By Impressed by Indian art and culture, Italian-born Odissi and Chhau dancer and instructor Ileana Citaristi, who came to Odisha in 1979, decided to make the state her home and has been imparting the knowledge of these dance forms since 1995.
Citaristi is the first classical dancer of foreign origin who was conferred the Padma Shri in 2006 for her contributions to Odissi. She was also awarded the 43rd National Film Awards for Best Choreography for Yugant in 1995.
In Bhubaneswar she is imparting training in Odissi and Chhau dances to local as well as visiting students in her own institution “Art vision”, founded by her in the year 1995.
Through “Art Vision” Citaristi has organised several festivals unique in concept over the years. These include ‘Festival of films on performing and visual arts’ which has reached the 6th edition, the ‘Kalinga Mahotsav’, a Festival of Martial Dances held in front of the Dheuli stupa at Bhubaneswar annually since 2003 and Sangam Festival since the year 2005.
