Today you’ll meet someone who manifests his intensity through music and dance. In sharing his passion, he also stays connected to his Indian culture and brings it to people across the US as he celebrates all things FUN.

I first met Prashant Kakad in his role as a Bollywood DJ. I’ve loved attending his dance events because of the diverse variety of people and the open and free spirit of celebration. He is one of the best examples I know of psychomotor or physical excitability. As I’ve gotten to know Prashant better, I realized that he is gifted and intense in many different ways. From Orcas Island to the Florida Keys, this multifaceted Bollywood entertainer has spent the last 10 years traveling across the US sharing his passion for Indian music and culture. An Indian-born, first-generation immigrant, Prashant’s unique perspective as an Ivy League graduate and ex-Intel engineer-turned DJ transforming American nightlife has inspired many South Asians who seek to pursue a life beyond their tech job.

Show Highlights:

• How Prashant has always been intensely passionate about dancing, music, and creative expressions---not being an Intel engineer
• How he travels the US with dance parties in various cities, along with dance classes and workshops
• Prashant’s natural inclination toward intensity in his dancing and in his meditation practice
• How he has had to “find the middle” of both extremes of his intensity
• How he grew up with a very intense life in the city of Mumbai, which has over 19 million people
• How Prashant stays connected to his Indian culture and loves giving others a window into that world
• How he had to downplay his passion for music and dancing as he grew up, mainly because of his family’s disapproval
• How his intensity sometimes gets out of control
• How Prashant finds opportunities to self-reflect and course-correct
• How he helps by holding opportunities sacred in bringing his culture to people and helping them connect to it
• Harnessing the power of his intensity by being around people who resonate with him
• Prashant’s personal habits of jumping headfirst, thinking later, going with his instinct, and embracing the unknown
• The best advice Prashant has ever received: “Live and go, based on your personal experience, not on what someone else does or says.”
• Prashant’s favorite books to recommend: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews
• How Prashant loves to help others in teaching dance because it’s both external AND internal

Resources:

Find Prashant on Instagram:  Instagram: Dream Prashant

Find Prashant on YouTube:  Dream Prashant

Find Prashant’s website:  Dreams Perfected

Consider supporting the podcast:  Embracing Intensity

From last week’s episode:  Side by Side: A Model of Healthy Relationships by Kate Arms