Ms. Maria Laura Valdez
Odissi Teacher
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Followers
About
María Laura Valdez Usseglio is a prominent Odissi dancer and the first professional Odissi dancer from Peru. Born in Arequipa, Peru, she began her artistic journey with training in Western classical music, including piano, and martial arts. Her profound connection to Indian culture and philosophy led her to discover Odissi dance through a video of Guru…
Journey Timeline
2003
Discovered Odissi dance — Saw a video of Sujata Mohapatra's Odissi performance.
2005
First visit to India — Joined the Sai Symphony Orchestra for concerts in India.
2006
Began Odissi training at Srjan — Continued her training at Srjan, a prestigious Odissi school in Bhubaneswar, under Sujata Mohapatra and Ratikant Mohapatra.
2007
Solo debut performance — Performed as a soloist at the National Odissi Dance and Music Festival in Bhubaneswar.
2011
Awarded 'Odissi Joty' and Guinness World Record — Won first place in the Naveen Kalakar competition and was part of a Guinness World Record for the largest synchronized Odissi performance.
2014
Cultural unification project — Worked on a project to unify Indian and Peruvian cultures, supported by the Peruvian embassy in India.
2021
Interviewed on 'Tara presets' podcast
2021
Performed in 'Oh, Odissi! One-World' online event — Performed in the December 2021 episode of the online event managed by Odissi Academy.
2022
Performed in 'Oh, Odissi! One-World' online event — Performed in the March 2022 episode of the online event managed by Odissi Academy.
2024
Interviewed by DD News
Photo Gallery
Photos will appear here.
Video Library
Performance videos will appear here.
Signature Performances
Signature repertoire pieces will be showcased here.
Performance Map
A world map of performances will appear here as tours are recorded.
Awards & Honors
- 2011 · Odissi Joty
- NRITYA-BHUSHAN
Media Coverage
- Odissi student wants to take the art to Peru
The New Indian Express
- Peru to Odisha
The Hindu
Dance School
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Students
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Testimonials
Student & peer testimonials will appear here.
Upcoming Workshops
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