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Museum Hours
Thu: 1 PM–8 PM
Fri–Mon: 10 AM–5 PM
Tue–Wed: Closed
Location
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.581.3500
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Beyond Bollywood Events & Performances

Experience the power of dance live at the museum.

Pop-up Dance Dialogues

Pop-up programs are 30–45 minute dance performances and demonstrations in the gallery, followed by a Q&A, recurring monthly on selected Sundays and Thursdays. Admission is included with your ticket to Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art. Space is limited; we recommend arriving early to ensure a spot.

  • Dance Dialogue with Noorani Dance Company
    Pop-up Program

    Sunday, April 9, 1 PM and 2:30 PM
    Thursday, April 27, 6 PM and 7 PM

    Learn more
  • Dance Dialogue with I Madé Moja
    Pop-up Program

    Sunday, May 14, 1 PM and 2:30 PM
    Thursday, May 25, 6 PM and 7 PM

  • Dance Dialogue with Urban Jazz Dance
    Pop-up Program

    Sunday, June 11, 1 PM and 2:30 PM
    Thursday, June 22, 6 PM and 7 PM

  • Dance Dialogue with Charya Burt
    Pop-up Program

    Sunday, July 9, 1 PM and 2:30 PM

Beyond Bollywood Dance Series

These performances in Samsung Hall feature acclaimed local dance companies representing traditional and innovative dance styles from a variety of Asian cultures.

  • Chaksam-pa and Aerodance in partnership with Arts West
    Beyond Bollywood Dance Series

    Saturday, May 20, 1–3 PM

     

    Experience traditional dances from Tibet and India as performed by two acclaimed local companies. Chaksam-pa will present rarely seen Tibetan ceremonial pieces, while Aerodance will perform dances praising Hindu gods and goddesses. 

    Reserve Tickets
  • Queering Traditions, with Prumsodun Ok and Ishami Dance Company
    Beyond Bollywood Dance Series

    Thursday, June 8, 6:30–7:30 PM

     

    Celebrate Pride Month with performers who use ancient dance styles to create new works highlighting LGBTQ+ characters and perspectives. Featuring Prumsudon Ok, founder of Cambodia’s first gay dance company, and Ishami Dance Company, a group committed to amplifying marginalized voices through South Asian contemporary dance. 

    Reserve Tickets

Film Series: Bollywood Dance Classics

Rarely seen in the U.S., these acclaimed early triumphs of modern Bollywood artfully blend dazzling dance sequences with thought-provoking narratives exploring caste, gender, and religion. 

  • "Guide," 1958

    Thursday, May 4, 6–9:10 PM

    Dev Anand plays Raju, a dapper tour guide who falls for the unhappily married and frustrated dancer Rosie played by Waheeda Rehman. Based on R.K. Narayan’s 1958 novel. Directed by Vijay Anand. 183 min. English and Hindi with English subtitles.  

    Reserve Tickets
  • "Amrapali," 1966

    Thursday, June 4, 6–8 PM

    In this historical drama set around 500 BCE, the time of the Buddha, a warmonger king played by Sunil Dott plots the destruction of an enemy kingdom to rescue the woman he loves, the imprisoned royal courtesan Amrapali played by Vyjayanthimala. Directed by Lekh Tandon. 116 min. Hindi with English subtitles. 

    Reserve Tickets
  • "Pakeezah," 1972

    Thursday, June 29, 6–8:30 PM

    An epic love story across the class divide between a dancer played by Meena Kumari and an official played by Raaj Kumar. Directed by Kamal Amrohi. 147 min. Hindi with English subtitles.

    Reserve Tickets
  • "Umrao Jaan," 1981

    Thursday, July 6, 6–8:30 PM

    Based on the famous Urdu novel by Mirza Ruswa, Umrao Jaan stars Rekha as a courtesan and poet in 1840s Lucknow who falls in love with a man from the ruling class and must contend with the limits placed upon her as a “public woman.” Directed by Muzaffar Ali. 145 min. Urdu with English subtitles. 

    Reserve Tickets

Free First Sundays

  • Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration

    Sunday May 7
    11AM – 2:30PM

     

    A day full of family fun at the museum including dance and musical performances, storytelling, and plenty of hands-on art making. 

    Learn More
  • Family Fun Days

    April 2, June 4, July 2 
    11 AM–2:30 PM  

     

    Discover and play as a family! On Family Fun Days, our creative art projects and immersive storytelling make art appreciation a lively, family-friendly event. In April, June, and July, make art related to Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art.  

    Learn More
Organizers & Sponsors

Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art is co-organized by the Asian Art Museum and the Cincinnati Art Museum. This exhibition has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Generous support is provided by Eliza and Dean Cash, Sumir Chadha, Vaishali Chadha and Family, Yogen and Peggy Dalal, Sonia Dhami, Shashi and Dipanjan “DJ” Deb, Susan and John Diekman, Sameer Gandhi and Monica Lopez, Aarti and Sandeep Johri, Kiran Kapany and Ariana and Misha Schwarz, Lata Krishnan and Ajay B. Shah, Fred Levin & Salle Yoo and Jeff Gray, Dipti and Rakesh Mathur, Sundar and Anjali Pichai, SACHI: Society for Art & Cultural Heritage of India, Ram and Vijay Shriram, Sanjay and Suniti Subhedar, Meena Vashee, and an anonymous donor.

Sustained support generously provided by the Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Endowment Fund for Exhibitions.