ABOUT VICKI VIRK
I grew up in Punjab, India and moved to the US with my family when i was 12. Like many immigrant families, my parents moved here to provide a better education and opportunities for their kids so i followed that path. I went to college, law school, became an attorney. My whole life though i've felt this deep calling for something. Ever since I was a young kid, dance was always the one thing that brought me joy, made me feel whole, and like my most authentic self but it never occurred to me that it could be my life's work. It's a long story of beautiful synchronicities and universal vibrations that led me to follow this path. I would have never imagined that I would get the opportunity to do what I love.
My labors of love are so much more than just a dance and event production companies, they are my heart and soul. Most of what I have learned about life has been through this incredible journey that has allowed me to share what I love with 1000's of people from all walks of life. It's the most diverse community that continues to add so much joy and love into my life. I am forever grateful and look forward to what the future unfolds.
DHOLRHYTHMS DANCE COMPANY
In 2003, I took a leap of faith to pursue my love for dance and co-created Dholrhythms Dance Company with my best friend and family Suman Raj. It started off as just me teaching one Bhangra class and organically grew into a performing arts organization whose mission became to bring people together from all walks of life through music and dance. We also strongly believed in celebrating and empowering women so ended up forming an all women's dance company. The diverse group of women that are part of Dholrhythms Dance Company inspire me on a daily basis. Our shared passion for the cultural arts has allowed us to become a staple in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Led by my Punjabi heritage, we as a dance company highlight the ancestral and ethnic roots of the Punjabi Folk Dances while pushing boundaries with contemporary influences. Over the years we have created a dance form of our own that has become Dholrhythms signature style infusing rhythms of Punjab with other sounds and movements we find inspiring and invigorating. Over the 18+ year journey, our dance performances have been featured at landmark stages and platforms all over the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
COLORS OF INDIA
For nearly 9 years, Dholrhythms Dance Company curated theater arts Production called "Colors of India" . It was featured yearly at The Kanbar Center For the Performing arts with sold out shows to a diverse audience of all ages and backgrounds. The upbeat and joyful dance production told the stories of women in the villages of Punjab, India shared through beautiful dance choreographies weaved in with music, visuals, props, narration, live singing, drumming, and more. The sit down show was followed by an interactive dance lesson and ended with a family friendly Non Stop Bhangra open floor dance party featuring DJs and live drummers. It was an audience favorite and one of the highlights of the Performing Art Center.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Dholrhythms mission has always been to educate communities about the Punjabi cultural arts through family friendly outreach events featured at every type of platform from museums, performing & community art centers, dance studios, festivals, schools, and more. I have lead dance classes in after school programs from pre-school to high school, colleges and universities, youth camps, senior centers, fitness centers, and more. Our signature dance lessons have been the highlight at every performance and event we have been a part of for the past 18+ years and enjoyed by diverse audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
NON STOP BHANGRA
In 2004, we teamed up with DJ Jimmy Love and co created the Non Stop Bhangra event. It was originally hosted to celebrate the one year anniversary of Dholrhythms Dance Company and to provide a space for students of our classes to dance outside of the studios. It grew into a monthly event and has become one of the major platforms in North America for Punjabi music and artists. Over our 17 year run, we have produced 100's of shows and held residencies at some of the largest and most well known venues in San Francisco. We have collaborated with organizations and artists and curated some amazing productions that have earned us numerous awards and recognitions including "Best Dance Party" in San Francisco.
Representing Non Stop Bhangra and Dholrhythms, I have been a featured speaker at TedXSF, been included among the Top 5 Punjabis making waves all over the World by India Today, received an Independent artists Award for making a global Impact by Independent Artists week, and have received numerous grants for our work from various cultural organizations.
