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"The efforts taken for the dance and choreography were clearly
evident and Janaki Rangarajan has really shone in those aspects
throughout her Bharatanatyam recital. The varnam "Saami ninne
nammithira" was particularly exciting in this aspect." - Hareesh Nampoothiri, The Hindu
"It is not easy to find impeccable dance, aesthetics and a great theme come together as it did at Spaces for the Ekam Festival by ARTery. 'Unravelled', presented by Janaki Rangarajan, was one of the best looks at the iconic woman, Draupadi, and the artiste was nothing short of brilliant... Of course, nothing would have worked if it had not been for Janaki. She is intensely passionate, which comes across in her abhinaya. She made it all seem effortless." - Chitra Mahesh, The Hindu. "I interpreted her moving body as a full-bodied and multi-dimensional woman, aware of her sensuality and sexual power, but also interested the portrayal of other aspects of the human (or divine) experience. One portrayal did not take precedence over the other. She was simultaneously euphoric, devoted, devastated, sublime, and ordinary. These states of being were housed and manifested in her flesh-and-bone body - a body that she was able to transcend while fiercely staking claim to it. Rangarajan wove the history of her own body with questions and affirmations of love, despair, and joy with a commitment that I have hardly experienced before. I was left wanting to engage more with what I experienced at Samah: Dance of Mystic Poetry- an indication that art did what it should". - Erica Womack, loveDANCEmore. "Dancing the words of great poets and communicating their essence seamlessly through stylised and pedestrian movements, naturalistic expressions, commentary and brilliant dance technique, Janaki Rangarajan enthralled audiences at London’s Bhavan Centre... Janaki Rangarajan is a complete performer: outstanding physicality, eloquent vocal communication, theatricality, originality of interpretation, that recalls the exhortation of the Natya Shastra of unified and universal dance. To this reviewer, it appears that Rangarajan is taking the dance form forward with renewed energy whilst completing the evolutionary cycle of Indian Classical Dance". - Kali Chandrasegaran, Pulse. "The program was extremely inspiring and an absolute eye opener. Dr. Janaki's choreography created a visual delight for one and all. Her choice of music and usage of the stage uplifted her every move. She succeeded in putting across her message and her passion came through in every bit of her performance. She was devoted to both her dance and her message and that was a perfect marriage for an audience to experience. The format of her performance was unusual, just like her thought provoking ideology; hence the spoken word added an important aspect. Just the addition of spoken word in a traditional classical dance performance reinforced her idea of the right for women to speak up and voice their opinion - a powerful metaphor. Apart from being an excellent communicator, I believe Dr. Janaki is at her peak in terms of form and execution. The power, usage of every inch of her body, her expressions, grace, power and passion definitely impacted one and all and left me spellbound." - Review of Unravelled - Sway the Stage "Janaki's dancing with her bright, crisp footwork, clean lines and sinuous movements was a real pleasure to behold. Her superb training and conditioning were evident in how she wove effortlessly between dancing and speaking, all with consummate grace and poise. The program was a spirited, powerful, thought-provoking feminist credo that was passionate and quite moving in parts. Janaki is a superb dancer. But for a classical Bharata Natyam program that dared to go beyond the usual, and used this medium so powerfully and so effectively to not just tell a story but to convey ideas, this was a brilliant evening indeed. Art provokes thought and dialogue, and Janaki's Unravelling did just that, judging from the animated discussions outside the theater after the event." - Review of Unravelled by Kamini Dandapani, Tales of South India. "A spell-bound audience watched Janaki Rangarajan as she began her Bharatanatyam recital with a Mayura Alarippu in sankirna (nine) jathi. Commendably, she tagged to it an excerpt from Thiruppukazhu of Arunagirinathar, a devotee of Muruga, whose vehicle is believed to be the peacock. Thanjavur Quartet pada varnam Mohalagiri konden in Todi, Adi, exhibited her terpsichorean talent and ingenuity in abhinaya. The nayika's yearning for union with Lord Rajagopalan, the deity of Mannargudi temple, manifested in a scintillating portrayal of 'vasakasajjitha nayika'. Her nritta was vibrant with jatis galore and the dancer executed different adavus with geometric finesse. Her abhinaya peaked during her performance of Kuru Yadu Nandana, the 24th Ashtapathy. Janaki explored every word at length to enact Radha's long-awaited reunion with Krishna." - G.S. Paul, The Hindu "Dr. Janaki Rangarajan, a vividly gracious dancer, evolving a distinct style of her own. A strongly rooted dancer in both technical and theoretical aspects is a treat to the dance field... Needless to talk about her dancing capabilities, but what impressed the most is her qualities - a committed, focused, punctual, hardworking, dignified, confident, strong, and yet the most humble person." - Report on workshop by Rashmi Thaper, Ananya Kalasinchana Magazine. "Emphasis on originality: Janaki was very particular that the students retain their style, and insisted that everyone