Shruti Abhishek
Dancer. Choreographer. Teacher
San Francisco Bay Area
Dancer. Choreographer. Teacher
San Francisco Bay Area,CA
Shruti Abhishek
About Shruti
Shruti Abhishek is a Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and teacher. She is the founder and artistic director of Kshetram - a holistic dance institution based in Pleasanton and Livermore, California.
Shruti has a bachelor's degree in Performing Arts from Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai, India - founded by Guru Smt. Kanak Rele.
She freelances as a company dancer and manager at Nava Dance Theatre, founded by Nadhi Thekkek, in San Francisco.
Shruti performed with eminent dancer Randee Paufve at ‘Chime Live’, choreographed by Nadhi Thekkek and commissioned by the Margaret Jenkins foundation in San Francisco in 2019.
She continues to train with Guru Shri Vaibhav Arekar in Mumbai, India and also works as a freelance dancer for Vaibhav Arekar’s Sankhya Dance Company (Mumbai) for their many tours in various prestigious venues around the world. Her formative years were spent learning dance with Guru Smt. Rohini M Singhi in Mumbai.
When not dancing, Shruti loves to read, watch TV, day dream and stare into space while drinking chai. She enjoys singing when no one is listening and doodling endlessly. A true Malayalee-Mumbaikar at heart, she loves her ‘chaaya’ (chai), vada-pav, monsoons and in her own words, the city’s ‘romantic bustle’.
She is currently working on a solo project on ‘Kali’ to be premiered in 2022.
Creations
The idea of “Kali”. (2022)
When is a woman considered a part of the ‘society’ and when does she become the outcast? What is normal and who is to judge this normalcy?
Kali, was she a venerated goddess, or does her idea scare you?
Interrogating these questions that come from a personal space of my existence.
Commissioned by: Sankhya Dance Company
Concept, Choreography & Dancer: Shruti Abhishek
Dramaturge & Co-creator: Sri Thina Subramaniam
Solo Work
The idea of “Kali”. (2022)
When is a woman considered a part of the ‘society’ and when does she become the outcaste? What is normal and who is to judge this normalcy?
Kali, was she a venerated goddess or does her idea scare you?
Interrogating these questions that comes from a personal space of my existence.
Commissioned by: Sankhya Dance Company
Concept, Choreography & Dancer: Shruti Abhishek
Dramaturge & Co-creator: Sri Thina Subramaniam
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A virtual collaboration inspired by the Letters for Black Lives Matter commissioned by Nava Dance Theatre. (2020)
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Advancing her appreciation for exploratory choreography, Shruti co-choreographed Rajavastra with Nadhi Thekkek, commissioned by the Oakland Ballet. (2019)
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Shruti collaborated with Deepika Panchamukhi to choreograph Dui Pakhi, a poem by Rabindranath Tagore for their European tour. (2019)
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Co-choreographed The Affair for the Safehouse Arts Festival and When Eyes Speak Festival. (2018)
Collaborations
Varnam Salon is a series of performances by California-based senior art practitioners, mid-career artists, and upcoming dancers. This initiative is supported by the California Arts Council Local Impact Grant and is created and curated by Nadhi Thekkek, Shruti Abhishek, and Preethi Ramaprasad.
www.navadance.org/salon
When Eyes Speak supported by the Zellerbach Family Foundation Grant and the CA$H Grant is - the first Indian choreography festival in San Francisco, curated by Sri Thina Subramaniam, Preethi Ramaprasad, and Shruti Abhishek. www.instagram.com/wheneyesspeaksf
Grants Received
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California Arts Council, 2020
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American Conservatory Theater, 2019
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Zellerbach Family Foundation, 2018
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Cash Grant, 2018
