NOORANI DANCE COMPANY
ABOUT THE COMPANY
"Noorani Dance Company (NDC) was established as a way to offer advanced and committed dancers opportunities to explore the performance realm of Kathak. I have always loved performing and teaching Kathak, and am excited to become additionally immersed in the role of choreographer.
My hope is to share my vision and artistry through topics and themes we explore, the music we work with, and for all that we do as a performance ensemble to be an exchange of ideas, messages and dialogue."
- Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Artistic Director
The Noorani Dance Company (NDC), founded by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, is breaking barriers in the world of Kathak. With a deep commitment to enlightening minds and hearts through the arts, NDC engages in traditional and innovative repertoire and performances - exploring topics and themes of historical and social global relevance, and thrives in collaborative partnerships across other genres of performing arts.
Noorani Dance Company Performance Highlights:
- Saabit Qadam - Perseverance, SF Bay Area 2024
- World Arts West Dance Festival, San Francisco, 2024
- PUSH Dance SANCTUARY Grand Opening, San Francisco, 2023
- Home of Hope Gala, SF Bay Area 2023
- Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest, San Francisco, 2023
- Beyond Bollywood, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, 2023
- Diwali Celebration at Gilead Science, San Francisco, 2022
- Ballet Beyond Borders, Los Angeles, 2022
- Yuva Bharati, 2020
- New York Kathak Festival, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 2019
- Sari Dress Tent, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, 2018
- Asia Society of Northern California, 2018
- The Partition Project, Z Space in San Francisco; Hammer Theatre in San Jose, 2018
- Maitri Gala, 2017
See full list of PAST EVENTS
Noorani Dance Company is available for:
- Full length performances (45 to 1.5 hours) as well as shorter segments
- Private & Corporate Events
- Lecture Demonstrations, Workshops & Masterclasses
- Performances in Schools / Arts Education Programming
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, NDC is available to tour throughout the US and abroad.
TESTIMONIALS
"When I was asked to co-curate ChoreoFest, I immediately knew I wanted to bring in artists who are greatly contributing to the cultural wealth of the Bay Area through their expertise of movement genres and art. Farah Yasmeen Shaikh and Noorani Dance Company were immediately on my list.
Just as it happened to me when I first saw Farah perform, it is my hope that the ChoreoFest audience falls instantly in love with the beauty and power of Noorani Dance Company and becomes a fan for life."
- David Herrera, Co-Curator, Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest
MEET THE DANCERS
Ragini Kaur Momi
Malavika Sajikumar
Ragini Kaur Momi
Ragini is a visual artist, a community organizer and a musician in the Bay Area. She grew up in a family of musicians where creativity was encouraged and nurtured. Ragini received her vocal training in Indian classical music and Gurmat Sangeet from her parents, professor Dalbir Singh and late professor Parminder Kaur, and later from the r
Ragini is a visual artist, a community organizer and a musician in the Bay Area. She grew up in a family of musicians where creativity was encouraged and nurtured. Ragini received her vocal training in Indian classical music and Gurmat Sangeet from her parents, professor Dalbir Singh and late professor Parminder Kaur, and later from the renowned maestro, Dr. Sisirkana Dhar Choudhury. A cinephile from childhood, Ragini gravitated towards cameras and the art of visual storytelling. She is enthusiastic and focused on preserving and sharing her roots, and the stories of her people through the arts.
Shivani Sawai
Malavika Sajikumar
Ragini Kaur Momi
Shivani (She/her) started her Kathak journey at the age of four under the guidance of Dr. Suchitra Harmalkar and became an integral part of her performing group - Kartik Kala Academy in India. She achieved her Diploma in Kathak from Gandharva University, Mumbai. Additionally, in 2010, she began training in other dance forms including cont
Shivani (She/her) started her Kathak journey at the age of four under the guidance of Dr. Suchitra Harmalkar and became an integral part of her performing group - Kartik Kala Academy in India. She achieved her Diploma in Kathak from Gandharva University, Mumbai. Additionally, in 2010, she began training in other dance forms including contemporary, modern, and hip hop. Presently, she remains devoted to honing her skills in Kathak and other dance forms, with a strong aspiration of blending Kathak with modern dance to convey emotions through her movements.
Malavika Sajikumar
Malavika Sajikumar
Malavika Sajikumar
Malavika is an engineer in the Bay Area. She embarked on her dance journey in 2016, humbly learning from the talented Farah Yasmeen Shaikh at Noorani Dance. She has had the privilege of performing in several Noorani Dance productions and has found joy in assisting with classes at the Noorani Dance School. Malavika is grateful for the oppo
Malavika is an engineer in the Bay Area. She embarked on her dance journey in 2016, humbly learning from the talented Farah Yasmeen Shaikh at Noorani Dance. She has had the privilege of performing in several Noorani Dance productions and has found joy in assisting with classes at the Noorani Dance School. Malavika is grateful for the opportunity to now be a part of the performing ensemble, where she continues to grow as a dancer and hopes to inspire others with her love for the art.
Riya Savla
Bio coming soon.