stick to the adavus of their style. She was keen that the dancers think and not merely repeat the steps in rote. "Dance is not just physical, it involves the brain also," she said. She guided us and gave us suggestions on how to execute the abhinaya, but eventually left the movements and interpretations to us." - Report on workshop by Sumangala Varun, Narthaki. Audience feedback for UNRAVELLED Janaki Rangarajan is an innovative dancer who looks constantly for improvisations by incorporating new moves and novel ways to maneuver them. The Thodi varnam 'Mohalahiri Konden Swamy...' by Sivanandam of Tanjore quartet, had a sanguine heroine in love with the deity Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy. Janaki made the latter portion of the piece all the more absorbing with meticulous abhinaya and some skilfully executed dance phrases, all in harmony. In 'Kunthihridayam' that followed, the dancer focussed on the little-explained side of Kunthi, and presented the character in a different light. A thillana in Hamsanandi, appended with an abhang by Sant Eknath, saw Janaki once again cutting loose, ending the recital in style. - Hareesh Nampoothiri, The Hindu. In Cape Town we were truly blessed this Easter weekend with an outstanding performance of Bharata Natyam by danseuse Dr Janaki Rangarajan whose visit to Cape Town, South Africa, was sponsored by the Indian High Commission. Dr Janaki spoilt us with six perfectly presented items. She began with alarippu: a mesmerizing piece - alarippu with abhinayam - which frankly I could have watched over and over again... It was followed by a spectacular varnam, long and complicated... Abhinaya covered a wide range of emotions that included humour, anger, pathos...Then an ashtapadi with more superb abhinayam, one of the poems by Jayadeva in which Krishna and Radha rise after a night of love...A contemporary item followed these traditional pieces, a composition on Sufi poetry. The performance ended with a tillana, the sahityam on Ohm - an unusual choice. The performance was perfect in every single respect, only complete dedication to an art form can produce technique as we witnessed it. Dr Janaki glided effortlessly from movement to movement and the dancing was so well paced one could actually appreciate every single sculpted moment. Her foot positioning was a pleasure to see. Her hand gestures are quite beautiful and even sitting quite far back in the audience (as I was) one could appreciate the extreme subtlety of the abhinayam and her engaging use of eye movements. Her araimandi position was impressive, only a dancer will know how painful it is to sustain this deep posture... and she made it look so easy. The style she performs requires a great deal of stamina because of the light, high leaps and the repeated use of the full mandi position in many of the adavu. She simply flew across the stage, making full use of the space provided. What more can I say as superlatives roll off my tongue... ? When it was over I sighed with deep satisfaction. We were so privileged to have this experience. A great dancer and an engaging personality, she comes across as so very humble and she kept thanking the audience for allowing her the opportunity to dance! And, she performed with such feeling to taped music... !. - Ms. Heather Parker, PriyaLasya Right from the Alaripu in Sankeerna nadai with the Tiruppugarzh verses, visualized in a Kartikeya/peacock interaction with the bird becoming the vehicle of the deity, Janaki Rangarajan's impeccable araimandi, finished hand stretches and rhythmic exactitude with the typical sukhalasya and movements a la Padma Subrahmanyam (her Guru) punctuating the choreography, were evident. Janaki's depiction of the smitten nayika in the Vadivelu varnam in Todi "Mohalagiri konden Swamy", met with a very involved rendition. The nayika's all consuming love for Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy, was depicted convincingly... "Kuru yadunandana," the ashtapadi of Jayadeva presented in the seated position right through communicated adequately... - Leela Venkataraman, Narthaki.com Experience spoke - Dance Recital of Janaki Rangarajan at Krishna Gana Sabha should be termed as a New Year Treat... The way she performed giving a new dimension to the Art form without compromising on traditional values made the spectators spellbound...What to say of "Ardhanaareswaram Aaaradhyami Satatam", which depicts Devi's presence on the left side of the body and Shiva on the right side! As she combined and presented the unique style and Karanas of her Guru with total and enjoyable involvement in minute details, laasyam and Araimandi, the audience, drawn by the beauty of the recital, remained motionless...When she danced with beautiful attami, one had a feeling of a Divine beauty coming down to Earth. Right mixture of Loka Dharmi and Naatya Dharmi, the way these were intelligently handled, Thatti Metti Adavu and Jathis were all put to perfection...The way she depicted tormenting of Cupid's arrow with palpitations and scintillation of the physique with a combination of Bhakti and Love was simply fantastic. Janaki's dance recital is one with no confusion on any front. Next presentation of Janaki Rangarajan was "Kunti Hrudayam" the item from Vyasa Bharatham, in which Kunti pours her heart to Lord Krishna and this is set to music by Sarada Subramaniam. The way this subject, which has not been touched upon by anyone and presented with the maturity which comes only with experience, should be lauded. This Dance Recital has re-established Janaki Rangarajan as a leading Artist of