Here’s a short tutorial on how to make the malas incase you missed it or need a refresher!
Hand mala demostration>>

In collaboration with SpaceShift Collective and SuperKhana International, join us at Shamiana for a pop-up on Devon, featuring multilingual poetry, readings, mala making, and street snacks made especially for the occasion by Chef Zeeshan Shah.

Learn how to create flower malas (garlands) with master mala maker Shanta Veerlapati. For decades, Shanta Veerlapati has been creating gajamalas as spiritual offerings as well as for close family and friends for their special events. You will have the opportunity to learn 2 styles of mala: single strand garlands to use as decor or in your hair with carnations and garlands made with needle and thread using marigolds.

While open to all ages, please keep in mind we will be utilizing sewing needles. No experience needed. All materials will be provided for free.

RSVP here >>

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

This workshop will be guided by Ishti’s Artistic Co-chair, Tuli Bera. Bera began her classical ballet training at the age of 5 at Champaign Urbana Ballet Academy. She continued her dance training, receiving her BFA in Dance at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Since then she has continued teaching ballet at various dance studios throughout Chicago. Bera understands that Ballet can be an intimidating art form. Her goal in sharing her knowledge of this art form is to make it accessible to anyone who wishes to experience it.

Join us for a very beginner friendly workshop at Old Town School of Folk Music!

Workshop price: $25 ($23 for members)

Click here to register

Ishti has performed and taught folk dance at Chicago Summer dance, various Chicago Park Districts and CPS. This workshop will be guided by Ishti’s Artistic Co-chair Kinnari Vora. Kinnari grew up in Gujarat, India and learnt these folk forms as social practice before she joined a professional company where she was trained in dances from other regions of the country. Kinnari is thrilled to share the joy of these folk dances with the community.

Join us for this exciting 90-minute workshop at Old Town School of Folk Music

Workshop price: $25 ($23 for members)

Click here to register.

CANCELED

Need a pick me up before you head home from work? Join our open studio rehearsal and dance with us.

Every Tuesday, March 31-April 28, 4:30pmChicago Cultural Center, 1st Floor Dance Studio

Go behind the scenes with a variety of Chicago dance companies each working in the studio in a mini residency for one week. Meet the artists, see fresh choreography, and even learn a few moves!

• March 31: Ishti Dance Collective + Winifred Haun & Dancers

• April 7: Emma Draves + Concept Dances

• April 14: Deeply Rooted Dance Theater + Project Bound Dance

• April 21: RE|Dance + Simantikos Dance Chicago

• April 28: Lucky Plush Productions

CANCELED

Free public programming, presented by ComEd! Join us in the Aon Grand Ballroom for Holi, a Hindu spring festival celebrated in India and Nepal, also known as the “festival of colors” or the “festival of love.”

There will be powder throwing at the East End Plaza and Ishti will be performing at 2:45 PM. Check out this amazing line-up!

• 1:00pm – 1:10pm | Peirce Elementary School

• 1:10pm – 1:35pm | Chitrahar Cultural Academy

• 1:40pm – 2:05pm | Bollywood Groove

• 2:10pm – 2:45pm | Surabhi Ensemble

• 2:45pm – 3:00pm | Ishti Dance

• 3:00pm – 3:45pm | Funkadesi

• 3:45pm – 4:00pm | Mandala Arts

• 4:00pm – 5:00pm | Karsh Kale with Max Zt and Priya Darshini

This Navaratri, join Ishti Dance Collaborative in a fun and free Garba / Raas workshop!

Navaratri spans nine nights (and ten days) and is celebrated every year in the autumn. The festival honors Durga Devi and the battle and victory of Good over Evil.

Garba is a folk dance, where people of different background and skills join and form concentric circles. The circles can grow or shrink, reaching sizes of 100s, sometimes 1000s of people, dancing and clapping in circular moves, in their traditional costumes, at the same time.

This social dance celebrates and honors the Devi within all of us. 

Workshop is free to attend and is designed for all ages and skill levels.

Join us on May 25 as we host 2 master classes and a post-workshop performance/discussion with Sarmishta Sarkar.

Session 1 (1:00 - 3:00 PM): Abhinaya

Session 2: (4:00 - 6:00 PM): Nritta Composition and Choreography

$40 for 1 session or $60 for both sessions

At 7 pm, invite your friends and family over for a small presentation and a discussion with Sarmishtha Sarkar. A $10 donation is suggested to support the artist.

Reserve your spot at the workshop at ishti.dance/tickets.

Sarmishtha Sarkar took her first step into Bharat Natyam at a very early age. Under the able tutelage of teachers like Padmashri Guru Chattuni Panicker and Guru Pathagudy Ramaswamy, the formative years of her life were steeped in the vigorous training required to perfect the art form.

Dancing soon became an intense passion with her and it led her to become closely associated with the renowned Mrinalini Sarabhai’s Darpana Academy of Performing Arts. Her association with the Academy spanned almost two decades. From being a young student learning under the Gurus in the academy, she went on to become the lead dancer in their professional troupe.

Experiencing an urge to add more dimensions to her creativity she started her own classical dance school in 1996, in Ahmedabad, “Aavirbhaav School of Creative Arts”. The school has been training students in Bharata Natyam and grooming them into professional dancers. Aavirbhaav which has over the years trained over hundred students provides facility for the students to graduate in Bharata Natyam. It also provides advance training courses for those interested in pursuing the art further and provides training for teachers in the same field. The deserving students of the school are given a platform to perform with the more experienced and senior dancers of the institution. The performing group of the school has been performing extensively in the country and abroad. The school is frequently invited to participate in cultural programs organized by the cultural department of the Gujarat Government.