PERFORMANCES & PARTNERS
Performing Art Centers & Museums
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts, SF
The Kanbar Center For the Performing Arts, Marin
The Palace of Fine Arts, SF
War Memorial Opera House, SF
UC Theater, Berkeley
Osher Marin Jewish Community Center,
San Francisco
Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center,
San Francisco
Ashkenaz Community Center, Berkeley
Oakland Asian Cultural Center
Rhythmix Cultural Center, Alameda
Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University
Center For Performing Arts & Education, Dublin, Ca
Levitt Pavillion For the Performing Arts, Pasadena, Ca
National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Arlington Art Center - Artisphere
Asian Art Museum, SF
DeYoung Museum, SF
Oakland Museum of California
Jewish Contemporary Museum, SF
San Mateo Museum
Venues
San Francisco City Hall
Academy of Sciences, SF
The Fillmore
Great American Music Hall
Mezzanine
Masonic Center, SF
Grace Cathedral, SF
Castro Theater, SF
Conservatory of Flowers, SF
The Independent
Boom Boom Room
Sony Metreon
111 Minna
1015 Folsom
DNA Lounge
Slims
Brick & Mortar
Freight & Salvage, Berkeley
El Rey Theater, Los Angeles
Thunderbird Stadium & Arena, BC
Event Production
Public Works SF
The Great Northern
The Rickshaw Stop
The New Parish
The Echoplex
7th West
Resident DTLA
Elbo Room SF
Festivals
Stern Grove Festival
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
Power To the Peaceful Festival
Art & Soul Festival, Oakland
World One Festival, El Cerrito
Earth Day, SF
The Himalayan Fair, Berkeley
Health & Harmony Festival
3rdI Film Festival, SF
Howard Street Fair, SF
Dragon Boat Festival, SF
San Francisco Carnaval
San Jose Jazz Festival
Laurel Street Faire, Oakland
Los Angeles Indian Film Festival
Artown Reno, Nevada
Globalquerque,
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival,
British Columbia
Grand Performances, Los Angeles
After School Programs & Kids Classes
Malcolm X Elementary School, Berkeley
Coral Youth Program: San Jose
Sherman Oaks Elementary
Stonegate Elementary
Lowell Elementary
French American School, SF
Art of India Camp, Berkeley
Danceversity, Berkeley
Swivel Arts Camp, SF
World Arts Camp, City of Sunnyvale
Stern Grove Festival Kids Days
Sierra Prospect Elementary, Berkeley
Redwood Highschool, Redwood City
Companies
YouTube
Yahoo
Genentech
YPO
Docusign
GGV Capital
WeWork
Project Ahimsa
PRESS, AWARDS, & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- GOLDIE - outstanding local discovery award
- Best Dance Party-Readers poll ( 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Top 5 Global Events
- One of the most outrageous parties in SF
- Top 20 Favorite far-out dance floor destinations
- 1 of the most inspiring on the Bay Area Dance Floor
- One of top 16 healthy, fit, and fun Bay Area things
- SF Bay Guardian -
- One of 250 Things to do in SF before you die
- Best Dance Party
-7x7 Magazine -
- Voted "One of the Five Best Niche Dance Parties"
- San Francisco Magazine -
Three Words Describe Non Stop Bhangra: So. Much. Fun
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"Non Stop Bhangra is one of the city's most vibrant,
cross-cultural and enduring parties"
-NBC Bay Area
"Border-Boundless Night", an amazing option for those looking to mix their dance with a cocktail and actually learn something in the process"
- San Francisco Weekly
"Didn't those festivities in "Monsoon Wedding" seem like the best party in the world? Attending the recent "Nonstop Bhangra" felt as if you'd been invited to just such a celebration."
-San Francisco Chronicle-
"Global grooves rarely taste as good as what you will find at Non Stop Bhangra. A night unlike any other & a treat for the eyes and ears, NSB will take your body and soul to whole new realms."
- Nitevibe-
GET IN TOUCH
PERFORMANCES | TEACHING
PUBLIC SPEAKING | EVENT PRODUCTION
