Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

🪔 About

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an internationally acclaimed Kathak artist, recognized as a performer, choreographer, and educator. Born and raised in Salinas, California, to Pakistani immigrant parents, she began her Kathak training at the age of 18 in 1996, while attending San Francisco State University. She studied under the legendary Kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das for nearly two decades, becoming an apprentice in his Chitresh Das Dance Company by 1998 and a senior instructor at his Chhandam School of Kathak. Shaikh toured nationally and internationally with the Chitresh Das Dance Company starting in 1999, and later as a soloist. Her solo debut took place in October 2007, supported by an ACTA Apprenticeship award. In 2016, she founded Noorani Dance, a non-profit cultural arts organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she serves as Founder and Artistic Director. Through Noorani Dance, she provides in-depth training to students and presents traditional and innovative performances. Known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, and grace, Shaikh has developed a unique artistic voice that often addresses topics of historical and social relevance while maintaining classical Kathak elements. Her notable choreographic works include "The Forgotten Empress," based on the life of 17th-century Mughal Empress Noor Jahan, and "The Partition Project," which explores the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition. Since 2015, Farah Yasmeen Shaikh has been actively performing and teaching throughout Pakistan, contributing to the cultural arts landscape and bridging communities through shared artistic traditions. Awards & Honours: ACTA Apprenticeship Award (2007), SVLaureate – On Stage artist award (2018).