the next generation, who will shine like a star for many more years to come. - Zakir Hussain, Dinamani Few artists leave evergreen memories in the hearts of the audience through their enthralling performance... Such was the kind of effect created by the performance of danseuse Janaki Rangarajan. The expressions rendered for Jayadeva's Ashtapathi was marvelous and kept the audience spellbound... She is equally strong in technical aspects of the art apart from an excellent understanding of the subject to express the same which translates the meanings with utmost ease... Hence while watching her performance one feels that she is not simply dancing but living the character herself every minute... She also has a flexibility in her body while performing which is hardly seen in most of the Bharatanatyam dancers... By seeing the natural and lively performance by the young artist, one gets a hope that our performing arts has a bright future. - Shashiprabha Tiwari, Jansatta (translated from Hindi) As the dance commenced, it was the start of one of the most magical moments ever witnessed on stage, the precision in each moment of the dance was complete, the flow of the dance, and the symmetrical positioning of the whole body was a delight to watch... Janaki's dance on this piece was immaculate, a visual of the verse so well performed... Janaki's dance on the tirmanams at the beginning of the item and at other occasions during Varnam was craftsman at his artist best moment, her flow of dance, with super footwork, the flowing arms and her conclusions into a posture of perfect mudra... Throughout the Varnam, the dancer seemed to take the rasikas to a higher level of experience through her nritta and abhinaya, while her hallmark angasuddhi and araimandi remained sublime... A rare item to see Bharatanatyam performed on Sufi poem, a beautiful poem was very well put into beautiful motion of dance. A rare to see sufi chakars being performed in Bharatanatyam... The finery which had begun with Alaripu, the energies, the high moments achieved during with each item performed, maintained its aesthetic classic, once again a tinge of karanas in Tillana added to the beauty of the item... It was wonderful performance for all the rasikas in the hall. - Dr. Lakshmi and Pandithar Sivakumar Perumal, PriyaLasya Janaki is a rising star in the firmament of Bharatanatyam and has won critical acclaim for her scintillating performances... Whereas Janaki's nritta is dynamic and brings out architectonic beauty of Bharatanatyam, she often laces it with occasional karanas... The separation, intense desire for union, the agony caused by Kamadeva's flowery arrows et al Janaki depicted with great artistry registering expressions in a telling manner. In ashtapadi Kuru Yadunandan, wherein Radha after blissful union with Lord Krishna, requests him to place ornaments on her waist, do the hair, apply chandan paste, Janaki in alternate roles of Radha and Krishna used netrabhinaya, as it were speaking through eyes, which audience could see on account of the proximity of the dancer. With her vibrant Bharatanatyam she received an instant applause. Here is a dancer to watch. - Sunil Kothari, The Hindu Young and accomplished Bharatanatyam artiste Janaki Rangarajan, the youngest dancer of the festival, lived up to her reputation of having an excellent grip over pure dance presentations. It is her amazing body kinetic that makes her dance distinctly different from the rest in her league. It appeared as if the body faithfully carried any command that the dancer demanded. - Shyamhari Chakra, Narthaki.com Janaki Rangarajan has been creating waves with her excellent Bharatanatyam performances, be it The Dance Festival of The Music Academy of Madras, where to perform is every dancer's ambition, or be it at New York's Erasing Borders festival, or a dance festival at Cochin, Cuttack, Janaki's performances have been well received and there is a "buzz" about her as the rising star in Bharatanatyam... Her nritta is chiselled, her araimandi perfect, effortless, utplavanams a visual delight, teermanams often including Karanas like Katichhinnam and Mayurlalitam, arresting.... Janaki as cliché goes, "she came, she saw and she conquered" the Mumbai audience with her flawless Bharatanatyam performance... The Mumbai audience was eating out of her hands, watching her performing with ease and élan. No wonder she received a standing ovation. Bravo Janaki! - Sunil Kothari, Dance Critic There is a new dancer on the Bharatanatyam stage, which has seen extraordinary feats of Alarmel Valli and Priyadarsini Govind. Janaki Rangarajan, a disciple of Padma Subrahmanyam, is making her presence felt with her rhythmic grace. Rangarajan, who shuttles between India and the US, where she lives, has wowed the audience at the prestigious dance festival of the Music Academy in Chennai. Dance critic Sunil Kothari describes her as an "attractive personality...who will go places with her talent and art of presentation." - India Today The last weekend saw - as the crowning of the Festival - the Indian dancer Janaki Rangarajan - an extraordinary artiste whose lightning visit deserves mention for the very high standards of her dance performance. (Translated from Spanish) - Clarin.com [Janaki Rangarajan's] abhinaya was convincing. - Deccan Herald This evening, I saw for the first time, a dance recital by Janaki Rangarajan. When she sits into her Aramandi, our eyes enter the perfect geometry of a circle within a square. A rooted dancer, with toned muscled limbs, vitality upon her skin, lucidity in her eyes, sensuousness brimming