Ms. Maria Laura Valdez

🪔 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 Sujata Mohapatra in 2003. Valdez first traveled to India in 2005 as part of the Sai Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, she commenced her formal Odissi training at Srjan, the prestigious institution founded by legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. She received tutelage from Odissi exponents Sujata Mohapatra and Ratikant Mohapatra. Her dedication led her to earn a scholarship from Peru to continue her studies in India. Her solo debut performance took place in 2007 at the National Odissi Dance and Music Festival organized by the Government of Odisha in Bhubaneswar. In 2011, Valdez achieved significant recognition, winning first place in the Naveen Kalakar competition and earning the title "Odissi Joty." The same year, she was part of a historic event where 550 Odissi dancers set a Guinness World Record for the largest synchronized Odissi performance in Bhubaneswar. She has also been honored with the NRITYA-BHUSHAN award for her contributions to the preservation and dissemination of Odissi. María Laura Valdez is actively involved in promoting Odissi internationally, particularly in her home country of Peru, through workshops and performances in various countries including Brazil, Russia, and Argentina. She has worked on projects to unify Indian and Peruvian cultures, supported by the Peruvian embassy in India. She currently resides in Puttaparthi, India, where she continues to teach and spread Odissi. Awards & Honours: Odissi Joty (2011), NRITYA-BHUSHAN.