Jayanthi Ramanujam

🪔 About

Jayanthi Raman is a highly acclaimed practitioner, teacher, and choreographer of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form. She is widely recognized as a "cultural treasure," "world-class dancer," and "scholar" in the field, often referred to as the "Gold standard of Indian dance in the Northwest". Born and raised in Chennai, India, Raman began her dance training in childhood, learning from several renowned gurus, including under the auspices of Sri Adyar K. Lakshman [cite: 11, previous search]. Her guru's guru was Rukmini Devi Arundale, who founded the prestigious Kalakshetra in Chennai [cite: 12, previous search]. Raman's extensive career spans over four decades, during which she has performed more than 600 solo and thematic performances across India and the United States [cite: 2, 5, previous search]. She is also a prolific choreographer, having created 25 full-length evening works and numerous other pieces [cite: 2, 6, previous search]. After moving to Portland, Oregon, around 1995, she established the Natya Dance Academy, a premier institution for Bharatanatyam in the Northwest, with locations in Portland, OR, and Redmond/Bothell, WA [cite: 1, 3, 4, 9, previous search]. Prior to this, she operated her own dance school in India during the 1980s [cite: 11, previous search]. As an educator, Raman has served as an Assistant Professor of Dance at Portland State University, marking the first faculty position of its kind in the Northwest [cite: 3, 4, 11, previous search]. Her teaching philosophy at Natya Dance Academy emphasizes a pure, authentic, and traditional approach to Bharatanatyam, encompassing both practical training and theoretical knowledge based on ancient texts like the Abhinaya Darpana and Natya Sastra. She is dedicated to nurturing a lifelong love for dance in her students, many of whom have become accomplished performers and teachers themselves [cite: 1, 11, previous search]. No information was found regarding her involvement in Kathak or Kathakali dance forms. Awards & Honours: Oregon Folklife Network Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program Master Artist (2015), Creative Heights Grant award from the Oregon Community Foundation (2016), Oregon Arts Commission's Individual Artist Fellowship award (2014), Traditional Master Artist award of excellence (Washington State Arts Commission) (2010), Traditional Master Artist award of excellence (Washington State Arts Commission) (2009), Traditional Master Artist award of excellence (Washington State Arts Commission) (2005), Traditional Master Artist award of excellence (Washington State Arts Commission) (2003), National Dance Project NDP-NEFA grant (2003), National Dance Project NDP-NEFA grant (2004), Individual Artist Project Grant (Regional Arts and Culture Council) (2015), Individual Artist Project Grant (Regional Arts and Culture Council) (2013), Individual Artist Project Grant (Regional Arts and Culture Council) (2009), Individual Artist Project Grant (Regional Arts and Culture Council) (2010), Individual Artist Project Grant (Regional Arts and Culture Council) (2011), Individual Artist Project Grant (Regional Arts and Culture Council) (2005).