yet contained inside subtlety and exuberance. - Artisdates.com That Janaki Rangarajan has the star status is unmistakable. We sit spellbound and follow every gesture, every head movement, every eye movement. This from the beginning to the end. We can barely even blink... (Translated from Swedish) - Panchamkauns.com What really distinguishes Janaki Rangarajan from all other Bharatanatyam dancers I've seen is in her way of bringing together straight lines and curves in a harmonious co-existence. (Translated from French) - Joel Riou Off the beaten track - Scintillating thematic presentation by Janaki Rangarajan...It was a connoisseur's delight to be present at the presentation of 'Voices', a concept developed by Janaki Rangarajan...Janaki was a picture of grace and elegance with her extraordinary stage presence...Janaki did ample justice through her combination of nritta, nritya and natya...while the eyes of the connoisseurs feasted on Janaki's exquisite portrayal with her convincing abhinaya and araimandi poses very neatly executed.- A.Boothalingam, Narthaki.com The most striking dancer of all was the last, Janaki Rangarajan, another bharata natyam specialist. The excellent musical ensemble returned. With her tall, imposing body, large face, and enormous, intelligent eyes, Rangarajan made an immediate impression, both in stillness and in movement. The crossed-over posses were more crossed, the curves more monumental, her arms at times more angular, the jumps at once explosive and pliant. She started off strong, with a long solo that alternated lyrical passages and strong footwork. The dancing itself was spectacular...- Marina Harss, DanceTabs Ms. Rangarajan offered the most steps, the most shapes. Her first of two numbers was a tour de force and a marathon. Its alternation between pure-dance and narrative sections and the structure of the story - in which a devotee of Shiva experiences an endless series of rude awakenings as her beloved god slips away - induced some monotony, but the variations kept yielding new beauties. Her vertiginous drop into a deep plié was a surprise every time.- Brian Seibert, The New York Times Janaki Rangarajan has a sculpture like quality in her Bharatanatyam which has an impeccable geometry of chiselled stances.- Leela Venkataraman, Nartanam In her pursuit of perfection, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan chiseled every movement and expression to be just so. Her araimandi stance was admirable as was the marked contrast between the sama, standing position, and the half-seated one, something that many dancers overlook. Her timing and execution were well-rehearsed; her agility admirable and the dramatic portrays, done with conviction. - Rupa Srikanth, The Hindu During the many performances I've seen in Chennai, I had many opportunities to see Kama (the God of Love) launch his floral arrows. The representation by Janaki Rangarajan is probably the most beautiful I have ever seen... The outstanding work of the dancer in the expression of her face and the beauty of the gestures in the rhythmic passages and in expressing the feelings of the heroine was remarkable. (Translated from French) - Joel Riou Treatises on Indian classical dance such as 'Abhinayadarpana', 'Natyashastra' and references in 'Sangitaratnakara' elaborate on the ideal characteristics of a dancer. These include beauty, agility, intelligence, humility, grace, the ability to sing, dedication and hard work, among others. Watching Janaki Rangarajan on and off stage, one cannot but think that she is the embodiment of all that and more.- Ambili Ramnath, The Hindu Janaki Rangarajan danced her soul out during a Bharatanatyam recital that every spectator would cherish for long... She was flawless throughout the presentation with admirable stage presence.- Hareesh Nampoothiri, The Hindu Janaki Rangarajan was hypnotizing. With her orchestra, she transported us with her grace. The dancing was incredible. (Translated from French).- Laetitia, One Thing in a French Day Janaki Rangarajan dazzled us with her virtuosity. Her dance was highlighted by impressive footwork and subtle expressiveness. (Translated from French) - Marie Boeda, Toute La Culture The expression of the dancer is a total delight. The rhythmic passages were varied and executed with great musicality. All seemed very harmonious between the liveliness of arm and foot movements and the insertion of curved movements. The work of the dancer in expression, even in the smallest details, is superb. (Translated from French). - Joel Riou Musee Guimet gave us a real gift by presenting the beautiful Bharatanatyam dancer, Janaki Rangarajan. She has already reached the peak of her art. Tirelessly present on stage from beginning till end. She has mastered both the abstract and the technical. The audience gave her a well-deserved ovation. (Translated from French). - Nicholas Villodre, Danzine On stage, Janaki floored the audience, interacting with the crowd in an easy, effortless manner, laced with humor. Bharatanatyam requires a lifetime of dedication and devotion, yet Janaki presented some techniques which were grasped by the attentive viewers. And she left an indelible impression on their minds with her riveting performance. She is truly an ambassador of Indian culture! - Geeta Goindi, Indian-American Community News Dr. Janaki Rangarajan, a Bharatanatyam exponent par excellence, just delivered a spell-binding performance in her opening act at the prestigious Kennedy Center, in Washington, on International Dance Day. In 'JUDA - Ode to Separation', one could actually feel the