Miss Pal

🪔 About

Mouli Pal is an accomplished Odissi dance artist, teacher, choreographer, and cultural ambassador, renowned for her lyrical grace and profound emotional expression in the Odissi form. Her journey into Indian classical dance began in Kolkata, where she initially explored Manipuri and Bharatanatyam. However, a transformative experience in her late teens, witnessing a performance by the esteemed Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi, ignited her passion for Odissi. This pivotal moment led her to undertake rigorous training under the legendary Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in Bhubaneswar, an experience she cherishes as a profound blessing. She continues to hone her artistry under the tutelage of eminent dancer Nandini Ghoshal in Kolkata, India, and actively participates in workshops with other master teachers to further her growth. As the founder and director of Upasana Odissi Inc., a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts, USA, Mouli Pal is deeply committed to the promotion and preservation of Odissi dance. Her academy, Upasana Odissi Dance School, provides accessible instruction, organizes public concerts, and supports charitable initiatives through performances, currently nurturing approximately 65 students across various locations in Massachusetts. With a teaching and performing career spanning over two decades, she has become a passionate proponent of Odissi, sharing its rich cultural heritage with diverse audiences across the United States, India, and Austria. Pal's captivating performances and lecture-demonstrations have graced the stages of prestigious institutions including Boston University, MIT, Tufts University, Wellesley College, and the Peabody Essex Museum. Beyond traditional repertoire, she is also an innovative choreographer, having created significant works such as "Sheva…my precious Treasure" (2015), which explores the connection between the human soul and nature, and "Re-discover Mass through Odissi" (2021), showcasing natural landscapes through dance. Her dedication to the art form has been recognized with several accolades, including grants from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) and the Mass Cultural Council, as well as the "Padmawati Rasthriya Award" in 2019 from the National Cultural Mission in Odisha. She is also a member of the International Dance Council-CID UNESCO. Awards & Honours: Grant, Grant, Padmawati Rasthriya Award (2019).