Mitali D'souza

🪔 About

Mitali D'souza is an accomplished Indian classical Odissi dancer, performer, and teacher based in Mumbai, India. She began her dance journey at the age of six, and by 2004, she had already been an accomplished Odissi dancer for two decades. Mitali D'souza is the senior-most disciple of renowned Odissi exponent Smt. Jhelum Paranjpe, who was her very first student. She also received training from the doyen of Odissi, Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, and Ratikant Mohapatra. Throughout her career, Mitali D'souza has toured extensively, performing in the USA, Europe, and Australia. Her notable performances include lead roles in the Kala Ghoda Festival, the Konark Festival, and the Rain Drops festival. She performed a dance sequence for Femina Miss India '97 with Fazal Qureshi and was selected by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra to perform with him for the Festival of India in Germany in 1992, following a winning performance with Italian dancer Ileana Citaristi. Mitali D'souza has also performed song sequences for the movie "Daayara" and serials "Amrapali" and "Abhacharan." She played the role of Rukmini in "Robi and Radha," a film based on Tagore's "Bahanusinga Padavalli." She is married to Bharatanatyam dancer Raul D'souza, and together they are known as "Mumbai's Dancing Duo" or "Temple Bells," creating unique and innovative performances that blend their respective dance styles. They first performed together at the San Antonio National Asian Dance convention in 2003. Mitali D'souza is also a dedicated teacher, instructing around 30 students as of 2009. She facilitates dance for various age groups, including "Graceful Legends" for senior citizens, "Inspiring Moms," "Enthusiastic Teens," and "Odissi Champs" for young children. Her daughters, Diya and Risa D'souza, also follow in her footsteps and perform Odissi.