How does dance evolve beyond tradition?
Harini Nilakantan joins the podcast to explore movement as a mosaic, bridging Bharatanatyam with modern expression.

In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, Abhay chats with Chicago-based dancer and choreographer Harini Nilakantan to discuss the intersection of heritage and innovation.

Harini, a movement artist and award winning dancer and choreographer, shares her journey of reimagining ancestral storytelling for the modern stage. Instead of viewing dance as a "frozen" time capsule or a rigid discipline, Harini describes her practice as a "mosaic"—a refractive, evolving language that allows different cultural vocabularies to speak to one another without hierarchy.

In this episode, we cover:
- Why "purity" can be a problematic label in artistic evolution
- How to use traditional move sets, such as Tattamettu, to build new rhythmic dialogues
- Navigating the pressures of being a "winner" vs. finding success through honest expression
- How Harini’s upbringing in a polyglot, multi-disciplinary household shaped her identity and movement vocabulary

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Chapters-

00:00 Introduction to Harini Nilakantan
03:29 Defining her identity as a movement artist
06:49 Early dance memories and her "why"
11:52 Reimagining tradition through the art of kintsugi
14:58 Challenging inertia in classical dance forms
17:25 How her dance practice has evolved
20:16 Sponsor break: Travelopod
21:37 Unlearning audience preconceptions
27:41 Cultural influences and Harini's upbringing
33:15 Redefining success beyond trophies
36:59 Observer, student, teacher of dance
39:35 Building trust and expanding the lexicon

Connect with Harini:
https://harini-nilakantan.com

Support the Show: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple or Spotify or wherever you podcast!

TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING is proudly brought to you by TRAVELOPOD, with personalized travel support to help you explore the wonders of the world. Start your next journey at vacation.travelopod.com

How can music serve as both an anchor and a form of political resistance? What does it mean to create art in an age of "cognitive violence"? In this episode of Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing, host Abhay Dandekar sits down with the legendary Vijay Iyer—MacArthur Fellow, Harvard professor, and one of the most influential pianists and composers of our time. Described as a "social conscience" and "multicultural gateway," Vijay shares a masterclass on the physical and emotional labor required to maintain a creative life over three decades.

From the necessity of protecting time against the "colonization of memory" to the humbling experience of being an "eternal student," Vijay discusses the profound "transduction" that happens between an artist and their audience. Vijay's insights on "shared feeling," the mathematics of emotion, and the courage to remain vulnerable offer a roadmap for co-constructing a more intentional future.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Ritual of the Body: How the sensory, physical connection to an instrument serves as an anchor against modern information overload.
• The "Eternal Student" Mindset: Lessons from legends like Zakir Hussain on why mastery is a lifelong pursuit of learning.
• Music as Political Action: How instrumental compositions, like his tribute to Refaat Alareer, engage with the global zeitgeist.
• The Power of Collaboration: Building a sense of "home" and common cause through cross-cultural artistic partnerships.
• Mathematics vs. Feeling: Using "similarity relationships" and the physics of sound to evoke unquantifiable human emotions.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

03:22 Daily Routines and Creative Energy

05:59 The Power of Performance and Humility

10:03 Transduction in Music: Connecting with Audiences

14:18 Exploring the Concept of 'We' in Music

17:18 Unlearning as an Educator

20:11 Sponsor Break: Travelopod and RuffRest

21:23 Contrasts in Musical Expression

22:41 Exploring Similarity in Music and Mathematics

28:12 The Intersection of Politics and Music

32:55 Identity and Belonging in a Global Context

39:43 Music as a Space for Community and Home

42:41 Conclusion

Shoutouts to to Gauri for turning 40, to the Artemis crew and Amit Kshatriya for a mission accomplished and job well done, and to artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat for his sculpted statue of Swami Vivekananda being unveiled in Seattle.

Lastly, our collective hearts will always be filled with the songs and music of unforgettable Asha Bhosle - Hari Om Sadgati!

Support the Show: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple or Spotify or wherever you podcast!

TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING is proudly brought to you by TRAVELOPOD, with personalized travel support to help you explore the wonders of the world. Start your next journey at vacation.travelopod.com

This episode is also sponsored by RuffRest® , the only dog bed you'll ever need. Go to www.timberdog.com to learn more

In a world increasingly governed by autonomous technology and integrated processes, how do we keep human passion and partnership at the center of leadership? In this episode of Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing, Abhay sits down with Garima Shah, a 20-year veteran of the FinTech industry and the Co-Founder and President of Biller Genie.

Garima pulls back the curtain on the "challenger mode" mentality common in Indian American and immigrant families and explains why scaling a company teaches you what "hustle" never will. From navigating a startup through the onset of a global pandemic to creating a culture that celebrates the "Fuck Up of the Month," Garima shares her framework for intentional growth, building resilient teams, and the necessity of radical trust.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why "doing it all" is the enemy of true leadership and scale.
• The difference between working hard (hustle) and working on purpose (scaling).
• How to utilize a "Happiness Journal" to rewire your brain for daily success.
• The shared responsibility of startups in governing and democratizing Agentic AI.
• How to embrace impatience as a "mover" and turn mistakes into fuel for growth.

Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 Introductions
02:34 The Joy of Building in FinTech
05:05 The Importance of Happiness and Positivity
07:58 Hustle vs. Scaling: A Shift in Mindset
10:28 Embracing Change: The Art of Pivoting
13:27 Communication and Team Dynamics in Fast-Paced Environments
14:01 Sponsor Break: Travelopod and RuffRest
17:07 The Role of Startups in AI Governance
19:52 Cultural Identity and Personal Motivation
22:41 Embracing Vulnerability and Learning from Mistakes
25:18 Parenting Lessons in Leadership
28:09 Cultivating Trust and Optimism in Leadership

Support the Show: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple or Spotify or wherever you podcast!

TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING is brought to you by TRAVELOPOD, with personalized travel support to help you explore the wonders of the world. Start your next journey at vacation.travelopod.com

This episode is also sponsored by RuffRest® , the only dog bed you'll ever need. Go to www.timberdog.com to learn more