Diwali dance recital. Photo: Joe Marsilli.
Photo: Amal Bisharat.
Shruti Abhishek Dance
Bharatanatyam
Founded in 2018, Shruti Abhishek Dance is an organization dedicated to Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical form. Its founder, Shruti, is a performer, teacher, choreographer, and curator who pushes Bharatanatyam’s boundaries, creating works that speak to contemporary life. As a curator, she co-presents “When Eyes Speak” and Varnam Salon alongside Preethi Ramaprasad and Nadhi Thekkek, showcasing diverse movement in the Bay Area. Through her Kshetram School of Dance, Shruti mentors emerging dancers and expands her curatorial vision through the school’s ArtEchoes Series.
Trailer from Kismet With Kali. Credit: David Gaylord.
Living Cultures Grant
2026
Sabar
Funds will support the creation and presentation of “Sabar,” a new, evening-length Bharatanatyam work exploring the labor of persistence through generational mental health challenges that are rarely spoken about. The work draws from Shruti’s own family story, set within South Indian classical dance tradition.
