Jolanda Djaimala Boejharat

🪔 About

Jolanda Djaimala Boejharat is a prominent figure in Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam, based in The Hague, Netherlands. She is the founder and main teacher of the Indian Dance School Monsoon, established in 1991. Boejharat's journey in dance began with training under Smt Sitra Bonoo, culminating in her public debut, an arangetram, on November 21, 1991. Her dedication to Bharatanatyam led her to further her studies in India. In 1994, she participated in dance classes in Madras (now Chennai) with Marter Sri M.D. Venkatesh, whose Tanjavur style lineage can be traced back to the Sri Kanchipuram Elappa Mudaliar style. More recently, in 2018, she passed her senior Bharat Natyam exam in Bangalore, India, under the coaching of Sri S.V. Giridhara from the Nandi Taal Vadya Academy. Beyond dance, Boejharat also pursued academic studies in Indology and classical Indian singing at the conservatory, enriching her understanding of the art form within a broader cultural context. Throughout her successful career as a dancer, Jolanda Boejharat has been a passionate advocate for Indian dance in the Netherlands. She not only teaches and choreographs but also coaches dancers, guiding many students through their arangetrams. Her commitment extends to fostering a vibrant dance community; she is the founder and coordinator of the WereldDansWerkPlaats in The Hague, an initiative promoting diverse global dance styles. Boejharat has also been instrumental in organizing significant cultural events, including the Indian Waves festival and coordinating various projects for Korzo's India Dans Festival, such as the 2015 Symposium on 35 years of Indian dance in the Netherlands and the annual Colours of India XL program. She also organized the inaugural Seven Seas Festival, dedicated to world dance and music. Her teaching legacy includes students like Pooja Karthik and Martin Bijkerk, both of whom have performed their arangetrams under her tutelage.