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Vrisika

@abhinayavist

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Movement artivist, Choreographer, Dance Scholar in Making, Storyteller, life long learner, and continuing to explore it all ✨

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juray hue tukray
(Connected fragments)

as part of Kama: Desire as Revolution

AADF Collaborative Residency Showcase 🫶🏾

I am deeply thankful to have had opportunity to process, be, and continue to discover what becoming Asian American means to me. Choosing love through the pain, grief, challenges, and all of life’s obstacles, is the practice and ritual I carry with me as offerings from this creative process. It became a teacher in embracing and sitting with grief as wisdom to alchemize through my art.

This work truly reflects years worth of learning and mentorship with @dr.mamagrace. In continuing to discover and explore what it means to show up in my authenticity and carry Odissi into the other movement practices I train in. I realize how much this piece became reflection of everything I have learned to fully embrace since I have had your presence in my life. I feel so thankful that I kept showing up and allowed myself to be pushed through your guidance even when I felt discomfort. I am incredibly blessed to have your motherly love, mentorship, and support in my life! 🥹💗

Thank you for creating opportunity for Jess and I to be adopted into AADF as Rising Artists Mentees. I am so grateful for this community and cherish the joy, love, and support that was curated through this experience @dkrysm_ @cocozenmama, alongside our shared stories and processings of grief @jessdiz0n @h.h_joo @_forestlee ! 🫶🏾💗

Love you @aadf.sd fam so very much! ♾️🫰🏽❤️✨

Photos by @nicolelizabeth.co 💖

#aadf #dancer #choreographer #queerart #odissi
[fusion, queer dance, South Asian dancer, love is a choosing, Embodied storyteller, Asian American Dance Festival, San Diego] taken in Light Box Theater by @abhinayavist

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a month ago

Kama: Desire as Revolution (Honors thesis)

In a world of hate, violence, and alienation, what does it mean to desire a future of love, care, community, and unapologetic queerness? This work has been a journey of discovery, hope, and grief of imagining queerness beyond the here and now. Using Odissi, we take on a path towards exploring the queer possibilities within this form and challenge its hegemonic patriarchal structures that dictate who is given access to this practice. Leaning into our ancestral wisdoms that teach us the revolutionary act of intimacy, eroticism, and sensuality we practice what it means to redefine these ideas and discover pleasure within ourselves. - And with that how it allows us to be with one another and surrender to this connection and community.

It has been such a deep honor to witness the growth of my incredible cast and the dedication they all carried to learning something new and building the world of this work! I am so proud of each and every one of them!

Thank you @dr.mamagrace for all your support throughout this process and helping me develop my research into this work! And thank you @movementartivist for your feedback, support, and love in bringing my vision to life! This work wouldn’t be what it is without both of your wisdoms, presence, and love! 🥹💗

Dancers:

Roxanne Brokhyser
Vrisika Chauhan
Domitille Guerard
Itzel Melchor
Oluwatolani (Tolani) Olanrewaju Ojo
Sivaanjali Thoppai

Honors Thesis research advisors: Dr. grace shinhae jun, Dr. Jade Power Sotomayor @jadepoder , and Dr. Rishika Mehrishi ❤️

New Directions 26’ @ucsdtheatreanddance
Kama: Desire as Revolution
Choreographed by: Vrisika Chauhan
Directed by: Ana María Álvarez
Lighting and Media designer: Spencer Duff
📸: @snapped.by.james

Happy Pride Month 🏳️‍🌈😝

#newdirections2026 #choreographer #queerart #odissi #artivist [ucsd, art for change, queer dance, South Asian storyteller, Pride, research] taken in Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego by @abhinayavist

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4 months ago

“Yours is the journey of a goddess in constant motion. One with the spirit and ravenous fury of a warrior queen with raging lions in her heart. Never once giving up on her quiet revolution.” ~ Godhuli C. Gupta

Headshots by: @hanatobias

#dancer #headshots #desiartist #dance #movementartist by @abhinayavist

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6 months ago

I remember first listening to @ajamonet ‘s poem “love is a choosing” and feeling so connected to its purpose and meaning. After experiencing her share it live @artpoweratucsd I felt so inspired to incorporate it into my newest choreographic work “juray hue tukray” for @aadf.sd ❤️.

