Walt Disney World may be known as the happiest place on Earth, but for a local Santa Clarita dance school, excitement has reached a new level after they were selected from 600 applicants to travel to the East Coast and perform at the Diwali Dance Fest 2026 later this year.
The Ghungroo Dance School Inc. was one of 25 studios selected nationwide to perform at the Disney Diwali Fest, which honors Indian heritage, set to take place on Oct. 22-25, with more than 1,000 people anticipated to attend.
Dance school director Jini Valiaveettil never expected to take her students to one of the biggest stages in the world, but is grateful she’ll have the opportunity to not just represent the Santa Clarita Valley but also celebrate Indian culture, community, and teamwork, through dance, she said in a recent interview with The Signal.
“It’s almost surreal because we’re a small school. It gives us confidence in the work that we’re putting into. As a dance director I’m extremely proud of our talent that we have,” Valiaveettilsaid. “Dreams are built on passion, on perseverance and most importantly on community support.”
Students have been rehearsing nonstop, tightening up their formations and transitions to be prepared for show day. The group of students along with their parents will all be flying together to Florida.
“I hope that years from now these students will be able to say that when they performed at Disney World with the Ghungroo Dance School, we were all the way across the nation,” Valiaveettil said.
Valiaveettil began teaching dance as a side hobby when she was 16 years old, and eventually found time between her job as a travel nurse and raising her family to launch her school where other children could embrace their Indian heritage and share the love of dance.
As they anticipate their debut performance on the Disney World stage in just a few months, Valiaveettil just “can’t wait to see the happiness on their faces and the parents’ faces to see their kids on an international platform that is huge.”
The list of performers are as follows:
• Leadership: Director: Jini Valiaveettil.
• Program Manager: Karthika Ashok.
• Student Leadership Team: Shaun Dhareshwar, Karina Dhillon, Samyuktha Gopiraj, Amarya Koola, Ajuni Sohal, Sheryl Sony and James Lequang.
Student Participants
• Plum Canyon Elementary: Amira Grewall, Bani Sohal, Heer Prajapati, Amar Dhillon, Rishab Sikka, Anaya Vishwakarma.
• Stevenson Ranch Elementary: Cassandra Carroll.
• Tesoro Del Valle Elementary: Johan Sojan.
• Pico Canyon Elementary: Jaiden Sony.
• Arroyo Seco Junior High: Ajuni Sohal.
• Hillside Middle School (Simi Valley): Grace Lequang.
• Saugus High School: Karina Dhillon.
• West Ranch High School: Shaun Dhareshwar, Jayden Dhareshwar.
• Academy of the Canyons: Sheryl Sony.
• The Buckley School: Samyuktha Gopiraj.
• Adlai Stevenson High School: Amarya Koola.
• Santa Susana High School (Simi Valley): James Lequang.
• Advanced Performers: Jini Valiaveettil, Karthika Ashok, Andrea Grewall, Ankita Vishwakarma, Manpreet Sikk.
