Maryam Shakiba

🪔 About

Maryam Shakiba is a London-based Odissi performing artist and teacher dedicated to sharing the beauty and richness of this Indian classical dance form. Her journey with Odissi began in India in 2009, where she was captivated by the dance and commenced her studies. She initially trained under Guru Padma Charan Dehury in India and Swapnokalpa Dasgupta at the Bhavan, London. Since 2013, she has undertaken intensive training under renowned gurus Smt Sujata Mohapatra at Srjan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and Colleena Shakti at Shakti School of Dance in Pushkar, Rajasthan, who have significantly shaped her elegant and refined style. She has also attended workshops with other leading figures such as Madhavi Mudgal and Ileana Citaristi. Shakiba performs regularly as a soloist and collaborates with various artists and musicians to create original works. Her performances have graced prestigious venues including the London Southbank Centre, British Museum, National Poetry Library, MAC Birmingham, and the London Transport Museum. She is also a member of the Odissi Ensemble, a professional UK-based Odissi company, with whom she has toured productions like "Gods and Mortals" (2017) and "Sacred Shapes" (2018). Her artistic practice extends to developing original choreography that expands on classical Odissi repertoire, such as "Prelude to Pallavi" (2021), and works that integrate her Persian heritage, like "Embodying Rumi" (2022). Maryam is committed to presenting Odissi to a high standard in the UK and is part of the 2023-25 cohort of the Sadler's Wells South Asian Dance Development programme, further enhancing her skills as an artist and maker. Beyond dance, she is a dedicated yoga practitioner and a qualified yoga teacher, integrating these complementary practices into her work, which focuses on embodying presence, disciplined technique, mindful breath, and emotional sensitivity.