Joanna de Souza

Twice Dora Award nominated Joanna de Souza, received a Master’s Degree in kathak dance through Prayag Sangit Samiti, Allahabad, India. Her study began in 1978, under her guru, the late Pandit Chitresh Das. Joanna is respected internationally as a dancer, choreographer, and is a much sought-after teacher. Named one of the "leading Indian classical dancers in Canada" - INDIA TODAY Magazine, she has represented Canada at the World Performing Arts Festival in Lahore, Pakistan, and the Romerias de Mayo festival in Holguin, Cuba. In Toronto, she co-founded M-DO/KathakToronto which is home to dance classes, master classes and workshops, at the highest artistic level. Her dance company Chhandam, continues to tour nationally and internationally, bringing their innovative approach of Kathak, to a wide audience, and in 2018 Chhandam in collaboration with choreographer/dancer Misty Wensel, toured India with their collaborative work BARDO. She was a musician and dancer with the acclaimed Toronto Tabla Ensemble from 1993-2010, and has taught across Canada, Trinidad, the US and India. In 2015 she was recipient of Angikam’s Dr.Maya Rao Award, for recognition of her body of innovative kathak choreography.