Photo: Michelle Reid
Kinnari Vora, a Chicago based performance artist has a background rooted in classical dance of Bharatanatyam (trained under guru Sarmishtha Sarkar -India), Kathak, Indian Folk dance, Kalaripayattu martial arts and contemporary dance. She is the co-founder of Ishti Collective (with Preeti Veerlapati). Kinnari recently presented her work in Vietnam, Spain and Portugal on tour with Surabhi Ensemble. She has presented her work at the Uttarardh Dance Festival - India, Embassy of India - Mexico City, Detroit Dance City Festival, Ragamala - World Music Festival, Chicago Flamenco Festival, Art Institute Chicago. She has performed solo and ensemble work in Greece, Poland, Italy and Israel. Kinnari draws inspiration from collaboration across cultures and art forms and nature.
Photo: Michelle Reid
Preeti Veerlapati (she/her) trained in Kuchipudi under Smt. Sujata Vinjamuri, Kishore Mosalikanti and Sri Vempati Ravi Shankar at the Kuchipudi Art Academy of St. Louis. She continued her dance studies at Indiana University - Bloomington where she danced with the African American Dance Company. In 2012, she joined Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts as company dancer under the direction of Pranita Jain. From 2015-2017, Veerlapati was a resident choreographer during which time she co-choreographed Navarasa in 2016 and Satyragraha, a 2015 collaboration with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. In 2016, she co-founded Ishti Collective with Kinnari Vora.
Photo: Michelle Reid
Tuli Bera (she/they) is a Bengali-American performance artist based in Chicago in search of their most authentic and youthful self. It is through their artistic practice she explores the dichotomous nature of her cultural and social upbringing. Bera’s ever evolving dance languages consist of Bharatanatyam, Ballet, and various forms of Modern, Contemporary, Improvisation and Aerial Dance. They have performed and collaborated with Ishti Collective, Ayako Kato, Aerial Dance Chicago, Mandala Arts and various independent Chicago dancemakers.
Chitra Nair's love for Bharatanatyam began at the young age of five, under the watchful eyes of Guru Jayashakar Menon. She has trained in both the Tanjore and Kalakshetra styles and earned her teaching diploma from the Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad. Among her many accolades are a Special Jury Mention from Delhi Tamil Sangam and twice being named “Dancer of the Year” by Delhi University. She has continued to refine her talents through continuous study and has enjoyed collaborations with several Chicagoland dance companies, including Kalapriya, Dancing Petals and the Noopura Dance Academy. Chitra is committed to developing future generations of dancers and founded the Nysa Dance Academy, rooted in traditional Bharatanatyam teaching.
She joined the Ishti Collective in 2020 as board member and co-director of operations. Since then she has strengthened Ishti’s operations and improved its community outreach through fundraising and growth in community programs.