pain of being separated from the beloved in all her movements - precise to the point of perfection, her amazing 'Abhinaya' and emotive eyes which spoke volumes. Dance is a very powerful medium of expression and Janaki has mastered the art. - Geeta Goindi, Indian-American Community News Rangarajan's capacity for precision performance merges cultural identity, historical significance and contemporary storytelling through a unique exploration of traditional dance forms" said Stephen Clapp, director of Dance Metro D.C., an area-wide dance and cultural advocacy organization. "Rangarajan's dynamic performance quality immediately engages her audiences with intimate gestures as simple as movement of her eyes. - David Siegel, Fairfax Times Dr. Janaki Rangarajan performed a solo she choreographed, entitled JUDA - Ode to Separation. I found this piece to be the most entertaining and riveting of the showcase. Using the Indian classical dance technique of Bharatanatyam, Rangarajan performed both staccato and languid gestures at fast and slow speeds with equal amounts of control. She was able to transcend the precision and intricacies of the choreography and give a soul-stirring performance that had me on the edge of my seat. I was impressed and awe-struck at the universality of the message, and reminded of the language of dance. - Rick Westercamp, DCMetroTheatreArts What stood out throughout the performance was Janaki's flawless work. She did exceptionally well to convey every emotion to perfection. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It is Janaki's movements and care for details that impressed them the most. - Deccan Herald Refreshingly different, the solo performance was a dazzling presentation in technical brilliance and outstanding abhinaya... The positive energy sent from the dancer enveloped the entire auditorium. - Padma Jayaraj, Narthaki.com That Janaki Rangarajan is no ordinary dancer was evident from her riveting Bharatanatyam recital to an intimate audience in Padatik Buildwell Theatre, Kolkata. The tall, svelte, dancer's stage presence is stunning... The beauty of her dancing has always rested on her distinct bodylines and the sense of geometry with perfect elongated stretches that impart a sculpturesque alertness to an animated expression of her face. - Nita Vidyarthi, The Statesman One of the most memorable performances witnessed by me, it was thrilling to watch Janaki dancing spontaneously, creating a fine harmony between both music and dance... Janaki is such a versatile performer that she is capable of depicting fleeting emotions within seconds and then switch on to the rhythmic patterns with professional ease, creating a wonderful visual appeal... She has cleverly combined the aspects of both nritta (pure dance) and natya (drama), evolving her own style of performing with a meticulous touch, that is inspiring and elevating too. - Vijay Shanker, Afternoon Despatch & Courier Janaki has in recent years drawn attention for her Bharatanatyam performances, for her brilliance and choice of items, which keep her audiences engaged in her presentation... Her stage presence is arresting... I have no doubt that Janaki will go places with her talent and art of presentation... Here is a dancer worth watching. - Dr. Sunil Kothari, Narthaki.com The battery of cameramen and a well filled auditorium showed that the reputation of the Bharatanatyam dancer based in the United States, had preceded her. Janaki Rangarajan's impeccably groomed presence with not a hair out of place, sculpted bodily stances and the general exultation of Bharatanatyam made the recital memorable. - Leela Venkataraman, The Hindu Janaki is a vibrant dancer who has intelligently blended the essence of her guru's Bharatanrityam into the regular stream of Bharatanatyam, to evolve an impressive style of her own. Her dance is marked by well-chiseled delineation of both nritta and abhinaya. Her well conceived technique enables her to mould her physique effortlessly into the karanas as and when appropriate. She weaves in pauses and sculpturesque poses into her dance with ease and fluidity even as she performs difficult adavus with firm footwork, creating contrasting textures of grace and firmness, of refined talent and visual beauty... She has something different to offer in every performance, and that is where her success lies. This hard working, passionate dancer, has all the potential to rise high and create a place for herself in the vibrant dance scene in the years to come. - Nandini Ramani, Sruti Janaki's recital was full of energy. The pieces were well-rehearsed and impressive. - Rupa Srikanth, The Hindu Janaki Rangarajan with her sheer hard work and dedication is one of the best today. - GS Rajan, ArtScape The dance connoisseurs present were sighing in admiration at [Janaki 's] clear lines and charming abhinaya. - Lalitha Venkat, Narthaki.com A dancer who shuttles between the US and Chennai, [Janaki] enthralled audiences with a margam recital she performed recently in the city. - Srinivasa Ramanujam, The Times of India Dr. Janaki Rangarajan presented a Bharathanatyam recital on January 2 for Kartik Fine Arts. She was a delight to watch; Having been awarded the 'Nadanamamani' title this year by the sabha, she proved herself immensely worthy, and more. Janaki started the recital with a brisk Vinayakar Kautuvam, that set the pace for the main item next. Her performance for the varnam - 'Innum en manam' of Lalgudi in Charukesi ragam was vibrant, with charming, complex and indepth postures. The enthusiasm she showed in the display of the moods was testimony