Masako Ono

🪔 About

Masako Ono is a distinguished Japanese Odissi dancer who has made significant contributions to Indian classical dance. Born in Tokyo, Japan, she began her dance journey at the age of four, initially training in modern dance under Masako Yokoi, a Martha Graham Dance School graduate, and also in Western classical ballet, jazz, and hip-hop in Tokyo. Her fascination with India led her to pursue Indo-Pakistan studies at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. In 1996, driven by a video of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Ono moved to India to dedicate herself to Odissi. She joined Nrityagram, the renowned dance village founded by Protima Gauri Bedi, where she received intensive training in Odissi from Surupa Sen and Bijayini Satpathy, along with Kalaripayattu and Mayurbhanj Chhau. After five years at Nrityagram, she made her solo debut in 2001. Subsequently, she continued her advanced Odissi training in Odisha under eminent gurus such as Kelucharan Mohapatra, Ramani Ranjan Jena, and Naba Kishore Mishra. Ono established Masako Ono Performing Arts (MOPA) in 2010, an institution in India and Japan dedicated to nurturing future Odissi dancers and offering classes in various dance styles. In 2017, MOPA was empaneled under the Government of India's Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), making her the only Japanese Odissi dancer with this distinction. In 2010, she also founded the MUDRA Foundation to support international artists and promote local art and handicrafts, which initiated the Odisha Biennale in 2013. Masako Ono is recognized for her performances and lecture-demonstrations across more than 20 countries. She has performed for dignitaries including former Japanese Prime Ministers Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Her choreographic works include pieces like "Frozen Grace," "Dance of the Crane," and "Divinity Within - Tantrik Prayer." She is also a certified Yoga teacher. Awards & Honours: 100 Most Respected and Outstanding Japanese in the World (2008), Ambassador of Tokyo for Art, Culture, and Tourism Promotion (2019).