Sharanya Mukhopadhyay

🪔 About

Sharanya Mukhopadhyay Sekhri is a prominent Odissi dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Orange County, California, USA. She began her extensive training in Odissi dance at the age of five in Cerritos, California, under the tutelage of Srimati Nandita Behera. Her dedication to the art form led her to make frequent visits to Bhubaneshwar, India, where she received advanced training from several internationally acclaimed gurus. Her esteemed mentors include Padmashree Guru Aruna Mohanty, Srimati Sujata Mohapatra, Guru Bichitrananda Swain, Sri Monoranjan Pradhan, Sri Yuddhistir Nayak, and Sri Pabitra Kumar Pradhan. Mukhopadhyay Sekhri completed her solo dance debut, known as Ranga Pravesham, at the age of 13, with the legendary sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar in attendance. She is a 2008 graduate of UCLA with a degree in dance. Recognized for her powerful and graceful expressional dancing and strong technical background, she is considered one of the leading Odissi dancers of her generation. Her performances have garnered media attention, with features in publications such as the OC Register, LA Times, San Diego Tribune, and Kolkata Telegraph. Beyond her performance career, Sharanya Mukhopadhyay Sekhri is deeply committed to promoting Odissi globally and nurturing future generations of dancers. She is the artistic director of Ishwara Dance Academy (IDA), a premier Odissi dance institution in Orange County, California, which she founded. Through IDA, she conducts classes and workshops, often collaborating with instructors from the Orissa Dance Academy. She also qualified for the California Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program and has worked with various organizations to promote art and culture. In addition to her dance career, she is a Speech-Language Pathologist. Awards & Honours: Princess Grace Award for excellence in dance (2000), J'nae Fincannon Talent Award, Miss California Sweetheart (2010).