ConnectUs Youth Spotlight EP 3 - (Prisha and DanceVibes: Exploring the world of "Dance Tech" through dance, technology and entrepreneurship)
- Lucia Kwag
- Mar 15
- 4 min read
In Episode 3 of the ConnectUs Youth Career Exchange Podcast, we had a meaningful conversation with Prisha Sasikumar.
For those unfamiliar with ConnectUs, our podcast highlights passionate youths who are actively building toward their futures. Our goal is to make opportunities visible and accessible for motivated, under-resourced students by showcasing what is possible even at a young age.
Prisha perfectly embodies our mission.
Prisha is a junior attending a public high school in Seattle while actively pursuing her interests in dance and technology. From practicing hip-hop and jazz funk for hours every week to launching her own dance-centered platform, she is a student who embodies creativity, organization, and a growth mindset. In this podcast, she shares how she turned her love for dance into a project that connects dancers, explores new technology, and inspires others to pursue her ideas.
A Creative Mind With a Growth Mindset
When asked to describe herself in three words, Prisha chose creative, organized, and growth-oriented.
Creativity plays a central role in everything she does. Whether she's choreographing dance routines or experimenting with new digital tools, she constantly looks for ways to express ideas in original ways. At the same time, organization helps her balance multiple commitments - from schoolwork to dance practice to running her own project.
Perhaps the most important trait she emphasizes is a growth mindset. Instead of seeing challenges as obstacles, she views them as opportunities to improve and learn.
Her Youtube channel, which hosts 128 videos, demonstrate her growth mindset:
Photo of Prisha and her Youtube Channel (125+ videos)
Discovering a Love for Dance
Prisha's journey into dance started with curiosity and her ballet class when she was 4. Her experiences since young age quickly turned into a deep passion. Today, she trains more than five hours each week, focusing primarily on hip-hop and jazz funk.
Much of her inspiration came from mentors and teachers at her dance studio who encouraged her to continue developing her skills. Their support helped her see dance not only as a hobby but as a meaningful path where creativity and discipline intersect.
Over time, she also began exploring the broader dance community online - following creators, CEOs, and popular dance platforms to learn how the industry works and how dancers share their work with the world.
Exploring the World of "DanceTech"
One concept that excites Prisha is "DanceTech."
DanceTech refers to the growing intersection between dance and technology - tools and platforms designed specifically to help dancers create, perform, and share their work.
This emerging field already appears in large productions and events, including professional sports and entertainment shows. Yet Prisha believes there is still enormous potential for innovation.
Some examples she mentions include:
Music-editing apps designed for dancers
Digital tools that simplify choreography creation
Products tailored to dancers' training needs
Because the field is still relatively small and limited, she sees it as a huge opportunity for young creators and entrepreneurs to contribute new ideas.
Building DanceVibes
One of Prisha's most impressive projects is DanceVibes, a platform she founded to connect dancers and share creative content.
Her inspiration came from noticing how many dancers struggle to promote themselves or find the right audience online. Through DanceVibes, she hopes to create a space where dancers can showcase their work and grow their presence.
To build her platform, Prisha experimented with several digital strategies:
Creating YouTube vlogs to document her journey
Testing AI-generated video tools
Using carefully selected hashtags to reach broader audiences
Studying successful creators and platforms
Running a platform as a student hasn't always been easy. One of her early challenges involved technical bugs and delays during onboarding. At one point, an issue caused a client to wait nearly five days before things were fully resolved.
But instead of giving up, she treated every challenge as a learning experience. According to Prisha, "every single moment is a challenge" - but also an opportunity to improve the platform and grow herself.
The Most Rewarding Moments
Despite the obstacles, there have been many moments that made the hard work worthwhile.
One of the most meaningful experiences for Prisha has been receiving messages from dancers who appreciate her work. Compliments in direct messages and reposts from well-known dance academies reminded her that her efforts were making an impact.
For a young entrepreneur, those small moments of recognition can be incredibly motivating.
Her platform is used by 40+ dancers across US and CA and an app is launching in June!
Looking Ahead & Advice for Aspiring Student Entrepreneurs
Looking to the future, Prisha hopes to continue exploring the possibilities within DanceTech and expand the impact of her work in the dance community.
She is particularly interested in solving problems that dancers face when trying to create content, share their work, and connect with audiences. As technology evolves, she believes new tools will open exciting chances for dancers globally.
For other high school students who want to start their own projects or businesses, Prisha offers practical advice:
Validate your idea.
Before launching, ask at least ten friends, teachers, or mentors for honest feedback.
Start building your presence early.
Create a social media account via Instagram or LinkedIn and begin sharing your idea and project.
Keep learning about business.
Read books, follow blogs, and listen to podcasts to understand how successful entrepreneurs think.
Final Thoughts
Prisha's journey shows how passion, creativity, and determination can come together to create something impactful - even while still in high school.
From a public school student in Seattle to the founder of DanceVibes, she is already exploring how dance and technology can intersect in meaningful ways. And if her growth mindset continues to guide her path, this is likely just the beginning of what she will achieve.
For young people with big ideas, her story offers a simple reminder: start with what you love, stay curious, and don't be afraid to build something new.
We hope you enjoyed Episode 3 of the ConnectUs Youth Spotlight. The episode will be available on Spotify and promoted across our social media platforms.
(Update: Unfortunately, the screen recorder had an issue and could not save Prisha's part)
Learn more about her project in the link below:
Youtube Channel:
Instagram:
Prisha's LinkedIn:
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