Tiffany’s first Naya Zamana Show was Naya Zamana 6 while her last was several years ago at the Naya Zamana 11½. Her many performances include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Fair earlier this year and India’s Republic celebrations in January at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
Tiffany said her mother is her first inspiration in all she does. She is also inspired by Dr Vindhya Persaud, who along with her sister taught her many of the amazing dance steps she perfectly displays onstage. Her favourite inspiration, however, is her teacher, Pankhuri Srivastava, who has returned home to India owing to the pandemic. Srivastava has since been giving online dance classes to Tiffany and other dancers. Tiffany shared that while she has been inspired by these women, she has great admiration for former US first lady, Michelle Obama. “I would love to meet with Michelle Obama someday. She is motivational and inspirational; she is everything positive one can think about,” said Tiffany. She added that she has read Becoming and thoroughly enjoyed it. The book left her wishing for a sit down with Obama.
Tiffany who teaches fifth and sixth grade at her alma mater, Stella Maris Primary School, began her teaching career right there in 2013. She shared that some years ago, she performed at a Teachers In Concert event.
As a teacher she has had the challenge of adapting to online teaching. Owing to some of her children sitting the recent National Grade Six Assessment, the online schooling was needed even more. Tiffany provided her classes via Zoom, but not all of her pupils were able to access learning through the app. For those who were unable to use Zoom, she sent work via WhatsApp. However, there were a few children who had no internet access and that saw her having to recap work that was done online when classes resumed for two weeks in the run-up to the examination.
Dance, she said, makes a great extracurricular activity. “As the saying goes, ‘All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy’. Children who have taken up dance as an extracurricular activity or any other art form, even sports give themselves a sort of balance. Dance for me boosts one mentally, physically and spiritually,” Tiffany explained.
Asked where she sees herself in another five years, Tiffany said, she intends to continue dancing and hopes to pursue her masters.
The bubbly young woman noted that if anything, she wants to be remembered as someone who was always pleasant adding that many times, people notice her smile before they see the rest of her.
The entrepreneur also recently started her business, Embrace Gorgeousness by Tiffany, which provides customized wooden alphabet letters, tokens, party favours, scented candles as well as wedding cake toppers.
When this Taurus beauty is not enjoying dancing and teaching, she likes listening to music, meeting new people, and catching up on her sleep.
A “girly girl”, Tiffany loves the colours pink and black.
She shared also that though she loves seven curry, having had a father in the army at one time, she has learnt of wild meat dishes and loves to eat labba or deer curry.
Tiffany can be followed on Facebook at Chandranie Persaud or Embrace Gorgeous by Tiffany, or on Instagram @persaudt395.
