Experimental movement-based artist Ankita Sharma ’16 will be presented with the Life in the Arts award at the Harker Conservatory’s 25th annual Senior Showcase on Sat., May 16 at the Patil Theater.

A Harker lifer, Sharma got involved with Harker’s dance program at just 5 years of age and went on to perform with the middle school’s Showstoppers and with JV Dance and Varsity Dance at the upper school. They graduated from the Harker Conservatory with a certificate in dance.

Following graduation, they enrolled at the highly selective Colorado College to study dance and anthropology. In 2022, they relocated to New York City to further pursue a career in dance, participating in an immersive theater production called “Sleep No More.” They have since gone on to hold residencies and grants with the New York State Council on the Arts, the Brooklyn Arts Council and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.

Their upcoming project is a 72-hour performance that draws from their outdoor experiences, that they plan to develop in the Bay Area.