Sreyashi Dey

Sreyashi Dey is one of the foremost exponents of the Odissi style of Indian classical dance. Initiated into Odissi by one of the original founding gurus of Odissi, Guru Mayadhar Raut in New Delhi, she has studied with Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, Founder of the Orissa Dance Academy in Bhubaneswar and the Director of Konark Natya Mandap. In addition, Sreyashi also trained extensively in the Bharata Natyam style under Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan, successfully completing her arangetram in 1981.

Sreyashi’s work has been critically acclaimed by well-known critics in leading media in the US as well as India. Her dance has been noted for its grace, beauty, and expressive power. She tours the US every year with performances that are widely appreciated. She continues to perform annually in India at premier venues as well as tour several cities. She has been the recipient of several awards, notably the Harry Scwalb Excellence in the Arts and grants from bodies such as the National Endowment for the Arts, The Heinz Endowments, The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, etc., and numerous other private foundations, at the state, regional and national level. She has played a significant role in bringing Indian classical dance to the mainstream in the US, while continuing to maintain high standards of excellence. Her work as a cultural leader has been recognized through several honors. She has taught Indian classical dance at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Sreyashi is the Founder, President and Artistic Director of Srishti Dance of India, a dance company specializing in the performance and preservation of Indian classical dance, in particular, the Odissi style. Through Srishti and as a soloist, Sreyashi is constantly expanding her creative horizons with new choreographies and collaborations with artists across artistic genres.

While remaining rooted in the classical dance techniques and performances of pure classical Odissi, Sreyashi continuously creates innovative new works that push the boundaries of the performing arts. She has had significant collaborations with modern dancers, African dancers, dancers from other Indian classical styles, poets and writers, visual artists, musicians, theater artists, and photographers. Sreyashi has trained a new generation of dancers. Her twin daughters Ishika and Kritiika have emerged as talented and acclaimed young Odissi dancers. Her other students have also earned accolades for their strong training and presentation.

Sreyashi’s educational background includes an MS in Economics and an MBA. She worked in Market Research consulting for several years. She is deeply committed to shaping cultural policy and has served on the Board of Directors of the Multicultural Arts Initiative and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, both in Pittsburgh. In the recent past, Sreyashi headed up programming for the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. At present, she is the Communications and Marketing lead at the North Campus Research Complex of the University of Michigan.