Shaily Dadiala, the Artistic Director and Founder of Usiloquy Dance Designs, choreographs and performs original works based on the techniques of the Indian Classical dance style Bharatanatyam. Shaily is a recipient of the Leeway Art for Change grant (2012) and a Special Recognition by The Forman Arts Initiative (2024). She holds a bachelor’s in arts specializing in Bharatanatyam from India (1994) where she was born and raised. Her work applies vocabulary rooted in Bharatanatyam exploring the lesser-known cultural aspects of diasporas and communities that are misrepresented when it comes to social equity. The grid formed by intersections of migration, race, and gender drives the strategy behind her work.
In 2008, she founded Usiloquy Dance Designs. Her works have included four live, full-length Indian dance productions, dance on spoken word, adaptation of audiobooks (collaborating with Singer Ali Sethi and author Amitav Ghosh), choreography and acting within Improv theater (Philadelphia Asian Performing Arts), and dance on film. Wilmington Fringe, the Wilmington Opera House, DE (2009), Jahajee Sisters’ Indo-Caribbean Women’s Empowerment Summit, Queens Museum of the Arts, Queens, NY (2011), Roots, Rites, ‘N’ Rhythms festival at the Mann Center for the Performing arts, Philadelphia (2012), Asian Pacific American month celebration at the Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA (2019) are a few select performances. Workshops and Masterclasses at the Thomas Jefferson University and Temple University, Philadelphia (2006), Desales University, Center Valley, PA (2007), Fall and Spring semesters at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia (2009), College of Design, Nasik, India (2013).
Usiloquy performs in auditoriums, outdoor festivals, corporate events, award galas, conferences, and education workshops. Or, commission choreography from Usiloquy for multimodal collaborations, special events, dance videos, and fashion shows. Complete this form to request Usiloquy at your next event.
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