MEET NIKITA
IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES
Nikita Dani, model, content creator, and office manager for her family’s music academy. Image credits: @thesareeroom, photography: @sujayrphotography.
Name: Nikita Dani. My parents loved the name Nikita, as well as the meaning. Derived from the Greek word Nike, the name is associated with victory and success.
Currently: I work as a model, content creator, and as the office manager for my family’s music academy. My modeling work spans runway, editorial, music videos, and more. Most recently, I was part of commercials for Buick Canada and for editorials like Diva Dose, published in the Egyptian issue of The Victor Magazine.
A significant highlight of this journey was being crowned Miss Eco Canada 2024. I am now preparing to represent Canada at one of the largest international beauty pageants, Miss Eco International 2024, this month in Egypt. Preparing for national and international pageants is an intensive process. There are several areas of competition, including closed-door interview, on-stage segments like evening gown and national costume, and pre-arrival tasks. The delegate who wins this pageant will not only be crowned Miss Eco International 2024 but will also become a United Nations goodwill ambassador.
Public speaking plays a crucial role in beauty pageants. This is a skill I have been cultivating since elementary school and refining through my customer-facing roles and training with former Miss Universe 2005, Natalie Glebova. As I prepare to compete internationally, I continue to focus on public speaking, while actively speaking at events.
The performative aspect of preparation includes learning and practising pageant routines/walks, body language, facial expressions and posing. Although delegates make it look easy, hours of preparation go into perfecting these aspects. I am excited to continue practising and working with my runway coach, Kike Yamakawa, leading up to the pageant.
It is also important to maintain a healthy body and mind. I engage in regular workouts, meditation, and mindfulness exercises to stay centered and focused during the competition. I have been working with a team of fitness coaches at my gym, Integrity Fitness, and with an executive coach practising energy leadership, Venki Raman.
My comprehensive preparation also includes wardrobe planning and sourcing, staying informed about current events and global issues, maintaining a strong social media presence, attending/participating in events as Miss Eco Canada 2024, gaining public support in the form of votes and social media interactions, and much more. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my personal and professional growth on this journey, and to represent our beautiful country on a global scale!
Favourite colours: Blue. It is a calming colour and always reminds me of the ocean. I naturally gravitate towards shades of blue when choosing pieces in my wardrobe as well.
Favourite outfit/designer: There are so many incredible designers, but one of my favourite Canadian designers is Ray Jake Carino of Ekaj Team. Ekaj designed my very first custom evening gown for my first national pageant, and they are working on some very special pieces for Miss Eco International 2024 as well. Their work is truly incredible, and they are equally incredible as people.
Favourite Bollywood star: I would have to say Priyanka Chopra! She has always been an inspiration, since I was young. A former Miss World, Priyanka Chopra’s career in acting, both in Bollywood and Hollywood, along with her humanitarian work has shown me that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and passion!
Favourite Hollywood star: Sandra Bullock is one of my favourite Hollywood stars. Her diverse filmography really showcases her range and talent as an actress.
Favourite movie: One of my all-time favourite Sandra Bullock movies is Miss Congeniality, of course! The Harry Potter series has always been one of my favourites. I love the storyline, and the movies really brought the books to life.
Favourite singers: Some of my favourite singers are Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera.
Favourite song: Changes by my incredibly talented brother, Neel Dani. To me, the lyrics reflect the journey of life and the changes it will inevitably go through. We can choose to stand still or “change with the times”. Lyrically and musically, the song undergoes a transformative journey, evoking different emotions through each phase. Neel not only wrote the lyrics, but also composed the music, sang, and played every instrument himself. He wrote the song as a teenager, which makes it that much more amazing. He is truly one of my biggest inspirations, and I am definitely his #1 fan.
Favourite TV show: Survivor. My mom and I eagerly anticipate each new season, and it’s become our ritual to watch each episode when it airs. More than just a reality TV show, Survivor is incredibly inspiring. Contestants push themselves to their limits, achieving things they never thought possible. Survivor really conveys the power of fighting your fears, trusting in yourself, and supporting one another through the toughest of times. I have always wanted to apply to be on the show but I’m not sure if I’m quite ready to be stranded on an island just yet!
