Dance Community
Building belonging through movement and shared practice.
Finding Belonging
As an immigrant, it felt natural to seek out people who shared my background, values, and interests. Connecting with friends and colleagues through dance became a source of comfort, support, and continuous learning in the country I now call home.
Over time, these relationships grew into collaborations—spaces where we learn from one another, question together, and create work that reflects our shared and diverse experiences. Through community-building and collective practice, I hope to contribute to a more inclusive, thoughtful, and cohesive society.
Communities
Art Echoes Series
May 2023 | August 2024
The Art Echoes Series is an initiative by Shruti Abhishek and Kshetram School of Dance, created to inspire and educate young audiences through live performance.
Each event offers children the opportunity to watch artists perform, engage in candid conversations about their practice, and experience the arts beyond the classroom. By witnessing live work and interacting directly with artists, children are encouraged to expand their horizons, develop curiosity, and nurture their own creativity.
Varnam Salon
May 2020 | February 2021 | November 2021 | June 2025
Varnam Salon is a curated performance series that explores the depth and power of the traditional solo Bharatanatyam repertoire through performance, discussion, and shared meals.
Featuring senior practitioners, mid-career artists, and emerging dancers from California, the series creates space for intergenerational dialogue and close engagement with the narratives, characters, and emotional worlds of these timeless compositions.
Supported by the California Arts Council Local Impact Grant, Varnam Salon is curated by Nadhi Thekkek, Shruti Abhishek, and Preethi Ramaprasad.
When Eyes Speak
2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2025
Founded in 2018, When Eyes Speak is a South Asian choreography festival based in San Francisco that showcases a wide range of movement practices from the South Asian diaspora.
Created in response to the essentialization of dance in diasporic contexts, the festival offers a platform for Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, contemporary Indian forms, theater, fusion, and other movement languages.
Recognized as a Critic’s Pick by the San Francisco Chronicle, the festival has collaborated with Safehouse Arts, American Conservatory Theater, Dhvani Performing Arts, and other arts organizations.
The fourth iteration of When Eyes Speak will take place in the Mission District, culminating in a live performance at Dance Mission Theater, marking the festival’s first in-person gathering since the pandemic.