Nupur Gunjan
Bio and photo coming soon.
Arshiya Vohra
Arshiya Vohra
Bio and photo coming soon.
Mahncy Mehrotra
Sharanya Padmanabhan
Sharanya Padmanabhan
Mahncy has been dancing since her childhood years. She took her first ballet class when she was four years old and continued training in lyrical and jazz dance at school. At the age of nine, she started learning Kathak and after a few years, she started training at Chhandam, where she was a part of the Youth Company for three years. Afte
Mahncy has been dancing since her childhood years. She took her first ballet class when she was four years old and continued training in lyrical and jazz dance at school. At the age of nine, she started learning Kathak and after a few years, she started training at Chhandam, where she was a part of the Youth Company for three years. After graduating high school, Mahncy stopped dancing, but in 2017, she restarted Kathak with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh.
Sharanya Padmanabhan
Sharanya Padmanabhan
Sharanya Padmanabhan
Sharanya is a software engineer by profession. She has trained in Indian classical music (Carnatic vocal) from childhood. In 2017, she started learning Kathak under Farah Yasmeen Shaikh at ICC, Milpitas & ODC. She has continued her dance & performance training under Farah since then and assists in teaching at Noorani Dance School.
Esha Gupta
Sreoshi Sarkar
Athena Nair
Esha has been studying Kathak for the past 14 years. She received advanced training in the art form when she joined the Chhandam Youth Dance Company in 2011, and began training with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh in 2016. She performed her first traditional Kathak solo under Farah’s guidance. In addition to her studies in Kathak, she has served as
Esha has been studying Kathak for the past 14 years. She received advanced training in the art form when she joined the Chhandam Youth Dance Company in 2011, and began training with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh in 2016. She performed her first traditional Kathak solo under Farah’s guidance. In addition to her studies in Kathak, she has served as a Teacher’s Assistant for beginner classes, catering to a diverse range of age groups. Throughout her training, she has performed at prestigious venues such as the Palace of Fine Arts for the Ethnic Dance Festival, the Kathak Festival in New York, and most recently in the lead role of King Akbar in Noorani Dance’s production “Sunhera Noor.” Outside of dance, Esha is studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing her Masters of Science in Computer Science.
Athena Nair
Sreoshi Sarkar
Athena Nair
Athena grew up in an environment enriched by the classical arts of South Asia, beginning her own training at the age of 5 at Pandit Das' institution, Chhandam, and receiving direct training from Farah since 2016. She has studied Kathak, Odissi and vocal music. A member of the Noorani Dance Company, Athena completed her kathak solo in 2019
Athena grew up in an environment enriched by the classical arts of South Asia, beginning her own training at the age of 5 at Pandit Das' institution, Chhandam, and receiving direct training from Farah since 2016. She has studied Kathak, Odissi and vocal music. A member of the Noorani Dance Company, Athena completed her kathak solo in 2019. Now at Tufts University, Athena continues to pursue her various artistic paths, alongside continuing to train in kathak, teach classes at Noorani Dance School, and perform as a soloist and as a member of the Noorani Dance Company.
Sreoshi Sarkar
Sreoshi Sarkar
Sreoshi Sarkar
Sreoshi Sarkar has a deep rooted passion for dance and visual art. She began her study of dance at age 5 at Chhandam, founded by the late Pandit Chitresh Das and has been training with Farah directly since 2015. A member of the Noorani Dance Company, Sreoshi completed her kathak solo in 2018, and has been assisting and teaching classes s
Sreoshi Sarkar has a deep rooted passion for dance and visual art. She began her study of dance at age 5 at Chhandam, founded by the late Pandit Chitresh Das and has been training with Farah directly since 2015. A member of the Noorani Dance Company, Sreoshi completed her kathak solo in 2018, and has been assisting and teaching classes since 2016. Sreoshi has been instrumental in developing new curriculum for the children's classes at Noorani Dance. Now attending Barnard College, Sreoshi continues to teach and perform kathak.
Aishi Rao
Vyomika Gupta
Vyomika Gupta
Aishi began her dance journey with Kathak at 6 years old at the Chhandam School of Kathak, founded by the late Pandit Chitresh Das. She studied at Chhandam under the tutelage of various teachers, and at the age of 8 joined the Chhandam Youth Dance Company, the touring pre-professional dance group. At 14 years old, Aishi joined Noorani Dan
Aishi began her dance journey with Kathak at 6 years old at the Chhandam School of Kathak, founded by the late Pandit Chitresh Das. She studied at Chhandam under the tutelage of various teachers, and at the age of 8 joined the Chhandam Youth Dance Company, the touring pre-professional dance group. At 14 years old, Aishi joined Noorani Dance and started training under Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, a disciple of Pandit Chitresh Das. Aishi has performed at Zellerbach Hall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Palace of Fine Arts, SFMOMA, and various community events throughout the Bay Area, and performed her first Kathak solo in July, 2022. Aishi is now attending UC Berkeley.
Vyomika Gupta
Vyomika Gupta
Vyomika Gupta
Bio coming soon.