to her passion for the art and perfection. Janaki was relaxed, full of grace and the various emotions she displayed were entertaining. There was a deafening round of applause by the audience, who visibly enjoyed Dr. Janaki Rangarajan's recital. - V.Soundararani Wonderful were the jati korvais that were interspersed in the varnam and executed to perfection by ... Janaki Rangarajan. - Lalithasai, The Hindu Janaki Rangarajan, the dancer who was awarded Nadanamamani by Kartik Fine Arts has donned the role of Rama and it is exemplary. - V. Soundararani A pre-season peek into the Narada Gana Sabha mini hall on 19 November had a delightful dance recital on view. Janaki Rangarajan, the 'Nadanamamani' for Season 2011 (she receives the title on 1st December, Kartik Fine Arts) launched her series of performances with an impressive recital... The sankeerna alarippu danced to a Tiruppugazh, was neatly choreographed to suit the theme though it did not strictly adhere to the simple alarippu format. Janaki danced the Charukesi varnam 'Innum en manam ariyaadavarpol' (Lalgudi Jayaraman) in an endearing way without plunging into cloying sringara. It was interesting to watch the impromptu rhythmic dialogues between anklebells and mridanga as the dancer occasionally improvised in the nritta segments. In the two padams which followed, even in the opening lines of each she was able to establish the two very different nayikas (the angry woman in 'Inchu boni' and the naïve young girl in 'Tottu tottu pesavaraan') with her communicative yet subtle abhinaya. The concluding piece was a tillana in Hamsanandi which included Subramania Bharati's lines. Watch out for this talented dancer who plans to present a different margam in her programmes during this season. - Sruti Magazine Janaki Rangarajan as Rama had a quiet aura of beauty, strength and dignity. - Sulakshana Jayaram, Narthaki.com An unbelievably good dancer. Her araimandi was a delight to watch. Her perfect posture and the challenging nritta in her choreography took the audience to the peak. - Poornima Ramaprasad, Narthaki.com The precision of Rangarajan's movement was stunning, as was the awesome power of her assertive, upright thumb and the high, strong elbows of her port de bras, the rare, light jump, and her extremely mobile face. - Kaija Pepper, Dance International Janaki presented only one item for the evening, a Varnam, "Swamiyai Azhaittodivaa" in Ragamalika and Adi talam, a composition of KN Dandayudhapani Pillai. The choreography was by Janaki Rangarajan herself. Varnam, the last item for the evening, was definitely the icing on the cake. An absolutely brilliant performer, completely in command over her technique and a smooth flowing abhinaya was a spectator's delight. Janaki kept the audience enthralled by her performance and left asking for more. - Narthaki.com A tightly coiled energy unleashed itself to display karanas and fluid moves – it formed the nucleus of Janaki Rangarajan's dancing... It was heartening to see that grace and fitness played important roles in assuring the impact of her natyam... Janaki established a pedigree exposition of power-packed adavus that alternated with the ardent longing of the heroine in the varnam 'Sami Ninne Kori'... Her abhinaya was in top form in the padam 'Unnai Thoodhu Anupinaen' where she radiated the emotions of hurt, betrayal and anger. - Vidya Saranyan, The Hindu The jatiswaram gave an ample display of Janaki's command of nritta. The carrying of the baby Rama, caressing it, and putting it to sleep in the pasusram piece were all done with vatsalya as the dominant stayibhava that carried conviction with the audience... In a nutshell, the whole programme was characterized by artistic adavus with angasuddha, subdued skalitams and right sense of rhythm. - A.Seshan, Narthaki.com Janaki is known for her enthralling performances and this evening was no exception. - Lalitha Venkat, Narthaki.com Janaki Rangarajan showed outstanding flexibility in her body movements and steady kaalapramaanam. - GS Rajan, Narthaki.com [Janaki's] graceful abhinaya and immaculate movements impressed the connoisseurs. - Mysore V. Subramanya, Deccan Herald Janaki Rangarajan from Washington DC is no ordinary Bharatanatyam dancer with neat aramandis, permutation and combinations of adavus and teermanams and a sense of geometry. She intelligently uses diagonals and delicate jumps in her movements that undeniably make her dancing special. - Nita Vidyarthi, Nartanam The auditorium was soon packed beyond capacity. The audience got a taste of the best as the 'Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari' award winner and an 'Empanelled Artiste' of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan displayed her Bharatanatyam. People were seen enjoying the dance with friends and family. - Lokmat Times (Aurangabad) At the function that was held at Vani Mahal, T.Nagar, on November 21 ... performer Janaki Rangarajan was given [the title] Sathya Nrithya Sundaram. - The Hindu Janaki Rangarajan's solo from "Thillana" was richer than the trio from this work of India dance shown at the October 6 awards. - George Jackson, Dance View Times DiMuro particularly recommends ... Janaki Rangarajan, who is performing "Thillana" ("she does this amazing Indian work that's part classical but she makes it post-modern"). - Alyssa Bailey, Washington Post Express A dancer who created a lasting impression on the spectators was Janaki Rangarajan. Her performance was noteworthy for its quality of spontaneity, elegance and precision. - Vijay Shanker, Afternoon Dispatch & Courier (Mumbai) Standouts included the best Bharata Natyam performer I have ever seen, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan... - Meagan Bruskewicz, The Hidden Language of the Soul I checked out the D.C. dance scene in Dance: Yes We Can!, a showcase of local talent. Classical Indian dancer Janaki Rangarajan performed a riveting Bharatanatyam solo... - Nancy Wozny, CultureMap In the midst of audience applause, Janaki Rangarajan exhibited her great talent. - Eenadu Within forty five minutes, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan from Washington DC, encapsulated the Bharatanatyam margam with such pace and vibrancy that the moments sped away leaving the audience seeking more of the ecstasy of watching her dance. Janaki's dance was like the pleasant running brook whose movements meandered amidst the rocks of rhythm making the spectators sitting on its bank, savor the flowing energy within placidity. To sum it up, Janaki's performance was a show stealer like that of her mentor and guru, Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. - Mysore B. Nagaraj, Narthaki.com [Janaki] has remarkably deep araimandi stances and is light on her feet. She chose the Swarajati in Useni, 'E mayalaadi,' as the main item that provided plenty of scope for both nritta and nritya and the choreography took in both aspects. The theermanams were brisk, with interesting arudis and there were 'nadai' variations in the charanam. - Usha Ramdas, The Hindu The two-day festival also featured four acclaimed soloists - Sujata Mohapatra and Kavita Dwivedy (both Odissi dancers from Bhubaneswar and New Delhi respectively), Bharatanatyam artiste Janaki Rangarajan from Chennai (disciple of Padma Subramaniam) and Kathak dancer Parwati Dutta, disciple of Birju Maharaj and director of the Mahagami Gurukul in Aurangabad. - The Hindu The festival further featured two more established soloists - Bharatnatyam dancer Janaki Rangarajan from Chennai, disciple of legendary Padma Subramaniam and Birju Maharaj's Aurangabad-based disciple Parwati Dutta. While Janaki preferred to stage her own choreographic work set to a Meera bhajan in Hindi instead of the traditional Carnatic music used with Bharatnatyam; Parwati, who is also a choreographer, presented her Guru's compositions. - Shyamhari Chakra, The New Indian Express The other soloist of the evening was US-based brilliant Bharatanatyam dancer Janaki Rangarajan. - The Hindu Eminent danseuse Janaki Rangarajan performing Bharat Natyam at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. - Pragativadi A two-day Bharat Muni Mahotsav will kick-start at the Rabindra Mandap here from Wednesday. On the inaugural day, Odissi dancer Kavita Dwibedi, Bharatnatyam artist Janaki Rangarajan, Utkalvidyalaya and Kalinga Truyatrikam will perform there. - The Pioneer The inaugural evening would feature solo recitals by New Delhi-based noted Odissi dancer Kabita Dwibedy and US-based Bharatnatyam dancer Janaki Rangarajan, disciple of Padma Subramaniam from Chennai, followed by group presentations of Odissi by the troupes of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and the host organization Kalingayana Touryatrikam. - The Hindu In this two-day cultural event, renowned artistes like Kabita Dwibedi, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan, Parvati Dutta and Birju Maharaj will perform. - The Statesman Janaki is a Bharata Natyam dancer of the highest calibre; her movements are very clear and crisp, she is very rhythmically precise, and her performance was filled with great subtleties. - Shawn Mativetsky, Tabla Montreal The program opens with a captivating Bharatanatyam (South Indian Classical Dance) performer. Janaki Rangarajan is totally fierce! She is able to move parts of her face in rhythm with the music in ways I had no idea it was even possible. She is a great way to begin the afternoon. I am completely enthralled. Yay! ... Next was more solo work from the first performer which is cool and different. She is fun and great to watch! - Dante Puleio, iDANZ.net Some of my favorite New York experiences have been of open-air dance that has kept passers-by from passing by. I remember this same effect at Chase Plaza last year, when the 27th annual Downtown Dance Festival gave a daily series of performances there. It was so good to encounter it again on Tuesday — at the 28th annual festival — that I was sorry I had been unable to catch Monday's performance, which included Bharatanatyam dancing by Janaki Rangarajan. - Alastair Macaulay, NEW YORK TIMES The Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, now in its 77th year, is one of the longest-running institutions of the American dance world. Always eclectic in taste, it has grown in scope. The highlights of its August season, in Becket, Mass., include some one-off events ... on Aug. 19, in the open-air Marcia & Seymour Simon Performance Space, Janaki Rangarajan performs the Indian dance form Bharatanatyam. - Alastair Macaulay, NEW YORK TIMES 'Thevaram' by Janaki Rangarajan gave us a rare insight to the devotional hymns, their beauty, meaning, structure and the musical scales - Panns, as they were called - which have their equivalent to ragas of Indian classical music. This performance was a demonstration of how ancient hymns can be expressed through the medium of Bharatanatyam. - Lata Ganesh, Narthaki.com A programme on Bharathanatyam was held at Subbiah Vidyalayam Girls Higher Secondary School in Tuticorin on Friday. The show presented by Janaki Rangarajan impressed the audience. Janaki, a multi-faceted personality, had the honour of receiving