Having attained a provincial and now national title as Miss Eco Canada 2024, Nikita’s current focus is to put her best foot forward at Miss Eco International 2024, with the goal of winning the crown for Canada. Image credits: photography: @rathaurportraits, makeup: @beautagebeauty, studio: @mild.studios.
Favourite ice cream flavour: Hazelnut and pistachio gelato.
Favourite cuisine: Indian. Exploring new dishes also brings me close to my roots. Some of my other favourite cuisines include Mexican, Italian, and Japanese.
Favourite restaurant: Eataly in the Flatiron district of New York City. The location, combined with the Italian market, cooking classes, and multiple restaurants to try makes for an amazing experience. The food is also delicious!
Favourite sports: Somehow, the coordination that naturally comes to me in creative forms like music, modeling, and visual arts, does not come naturally in sports! However, my favourite sports would be badminton, beach volleyball, and recreational golf. I also love swimming and find it to be great exercise.
Favourite sportsperson: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the Canadian ice dance team who won Gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics among many other notable achievements.
Favourite books: The Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling. My family and I would wait at Chapters at midnight every time a new book was coming out, so we could get the book as soon as possible. My parents would even pull me out of school so we could go to the movie theater to watch the first show on the release date (probably the only time I was allowed to leave school early)!
Favourite activity: I love engaging in competitive group activities that are physically and/or mentally stimulating. This includes going to escape rooms, playing strategic board games, and going to venues like Activate, where a range of games revolve around physical and mental challenges.
I hang out: With my friends, family, and dog! I love trying new restaurants and activities or hosting get-togethers at home.
I’m freaked out by: Centipedes! I can’t explain it, but they really freak me out. One day, I had just woken up and opened my eyes to see a HUGE centipede crawling across my wall. I couldn’t find it a few minutes later, so I closed my room door and slept in a different room for the whole week.
I need: My beauty rest and my cup of coffee in the morning!
I want to be: A role model and inspiration for the next generation, while working to achieve my goals. Having attained a provincial and now national title as Miss Eco Canada 2024, my current focus is to put my best foot forward at Miss Eco International 2024, with the goal of winning the crown for Canada. Regardless of the outcome, this journey has been transformational, both personally and professionally. I hope that my journey can inspire and motivate others to work hard, dream big, and pursue their dreams, while paying it forward.
My role models: My parents are my biggest inspirations. As first-generation immigrants, they’ve taught me that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, integrity, and discipline. Outside of my family, Ariana Grande is one of my biggest inspirations. An exceptionally talented musician and performer, she uses her platforms for good, donating to charitable organizations and encouraging her audience to help in any way they can. She has also been open about her mental health challenges, helping us work towards breaking the stigma around mental illness. Priyanka Chopra is a previous Miss World of South Asian descent. Growing up in Canada, I did not see a lot of South Asian representation in western media. I am so proud of my heritage, and love working with South Asian brands. Seeing influential women like Priyanka Chopra dominating pageantry, acting, and modeling while giving back has been extremely inspiring for me. These women stand for beauty, accomplishments and empowerment. They have shown that anything is possible when we embrace our authentic selves, work hard, and spread kindness to others. I aim to create the same impact with my platform while working towards Miss Eco International 2024 and beyond.
Tips to save the planet: I firmly believe in the transformative power of individual actions to initiate change. Collectively, our small changes can have a huge impact. My family and I are extremely conscious about food waste, due to its significant environmental impacts. Nearly 58 per cent of all food produced in Canada is wasted, producing greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change. Through conscious buying and cooking practices, my family and I have significantly reduced our food waste, contributing to reducing our carbon footprint. Some other small changes we can all implement include recycling, reducing our use of single-use plastics, thrift shopping and/or donating clothing, and conserving water and energy.
In a perfect world: Imagine by John Lennon beautifully sums it up: Imagine all the people, livin’ life in peace. A world where our differences don’t divide us but bring us closer together. A world of love, kindness, and prosperity. A world where everyone is free to be who they are. To me, that is a perfect world.
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