DANCERS/APPRENTICES

Leena Mohanty

has been awarded the coveted and prestigious Mahari award and was the recipient of the first Ustad Bismillah Khan Youth Award in 2006. Through her commitment to Odissi, Leena has proven to be a versatile dancer with a vision. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Bansi Bilas, an institution devoted to training young and upcoming dancers of Guru Deba Prasad Das’ School of Odissi and provides a creative outlet for dancers, musicians and art lovers in Bhubaneswar. Ms. Mohanty curated and was the artistic director for the successful Odissi Dance Festival Anjali in Kuala Lampur , Malaysia 2009 (photos above), which also featured original choreography by Ms. Mohanty and was well received by audiences and critics alike. Ms. Mohanty is a critically acclaimed and celebrated dancer with a strong and impeccable command of technique. Smt. Mohanty’s dance is marked with clarity, graceful intricacies, eloquent expressions, and precision evoking the Rasa with its full luster and essence. READ MORE

Bani Ray

an exponent of Odissi has been delving in dance since the age of six. She studied dance under some of the most revered gurus and has been learning Odissi since 1970, from Shri Hari Krishna Behera, Valmiki Banerjee, Guru Shri Durga Charan Ranbir, and the Late Guru Shri Nath Raut. Apart from Odissi, Bani has also studied Mohini Attam, Manipuri and various other folk dance forms. Bani has performed extensively throughout India and the United States and has received numerous scholarships, fellowships, and awards for her expertise in the field of dance. As a joint director of Nehru Institute of Odissi Research and Training in Delhi, India, she has organized international seminars, symposiums and training programs for aspiring young dancers. Bani is currently teaching, performing and doing in-depth research and training on the style and compositions of the Late Guru Deba Prasad Das. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, Bani teaches at Lotus Music and Dance Studios in midtown Manhattan. READ MORE

Alicia Braithwaite

was born in Brooklyn, NY. She performed Odissi dance for the first time at the age of 15, 1 year after attending a Hare Krsna festival. It was at this festival that she witnessed Odissi dance for the first the time and met her first teacher, Deva Deva Jagatpate Das. Alicia was fascinated by the way the dancers were able to convey sacred knowledge through rhythmical foot movements, graceful hand gestures, sculptured body (torso) poses, coupled with dynamic facial and eye movements. Under Deva Deva’s directon, Alicia learned dances and movements, and their connection to India’s vedic (religious)culture. It was here that the seeds for God consciousness were planted. Alicia’ s study and training in dance stopped for nine years, in order for her to complete her education. Soon after graduating with a masters degree in Speech Language Pathology, Alicia met and continues to train and perform in the United States and India with Bani Ray and Guru Durga Charan Ranbir. In addition to Odissi, Alicia also studies Bharatanatyam (another classical Indian dance form) with Kamala Ceasar and Jaan Freeman. Alicia’s mission in dance is to use Odissi as a vehicle for promoting God consciousness, and spreading India’s vedic wisdom.

Taiis Pascal-Charles

began training in Odissi at the age of 11 under Deva Deva Jagatpate and has been under the guidance of Guru Durga Charan Ranbir for the past 11 years. She is currently mentored by Smt Bani Ray, Smt. Sujata Mohapatra, and Smt. Leena Mohanty. Described as “strong and beautiful” by Deborah Jowitt of the Village Voice, she’s danced with: Jaan Freeman Repertoire, Rajika Puri & Dancers and is a co-founder/ director of Trinayan Collective. Her re-staging of choreography for the collective was well received by Dance Magazine and the Village Voice. Taiis has conducted workshops in NYC for The Joyce Theater Education Department, Lotus Music & Dance Studios and co-curated the World Dance Showcase 2007 for the Publick Playhouse Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. Taiis founded Trinayan Dance Theater in 2008.

Shaleen Singh

At age 6, Shaleen was introduced to Odissi dance at The Sri Aurobindo Ashram in New Delhi, India. Her first steps in Odissi were guided lovingly by the talented Odissi teacher, Arti Mukherjee. Moving to The USA at age 10, she carried with the hope of someday again learning Odissi. Through early years, she kept aflame her passion for dance by studying modern dance, as well as learning jazz, hip hop and ballet. Finally, it was after moving to NYC in connection with her work that Shaleen was blessed to learn Odissi under the guidance of Mala Desai, herself a student of Guru Mayadhur Raut. Shaleen's natural grace of movement and love of the dance have enabled Shaleen to make rapid strides in learning and performing Odissi. Shaleen had her 1st performance wih Trinayan Dance Theater in August 2010, she is continuing her training with Trinayan Dance Theatre apprenticeship program under the tutelage of Leena Mohanty, herself a student of Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das and Guru Durga Charan Ranbir. As a dancer, Shaleen brings with her a refreshing spirit which shines right through

Jessica Marglin

Jessica Marglin has been studying Odissi dance since the age of five, first in Massachusetts with Guru Ranjanaa Devi and then intensively in India with Guru Durgacharan Ranbir.  She is continuing her studies with Trinayan Dance Theater in the aprrenticeship Program. Dont' let the sweet smile fool you, Jessica is also pursuing her PhD in the history of Jews in North Africa at Princeton. As a dancer, Jessica exudes the joy she carries within.

Sumitra Mattai

formally began her dance training in Bharatanatyam at
the age of nine under Smt. Sudha Shekhar Devulapalli, of the Kalanjali School of Dance. She completed her Arangetram in 1997, and continued to study, perform and teach in the tri-state area. In 2005, Sumitra discovered Odissi, studying and performing for the next five years with the Mala Desai School of Odissi Dance in the Guru Mayadhar Raut gharana. She is currently continuing her training with Trinayan Dance Theater's apprenticeship program. Shy and innocent in appearance, Sumitra's alter ego is a natural on the dance floor.