MDo

Artistic Director

Introduction

For nearly 20 years, Joanna de Souza and Ritesh Das have shared their passion and vast experience in north Indian dance and music with audiences, students and educational partners across North America.  M-DO grew out of their shared dream of creating a centre in Canada for the development of artistic and cultural awareness through the disciplines of kathak and tabla.  Under the direction of its Board of Directors and staff, M-DO is strongly placed to expand upon the successes of its founders.

Joanna De Souza

Joanna de Souza is perhaps the only Canadian born artist to achieve a Master's Degree in kathak dance through Prayag Sangit Samiti, Allahabad, India. Her study of kathak, which began in 1978, continues under Pandit Chitresh Das. Since her return to Toronto, she has gained reputation as an excellent kathak dancer, teacher and choreographer. Her traditional and collaborative works have earned her a variety of nominations and awards.

Ritesh Das

Ritesh Das, composer and musician, has studied tabla with gurus Pandit Shankar Ghosh, Ustad Zakir Hussain and most extensively with Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. He has toured throughout the US, Canada and India, and performed with many of India's great music and dance innovators. Since moving to Canada, he has established himself as an extraordinary teacher of tabla and founded the Toronto Tabla Ensemble in 1991.

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