the prestigious Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari Award of the Narada Gana Sabha from the renowned dancer, Vyjayanthimala Bali and was selected as a graded artist for Doordarshan. Janaki is also an empanelled artiste of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. D. Ganesan, president of the school, coordinated the programme. Lakshmi Praba Vikraman, trustee member, honoured the artiste with a shawl. Vanaja Rajagopalan, trustee member, appreciated her performance. Pappusundari, Headmistress and S. Selvaraj, advisor to Annamal College of Education for Women, were present. - THE HINDU Backed by a repertoire of her own choreography, Janaki's Bharatanatyam recital reflected the dancer's brisk and confident manner. Her nritta is impressive in its precision and timing and her straight posture and agility give the adavus a well-finished definition... Janaki delineated the navaragamalika varnam ('Swamiyai Azhaithodi Vaa,' Adi, K.N.Dhandayuthapani Pillai) with smooth confidence. One could see how much she enjoyed the experience of dancing and performing. - Rupa Srikanth, THE HINDU On Thursday Dr. Janaki Rangarajan's solo "Ranganjali," also in Bharatanatyam style, an invocatory exercise in praise of Lord Shiva that combined pure dance (Nrtta) and expressive mime (Abhinaya), was another spellbinder, with multiple body parts, from eyes to feet, all actively engaged, playing separate parts in building to a crescendo. Stillness - a sudden, seemingly unprepared but sustained balance - is a central ingredient. Here, as in all the best forms of Indian dance, we feel many layers of being: past and present, action and stasis, self-sufficiency and outward communication, pride and humility. - Alastair Macaulay, NEW YORK TIMES A quick note to congratulate Janaki on her wonderful performance in the IAAC Dance Festival in New York. As was expected, she did an amazing job and received thunderous applause after her solo performances. I was lucky enough to catch her performance at the Ailey Theater and it was great to see her take command of the stage. She easily channeled the majestic beauty of the Gods in Ranganjali without letting it seem like haughtiness. And as always, I am always reminded that Bharata Natyam is more then angles and rhythms when I watch Janaki integrate curves, softness and stillness in the middle of the angles and rhythms so effortlessly. She used her strong footwork masterfully, it had breath in it, expectant pauses, and strong accents--all this without letting it sound like a machine gun (often it seems that dancers feel that pounding out every single beat is all you have to do). Her focus was honed like a laser and unwavering. It was gratifying and moving to watch her showcase the richness of Bharata Natyam. Please join me in congratulating her on a wonderful performance. We are so lucky to have her here in the area with us. - Daniel Phoenix-Singh, Dakshina (via e-mail) The dances that Alexandria, Va.-based artist Janaki Rangarajan will perform in praise of the Hindu deities, for example, reflect a subtle reinterpretation of Bharata Natyam based on her own fresh study of temple sculptures. - Robert Johnson, The Star-Ledger Janaki Rangarajan's "Ranganjali" is a karana-based composition in the style of her guru Padma Subramaniam. - Rajika Puri, exploredance.com When Dr. Janaki Rangarajan from the USA, a sishya of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam takes the stage, the setting is magical. - Vicent D'Souza, kutcheribuzz.com Ms. Janaki Rangarajan, a bharatanatyam dancer and disciple of Ms. Padma Subramaniam gave an astounding performance to the joy of everyone and left the audience awe-struck. - Selvin Kumar, Dinamalar A dancer in the DC area whom I really admire, for her dedication and passion is Janaki Rangarajan. - kaivalyam.blogspot.com Janaki Rangarajan, a senior disciple of Padma Subrahmanyam presented a Bharatanrityam recital for Numgambakkam Cultural Academy on Jan 2. A Balamuralikrishna composition in ragamalika and talamalika for Pushpanjali, Thirupugazh verses for alarippu, a composition of Venkatrama Sastri in ragam Husseini for varnam, "Krishna nee begane..." in raag Yamankalyan, a Jayadeva ashtapadi in raag Basant Bahar, and a thillana composed by the Tanjore Quartette were the items she presented for the evening's recital. She was accompanied by Jayashree Ramanathan on nattuvangam, G Srikanth on vocal, SSR Krishnan on mridangam and S Vijayaraghavan on violin. On previous visits, Janaki has performed items choreographed by her guru, but this time she performed items that she has choreographed herself. - Lalitha Venkat, Narthaki.com Janaki Rangarajan presented the third and the twelfth ashtapadis in Bharatanrityam style, depicting the spring season and longing of Radha. - Asha Vattikuti, Narthaki.com I was so entranced by the non-stop 30-minute performance. - Michael Perez, dcflamenco.com Ms. Rangarajan explained the importance of the hands, arms and facial expression to the meaning of the dance and then gave the audience a thoroughly enjoyable demonstration. - Robert Murphy, csosa.gov Sunday's concert opened with Indian dancer Janaki Rangarajan performing a classical dance form from southern India called Bharata Nrityam. The poem Rangarajan told through dance blended subtle facial expressions with delicate neck, wrist, finger and hand movements to express deep emotions. - David Horn, Herald Times Janaki's sense of footwork while exploiting the theermanams and Korvais of the varnam stood out in bold. Adavus were perfect and the rhythm was impeccable. - News Today |