Thank you @ajamonet for your beautiful words that have made me and so many others feel held and loved! 💙

juray hue tukray filmed by @eye.milana

I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE SOUND!
[love is a choosing by aja monet]

#art #ajamonetpoetry #dance #choreography #inspiration by @abhinayavist

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3 days ago

Social movements require us to MOVE! So let’s keep dancing and moving towards change!! ✊🏽❤️

#dance #socialmovement #dancetowardschange #artivist #socialdance by @abhinayavist

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5 days ago

🗓️ MARK YOUR CALENDARS‼️

CONNECTION JAM is back this fall 🍂

Oct 14 - Daunté Fyall
(dance of the continent: Africa at the Root)
Wagner Dance Building

Oct 21 - Vrisika Chauhan
(Bollywood Groove)
The Loft

Oct 28 - Bernard Brown
(Dunham Get Down)
Wagner Dance Building

Nov 4 - Juan Carlos Blanco
(Move with the Orishas)
Wagner Dance Building

Nov 18 - Dr. grace shinhae jun & Dyno
(Dance Sharing / hip hop is the heart)
Epstein Family Amphitheater

Dec 2 - Melissa Tannús
(rhythm at the root)
Wagner Dance Building

For more info follow @connection_jam and/or visit theatre.ucsd.edu/performances-and-events/dance-performances/connection-jam.html by @abhinayavist

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9 days ago

💭Still thinking about the 2026 Residency Showcase….

After months of research and exploration, the Collaborative Residency choreographers' work culminated into a final presentation at AADF2026. Our residents are joined by our Rising Artist Mentees. For all, this is a presentation of what they have excavated for themselves so far, and it will most likely be the starting point for deeper work in the future.

Photo Courtesy
Nicole Kim @nicolelizabeth.co

🔗For more info on how to support our CRIF program or join next year's cohort, visit tiltshiftdance.org/aadf2026-crif!

TILTshift Dance and AADF2026 are fiscally sponsored by San Diego Dance Theater @sandiegodancetheater . AADF2026 is funded in part by City of San Diego Cultural Affairs @sdartsculture and the Prebys Foundation @prebysfound .

#aadf #aadf2026 #aapi #dancefilm #asianplusamerican by @abhinayavist

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a month ago

Tonight! AADF CRIF showcase ‼️

So excited to share my newest work
juray hue tukray
as part of
Kama: Desire as Revolution

It has been such a privilege to have this space, be in creative process, and dive deeper into this work!

Wouldn’t have been possible without you @dr.mamagrace! 🫂💜

Y’all don’t want to miss all the amazing work that being showcased tonight!

#aadf #aadfcrif #odissi #dance #choreographer taken in San Diego, California by @abhinayavist

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a month ago

Danced till I felt better 😌😝✨

Been doing a lot of Hip Hop this summer and I am so grateful! 🥹❤️🫶🏾

Threw in some new things I learned yesterday too!🫣😅

#dance #dancetillyoufeelbetter #jamesbrown #hiphop #freestyle by @abhinayavist

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2 months ago

Learning to enjoy my paseos more and more 💗✨

Cuembé 🌊💙

#dancer #bomba #bombera #bombapuertorriqueña #movementismedicine by @abhinayavist

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2 months ago

Our AADF2026 Rising Artist Mentees Jess Dizon @jessdiz0n & Vrisika Chauhan @abhinayavist will join our choreographic residents for the Collaborative Residency Showcase next month. Here’s a little peak into their practice and what they’re working on for the show.
Come see all our thoughtful artists as they explore different aspects of identity!

AADF2026 Collaborative Residency Showcase
September 4th @ 7pm
Light Box Theater (Liberty Station)

🎟️ AADF2026 Tickets - tiltshiftdance.org/aadf2026
🔗 The Choreographic Residency and Rising Artist Mentorship are part of the AADF2026 CRIF program - tiltshiftdance.org/CRIF
➡️ LINKS IN BIO

#AADF #AADF2026 #aapi #asianplusamerican

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kidcut/move-with-me by @abhinayavist

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2 months ago

Forever grateful for the mentorship and growth I continue to receive and be pushed towards to bring more of my authenticity when I Freestyle! The feeling of complete alignment and joy I can never fully put into words!

It is always nice to look back at my growth!🥹💗

#freestyle #dance #hiphop #confidence #growth by @abhinayavist

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3 months ago