Sharon Lowen, a well-known Odissi dancer, belongs to which country?

Explanation

Sharon Lowen is an American-born dancer who has lived in India since the 1970s and is known as an accomplished performer of Odissi, as well as of Manipuri and Chhau. She is one of several dancers of foreign origin who have made important contributions to Indian classical dance.

Sharon Lowen first came to India in 1973 on a Fulbright scholarship to study Manipuri dance. She later studied Odissi under Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Mayurbhanj Chhau under Guru Krishna Chandra Naik, and she made Delhi her home. She has performed widely in India and abroad and is known for her deep understanding of the classical traditions. She has also worked as a writer and commentator on dance and culture, and she has played an important role in introducing Indian classical dance to audiences outside India.

Several dancers of foreign origin have become famous in Indian classical dance. Ileana Citaristi, born in Italy, is an Odissi and Chhau dancer based in Bhubaneswar, and in 2006 she became the first dancer of foreign origin to receive the Padma Shri. Milena Salvini, also born in Italy, is known for her work with Kathakali and received the Padma Shri in 2019. Louise Lightfoot, from Australia, is remembered as the "Australian mother of Kathakali" for her role in introducing Kathakali to audiences abroad. Ragini Devi (Esther Sherman), an American, was one of the earliest foreign performers of Indian dance in the early 20th century, and she was the mother of the dancer Indrani Rahman.

Why not the other options?

• ✗United Kingdom is not Sharon Lowen's country of origin.
• ✗Italy is the country of origin of Ileana Citaristi and Milena Salvini.
• ✗Australia is the country of origin of Louise Lightfoot.