Toronto, March 25, 2026 – Celebrated dancer, choreographer and educator Lata Pada is this year’s recipient of the Eldred Family Dance Award. This annual award recognizes exceptional achievement and creative ability in dance by an established Ontario choreographer and comes with a $60,000 cash award.
Beginning in 2026, the Eldred Family Dance Award will also be presenting an annual Protégé Award in support and recognition of emerging choreographers in Ontario. This year, Lata Pada has selected Tanveer Alam to receive the $10,000 Protégé Award.
About Lata Pada
Lata Pada is the Founder and Artistic Director Emerita of SAMPRADAYA Dance Creations, an award-winning company at the forefront of Indian dance in Canada. She has had a successful career as an artist, scholar, dance educator, cultural arts producer and consultant and heads the SAMPRADAYA Dance Academy, Canada’s premiere Bharatanatyam training organization.
Over the past forty-five years, she has built a world-class institution for Indian dance in Canada and has been recognized as an important pioneer in building an appreciation and validation for Indian dance on mainstages across Canada.
Lata has had an extensive, international career as Bharatanatyam soloist and holds an MFA in Dance from York University (1996). She brings a global world view to her dance creations, recognized for their distinct and engaging classical and contemporary explorations.
Among her many noted awards and honours, Lata is a recipient of the Order of Canada (2009) and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2010) conferred by the President of India.
Artist Statement
“Receiving news of my being honoured with the Eldred Family Dance Award has indeed been one of the significant highlights of my dance career. It comes at the completion of my fifty plus year professional arc in dance that has spanned teaching, performance, choreography, mentorship and advocacy. For me, this prestigious award recognizes the vitality and growth of South Asian dance in Canada, of which I have been and continue to be a proud participant. Every day, I am grateful for the lessons and opportunities working with students, emerging professionals and the dance community in forging new futures in collaboration and recognition for Canadian dance at its best. Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Arts Foundation and the Eldred Family for this recognition.”
Jury Comments
The jury was unanimous in their choice of Lata Pada as laureate for the Eldred Family Dance Award. They said, “Lata is one of the most respected figures in the Toronto dance community. Her choreographic work is distinguished by aesthetic refinement, emotional resonance, clarity, and intention. With her decades of practice, innovation and leadership Lata will continue to offer extraordinary service to the dance community, uplifting South Asian and indeed all dance forms, moving forward.”
Lata Pada was selected by the following assessment panel: Peggy Baker (Toronto, ON), choreographer, dancer, Artistic Director, and 2023 Eldred Award laureate; Natasha Bakht (Ottawa, ON), choreographer, dancer, scholar; and Esie Mensah (Toronto) choreographer, dancer, Artistic Director.
KINTSUGI Sampradaya Dance Creations Performance at Rajasthan International Center Jaipur. Conceived by Founder Lata Pada and co-choreographed with Artistic Director Suma Suresh. December, 2025.
About the Protégé Laureate
In selecting Tanveer Alam, Lata Pada recognizes a new generation of artists expanding the language of Kathak and contemporary performance in Ontario.
Toronto-based Tanveer Alam started his Kathak training with Sudeshna Maulik and continued further nuanced studies with guru Sandhya Desai. Alam is a 2019 graduate of western contemporary dance from Dance Arts Institute of Canada (DAI). Tanveer has received further Kathak training from Pandita Shama Bhate and Sanjukta Sinha. He is currently pursuing mentorships with Harikishan S. Nair and Dheerendra Tiwari.
Alam has performed in the works of Rina Singha, Lata Pada, Padmini Chettur, Harikishan S. Nair, Sashar Zarif, Lucy Rupert, and Peter Chin, to name a few. As an emerging choreographer, he has presented work at SummerWorks Festival, Battery Dance Festival +, Luminato Festival, and Tangente.
Across the 25/26 season, Alam has performed his own creations at Fall for Dance North (Toronto), the Aga Khan Museum (Toronto), and Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (Mumbai) to name a few. He also toured Singapore and India as part of SAMPRADAYA Dance Creations’ new work Kintsugi. Recently, he presented his solo work Aakarsh at the prestigious 28th Vasantotsava Kathak Festival presented by Kalashram in New Delhi, India.
About the Award
The Eldred Family Dance Award was established at the Ontario Arts Foundation by the late Gerald (Gerry) Eldred, distinguished Canadian arts executive, and the late Marjorie Eldred, former National Ballet School academic teacher. The award recognizes exceptional achievement and creative ability in dance by an established Ontario choreographer. The winner is chosen through a nominating and adjudication process managed by the Ontario Arts Council.
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For information, please contact:
Bruce Bennett, Executive Director
Ontario Arts Foundation
Tel: (416) 969-7413 bbennett@oafdn.ca
Established in 1991, the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) is passionately committed to building long-term support for the arts in Ontario. In 2024-2025, the OAF paid $4.8 million in endowment income and 540,000 in awards and grants.
For 60 years, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians. In 2024-2025, OAC invested its grants program budget of $52.2 million in 204 communities across 123 Ontario ridings, providing 1,960 grants to individual artists and 1,030 grants to organizations.
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