Sonali Mishra

Sonali Mishra received her B.A. in English Literature at the University of Michigan, and M.S. in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University.

Sonali’s studies in dance include both theoretical and practical aspects, and has traveled to India on many occasions for further training and refinement, including a 14-month stay during 1999-2000. She recently returned from India where she spent three months undergoing intensive dance training with Sri Ramesh C. Jena and Srimati Aruna Mohanty.

Sonali has performed in many festivals and programs in the US, Canada, India and the UK. She has presented and participated in a number of workshops and lecture-demonstrations on Odissi dance to both Indian and non-Indian audiences. As a second-generation Indian-American artist, dance has been an integral component in developing her cultural identity. Her dual-culture heritage has allowed her to communicate effectively with her audience.

Sonali’s goal as an artist is to demonstrate the timelessness of India's classical traditions. Classical Indian dance has been widely appreciated by audiences all over the world not only for its beauty in presentation and movement, but also for their deep rooted spirituality.