Menaka Thakkar (March 3, 1942 - February 5, 2022) [1] was an Indo-Canadian dancer, choreographer, and teacher who specialized in Indian classical dance.
[2] In Mumbai, Madras, and Cuttack, she completed training in Indian classical dance (including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and Kuchipudi styles).
[7] One early piece, a solo interpretation of the poem Gita Govinda, earned positive critical reviews in Canadian media when it debuted in the 1970s.
[11] For East Meets West, she collaborated with choreographer Robert Desrosiers to blend traditional Indian and Western dance styles.
Her death occurred 17 days after that of her older brother Rasesh Thakkar, and the Toronto Globe and Mail published a joint obituary for the two of them.