Ellora Patnaik
Encyclopedia
Ellora Patnaik is a Indian Canadian film and theatre actress and Odissi dancer.
, Ontario
, Canada
. Ellora is the first child of her parents (seven years older than her sibling Devraj Patnaik
), Promod and Chitralekha Patnaik, who were born in the state of Orissa, India, and emigrated to Canada in the 1960s. She made numerous trips to India with her family in her youth. Ellora's parents soon moved to Oakville and then to Burlington, Ontario
, where Ellora attended M.M.Robinson High School. In 1986 she was selected for training by (late) Padmabibhusan Kelucharan Mohapatra
, and went to study at the Odissi
Research Centre in Orissa, India
.
on YTV, she filmed another season in 2010.
Early life
Ellora was born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Ellora is the first child of her parents (seven years older than her sibling Devraj Patnaik
Devraj Patnaik
Devraj Patnaik is a Canadian-born music composer, musician, percussionist, and dance choreographer, teacher, and performer.-Early life:Devraj Patnaik was born in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, the son of Chitralekha Patnaik...
), Promod and Chitralekha Patnaik, who were born in the state of Orissa, India, and emigrated to Canada in the 1960s. She made numerous trips to India with her family in her youth. Ellora's parents soon moved to Oakville and then to Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
, where Ellora attended M.M.Robinson High School. In 1986 she was selected for training by (late) Padmabibhusan Kelucharan Mohapatra
Kelucharan Mohapatra
Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra was an Indian classical dancer, guru and proponent of Odissi dance, who is credited for the revival of the classical dance form in the 20th century....
, and went to study at the Odissi
Odissi
Odissi, also spelled Orissi , is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Orissa, in eastern India. It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences. The classic treatise of Indian dance, Natya Shastra, refers to it as...
Research Centre in Orissa, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Dance Training
Ellora's first and primary dance Guru was her mother Chitralekha Patnaik, who began training her as an Odissi dancer from a very young age. She has also received training from such notables as (late) Padmashri Pankaj Charan Das, (late) Padmabibhusan Kelucharan Mohapatra, Padmashri Sanjukta Panigrahi, and Padmashri Gangadhar Pradhan.Acting
Ellora Patnaik attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts from 1992 to 1994 and was a member of the Company in her third year. She has acted in film, television, and theatre works. In 2009, she played Jyoti Mehta, Indie Mehta's mother, in the Canadian television series How To Be IndieHow to be Indie
How to Be Indie is a Canadian television show on YTV. The main character is a 13 year old Indian Canadian teenager named Indira "Indie" Mehta. The program is a single-camera series intended for a youth audience. The series was created by Vera Santamaria, John May, and Suzanne Bolch.t of life...
on YTV, she filmed another season in 2010.
Odissi Dance Teacher
Ellora has taught Odissi dance since the mid 1980s. In the early 1990s, she took over as Executive Director of the Chitralekha Dance Academy.Theatre
- "Left" Bobby, Rasik Arts 2004
- "Umrao Jaan Ada" Umrao, Rasik Arts 2001
- "Naga Mandala" Rani, Tarragon Theatre 1997
- "Standing on My Knees" Catherine, New York Theatre 1995
- "Say Goodnight Gracie" Catherine, New York Theatre
- "The Heidi Chronicles" Becky/Betsy, New York Theatre
- "The Country Wife" Lucy, New York Theatre
- "The Seagull" Housemaid, New York Theatre
- "House of Blue Leaves" Little Nun, New York Theatre