Instagram story viewer> @rashibirla> Tagged

Rashi Birla

@rashibirla

2K

followers

2174

following

〰creative director, dancer, & then some 〰 rashibirla.com 〰

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask “What if I fall?” Oh but my darling, What if you fly?”

I created RISE because I kept thinking about a little girl before the world gets to her.

That precious little girl who is born believing she can fly. Before she learns what is expected of her. Before she is told to be quieter, smaller, easier. Before she understands the limitations the world may place on her simply because she is a girl.

And then I thought about the women I grew up around. My mom, my aunties, women across generations who carried so much, often silently.

The expectations. The trapping. The grief. The shame. And for some, abuse. And yet somehow, they kept going. They found strength in their faith. In each other. In their families. In their duty. In the belief that something better was still possible.

That is where RISE came from.

I wanted to tell a story about what happens to that little girl as she becomes a woman. What the world puts on her, what she carries, what she fights through and the part of her that somehow refuses to disappear.

We’ve now had the honor of sharing RISE with audiences across the country, and every time we perform it, I think about all the women who see pieces of themselves, their mothers, their daughters and their friends in these stories.

So excited that our journey is continuing.

October 24 • Long Beach February 20 • San Jose April 10 • Chicago

Tickets for San Jose and Chicago are now on sale!

I hope you’ll come experience RISE with us. ❤️

Thank you for being on this journey with me my talented, beautiful and beyond kind dancers: @payal @rashibirla @bhavi0105 @radlifeee @sharanya.m.sekhri @roshniab @juhip101 @dhru4you @neha.pathmanaban @nityasri @_manishanair_

326

12

Chicago. 2007. Arie Crown Theater. @uclanashaa was the Best of the Best! 🏆🧡

#bestofthebest #bollywoodfusion #throwback

20k

59

It was 20 years ago tonight that Blue13 premiered our first big LA show at @thefordla under the direction and choreography of @achintablue13. Enjoy a glimpse of history, inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” - this piece introduced the city to professional stage performance of Bollywood for the first time. Enjoy “Karishma”. What a ride it’s been.
Thank you, LA for over 2 decades of dancing with you, and more to come! 🙏🏾🧿💎
Tag yourself if you were there!

27

18

“There are some people you are meant to find in this lifetime.”

So honored to have created RISE with this extraordinary group of ladies.

RISE lived in my heart for many years as an idea, a feeling, and a story I wanted to tell. These ladies helped turn that vision into something far more beautiful than I ever imagined. Their talent is undeniable, but it is their dedication, generosity, and love for one another that makes this work what it is.

They have given their hearts to RISE. Through countless rehearsals and performances, they have brought every moment to life with grace, strength, and soul.

The spring tour may be over, but we are only at the beginning of sharing RISE with the world.

To create alongside these women is one of the greatest gifts of my life. I am endlessly proud of what we have built together and deeply grateful that our paths were meant to cross. ❤️

670

43

We have performed RISE for over 5,000 people across 10 cities. Every single show has reminded us why we do this. 🙏🏽

New York City is next! But this journey is far from over. Where do you want to see RISE? Tell us what city in the comments below!

1k

98

I got to step on stage with @sadancecompany —not as a dancer this time, but as the moderator for the post-show fireside with @payal @rashibirla and @sharanya.m.sekhri in SF last weekend. 💃🏽—>🎤

The show’s theme is “A Journey Through Resilience,” and it’s exactly that: stories of courage, womanhood, and transformation—held beautifully through movement.

My closing reminder to the audience:
Resilience isn’t something we’re born with or not. It’s a muscle we strengthen through daily choices—community, meaning-making, and showing up for each other.

RISE is performing in Santa Monica tonight (3/6) at The Broad Stage. Check out sadancecompany.com for future tour dates. If you can go, go. ✨

#sadancecompany #resilience

3

1

This is what one audience member said about RISE. 🙏🏽 We put our hearts into every show to create something that goes beyond watching, into feeling and remembering.

Join us at our next show! Get your tickets at sadancecompany.com!

69

4

“A woman’s journey is written in the footsteps of those who came before and carved by the path she walks herself.” — Unknown

Thank you to everyone who came to @statetheatrenj for opening night of the RISE tour. The energy, the support, and the way you embraced these stories made it truly unforgettable.

Orange, CA — see you next week! @muscocenter

140

8

2025:

✨ Performed in one less show but wrote a piece for my friend’s special day and founded the 1st ever South Asian poetry platform in NY so there’s that 📚

✨ Pulled gorgeous intellectuals who value the world in the same way that I do for @kavitacollective inaugural events 🎙️

✨ Lent my small voice to a big production for @sadancecompany . Check out their link in bio for NY and NJ tour dates 🩰

✨ Fell in love with running and never looked back 🏃🏽‍♀️

✨ Best fit of 2025 as voted by my Instafam 👯‍♂️

This year I was thankful for your kindness. In 2025 I set much needed boundaries to focus and fill my days with the important things - good food for the mind, body, and heart, good conversations, good love. ❤️

72

24

Happy holidays and new year from all of us at Sa!

What a year 2025 has been. Pausing to reflect on this amazing year and the incredible communities that have supported our work. Your belief in the arts, in dance, in the stories we tell…it’s what makes all of this possible. Thank you for being part of this journey.

2026 is going to be a big one as RISE comes to more cities! We can’t wait to share it with you soon!

Photo by @aadilabedi

79

4

For nearly two decades, Sa’s mission has been to share the beauty of our heritage with the world through movement, music, and storytelling rooted in Indian tradition. Being part of Art Basel Week was deeply meaningful because it affirms that our stories, and the centuries of culture that shape them, belong on the global stage.

Honored to be a part of an inspiring circle of women @masabagupta @rupikaur_ @ninamagonstudio @sadancecompany whose creativity continues to elevate our collective voice. Across design, fashion, poetry, and dance, we each express a different facet of what it means to be Indian today. Sharing this moment together feels like a celebration of our collective strength and the ways our work continues to inspire and support each other’s journeys.

854

35

This week, Sa was honored to be a part of Art Basel bringing together design, poetry, fashion and dance on the global stage at “Art from the Eye of India.”

We shared an excerpt from RISE, our upcoming 2026 national tour. This piece felt especially fitting as the evening was all about reframing Indian heritage through a modern, global lens. Sa’s work lives exactly at that intersection. Our movement blends classical and folk technique with contemporary storytelling, allowing audiences to experience Indian American identity in a way that is both deeply rooted and boldly reimagined.

Thank you to @ninamagonstudio & @anitachatterbox for your vision and leadership in making this event happen!

Photo by @aadilabedi

287

13