A Look Back

Soham Dance Space was founded by Artistic Director Anjal Chande in 2007 as an umbrella organization for the development and presentation of innovative bharatanatyam work, dance classes and camps for all ages, and special events that kindled a wonderful kind of community. Between 2009 and 2017, Soham blossomed in its lovely storefront studio with yellow curtains in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. The vision was to uphold the practice, appreciation, and development of the bharatanatyam art form, while making it accessible to everyone. Soham was largely an alternative venue and instigator of a new creative movement and critical dialogue around Indian dance. We established an inviting culture across all our programs that welcomed people from various backgrounds. This first decade was something special that we look back on fondly. 

As with all things, organizations ebb and flow. Soham’s recent years have been an investment in the creative, intellectual, and leadership capacities of our director. Anjal Chande has been devoting time toward an exploration of her evolving artistic practice, researching, writing, and expanding her horizons in conversation with numerous artists around the world. After two years living in Berlin, Germany, through the U.S. Fulbright Program, Chande has returned to Chicago to reboot Soham Dance Space and prepare the organization for another journey. Currently, we operate out of a studio location in Pilsen, Chicago.

Enjoy these photos below from our first decade of lively programming!