Who We Are

Thresh is The New Voice of Today

Founded in 2005 by award-winning choreographer and cultural storyteller Preeti Vasudevan, Thresh is an arts force dedicated to advancing social change through dynamic and provocative art-making.

For nearly two decades, we have used the combined power of Eastern and Western dance and theater to forge a truly unique approach to contemporary expression. We are the voice of today, dismantling conventional forms to create unforgettable, cross-cultural storytelling that challenges, connects, and ignites diverse communities.

Through original, provocative performances and community programming, we champion cross-cultural understanding and confront the critical social issues of our time—addressing identity and belonging.

We center lived experience and radical cultural exchange, leveraging the transformative power of movement to build empathy, foster collective healing, and inspire lasting, tangible change. Our work demands both artistic excellence and undeniable social impact, reaching stages, classrooms, and underserved communities with equal intensity.

Rooted in the arts. Guided by purpose. Committed to impact.

Our Mission

To educate, disrupt, and empower communities toward lasting social change through dance.

Our Aligned Vision

Core Vision: Embodied Storytelling and Collective Healing
Through embodied storytelling and boundary-shattering movement, Thresh seeks to unleash the profound power of the physical and visceral experience to cultivate harmony and build a better humanity. We champion these universal experiences as a catalyst for collective healing, fostering the cross-cultural empathy required for lasting social change.

Future-Focused Vision: Nurturing Creative Leaders
Our vision extends to mentoring the next generation of creative leaders. We are dedicated to forging a more holistic and open form of leadership by artfully fusing the arts and social enterprise, ensuring they have the tools to shape a brighter future that is both artistically excellent and undeniably impactful.

Thresh, A Portal for Change

Thresh is short for Threshold, a name chosen to define the organization’s active mission.

The Threshold is not just a doorway, but a liminal, multi-dimensional space—a portal where the present moment is paramount. We embrace this flux state to disrupt and subvert the current reality, bringing the weight of the past to bear on the future.

This space of possibility, like a dynamic metaverse, is where we initiate our work. It is where multiple possibilities for lasting social change are forged. Founder Preeti Vasudevan chose the name Thresh to represent this energized place where things are in constant motion, driving us toward a better, future-thinking path.

Founder, Preeti Vasudevan

Preeti Vasudevan is an award-winning choreographer, cultural storyteller, and thought leader whose provocative theatrical works redefine individual identity and bridge ancient traditions with the contemporary world. Her creations are celebrated as a refreshing, boundary-shattering collision of Eastern and Western aesthetics, forging a new expression in art-making that challenges the status quo of dance-theater.

Global Awards, Honors, and Diplomatic Impact
Preeti's career is defined by prestigious firsts and top-tier recognition on the world stage, validating her work's artistic excellence and undeniable social impact:

Pioneer & First Indian Artist: She is the first Indian artist to receive numerous prestigious US recognitions, including the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists, the Jerome Robbins Dance Division’s Dance Research Fellowship, and two coveted fellowships at The Center for Ballet and the Arts, NYU.
International Awards: Her works have earned the highest awards in India, including three Mahindra Excellence in Theater Awards (META), and multiple META nominations.
Cultural Diplomacy: She serves as an Arts Ambassador for the US Department of State, pioneering educational initiatives and encouraging artistic risk in underserved regions of the world through cross-cultural exchange.
Institutional Support: Her innovative works have been supported by prominent global organizations including TED, Centre National de la Danse (Paris), Lincoln Center (NY), and The Joyce Foundation.
Leadership Appointment: She serves on the New York Lincoln Center’s prestigious Artistic Committee.

Igniting Groundbreaking Partnerships
Known for her collaborative vision, Preeti ignites groundbreaking artistic partnerships that form a 21st-century language of expression for the stage. Her works are sought after and have been commissioned by the world’s most distinguished institutions:

Celebrated Collaborations: She has collaborated with celebrated visionaries such as legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Guggenheim awardee Paul Kaiser, and leading ensembles like Silkroad.
Major Commissions: Her original works have been commissioned by distinguished institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY), Glimmerglass Opera Festival (NY), and Guggenheim’s Works & Process (NY).
Acclaimed Collective: Original works performed by her performing arts collaborative, Thresh, have earned international acclaim for their fresh juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary voices.

Academic Foundation: Psychology and Global Movement
Preeti’s interdisciplinary approach is rooted in a diverse academic and global training background:

Advanced Degrees: She holds a Master of Arts degree in Dance Studies and Choreography from the Laban Centre in London and is a Certified Movement Analyst from the Laban Institute of Movement Studies (NY).
Psychological Insight: Her work is informed by a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, which provides the foundational insight into identity and visceral experience that powers her theatrical storytelling.
Global Training: Her exploration began with deep training in classical Indian dance Bharatanatyam, which she expanded through a year-long cultural scholarship in Japan and subsequent intensive training in theater and contemporary dance forms globally.