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Lata
Pada | She is the founder
and artistic director of SAMPRADAYA Dance Creations, a company
at the forefront of South Asian dance in Canada. She has lived
in India, Canada and Indonesia and has made Canada her home since
1964. Lata has trained with India's distinguished gurus, Kalaimamani
K. Kalyanasundaram and Padma Bhushan Kalanidhi Narayanan.
Drawing from the many eclectic
influences in her life, she brings a contemporary worldview to
her art. Lata's commitment to dance drives her to break new ground
in performance and choreography. Lata is dedicated to showcasing
bharatanatyam as a world art form as it explores diverse movement
styles, contemporary themes and innovative collaborations. Her
solo performances have a distinctive style that "…continues
to rivet the eye with her soulful lyricism." (Globe and
Mail).
Daring and innovative, Lata's
choreographic versatility is evident in a range of stunning solo
and ensemble works, both classical and contemporary. Drawing
inspiration from diverse global cultural sources, she collaborates
with many Canadian and international artists. She is a Canadian
artist whose "…clear direction in dance makes her one
of the few who can successfully translate a thousand year-old
tradition into 21st century realities." (Toronto Star).
Canada's leading dance writer, Michael Crabb, named her production,
'Revealed by Fire', as the most important dance production of
2001 in ballet-tanz, Europe's leading dance magazine. This highly
acclaimed multi-media dance theatre work has been featured in
the 2002 Canada Dance Festival, toured North America in 2003
and was presented in a prestigious five-city tour of India.
Lata's extensive international
dance career includes performances in India, Canada, United States,
China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Colombia, Mexico, Ireland, Austria
and Cuba. Her choreography has featured in the 1998, 2002 and
2008 Canada Dance Festivals and 2001 Harbourfront's World Moves
Dance series. Her Company has maintained a strong national and
international profile through its extensive tours of Canada (1997,
2003, 2005), Ireland (2000), the United States (2003), India
(2003, 2008) and England (2008).
Lata is a frequent presenter
at international dance conferences and symposia and a leading
Canadian arts advocate. Her vision for the Company's expanded
role as a dance development agency has led to the formation of
the South Asian Dance Alliance in Canada (SADAC) and the production
of the 2009 DanceIntense in Toronto.
Lata
has served on the founding board of the Canadian Dance Assembly
(CDA) and continues to serve on the Advocacy Committee of the
CDA. She is a member of the International Dance Council (UNESCO)
and currently serves on the Advisory Committees of the Toronto
Arts Council, York University's Fine Arts and Centennial College.
She has served on the Board of the Mississauga Living Arts Centre,
Arts and Culture Committee of the 2008 Toronto Olympic Bid, and
is a founding member of the South Asian Advisory Committee at
the Royal Ontario Museum.
Her film and television credits
include documentaries and interviews on Vision, CBC, CBC Radio,
CTV, TV Ontario, Rogers TV and OMNI. She is a regular motivational
speaker and workshop leader for corporate and community organizations
speaking on her life, creativity and collaborations in the arts.
Lata holds a master's of Fine
Arts in Dance from York University. She has received several
awards and honours for her contribution to the arts in Canada,
including the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Toronto
Sanskriti Sangha, the 2003 Professional Woman of the Year Award
from the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, the 2000 New Pioneers
Award, the 1995 Mississauga Arts Award and the 2006 Best Teacher
Award from the Cleveland Tyagaraja Aradhana.
In January 2009, Lata was appointed
member to the Order of Canada, the highest civilian award in
the country. She has the distinction of being the first South
Asian artist to receive this award.
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