06/12/2026
It’s time to learn more about another one of our A4 Arts Fund grantees, Ishami Dance Company!
Founded in 2022 by Amit Patel and Ishika Seth, Ishami is a contemporary dance company centering q***rness, women’s voices, and the South Asian diasporic identity. Through performance and dance education initiatives, Ishami explores and amplifies the diverse voices, stories, and histories of the South Asian diaspora, using art to dismantle social and cultural constructs and spark conversation.
Since its founding, Ishami’s work has been presented at cultural institutions and events including the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Fresh Meat Festival, and World Arts West Festival in San Francisco. The company has also collaborated with nonprofits such as Maitri Bay Area and the LGBT Asylum Project, as well as dance companies including Bay Area Independent Chinese Dancers and Noorani Dance to expand its reach and deepen community engagement. Through its performances, Ishami challenges stereotypes, nurtures space for multigenerational dialogue, promotes cross-cultural understanding, and examines culture through a q***r feminist lens.
In addition to performances, Ishami provides dance education through its Desi Dance Community program, offering classes for adults in the Bay Area that centers South Asian dance instructors and dance forms. The company also hosts national and international dance educators to provide training opportunities. In 2024, Ishami launched Roots & Rhythms, the Bay Area’s first South Asian Dance Convention, bringing together over ten dance educators for a weekend of learning and growth.
Read more about A4 Arts Fund awardees, as well as this year’s application cycle, now open for applications, via our website
